I saw a spoof on tv last night about a guy without any shoulders. It was much funnier than when I broke my dominant arm this past summer. The experience has given me completely new perspective. Les simulated a broken arm on Survivorman and he gave up pretending because it was just too hard. I don't blame him one bit.

The Accident

It was an emergency situation: I had a freak accident while tubing at a friend's cottage. (Think inner tube with handles, tied to the back of a boat like a water skiier.) Thank goodness for my lifejacket! Three biggest challanges: I passed out for a few seconds, went into shock, and I couldn't get back into the boat. First aid is first aid, although I was in the water, but was up to the people in the boat to get me out of the water. Lesson learned by all: Think ahead! They eventually got me into the boat, and someone could have swimmed me back to the cottage, but a throw rope or life ring on a rope would have been a huge help.

We didn't have a first aid kit either, which is very unlike me. I let my guard down because we were staying within sight of the cottage. We made due without one this time but never again will any of us go out without one. The two first aid instructors on-board are still kicking themselves.


The Injury

I lost the use of my hand, arm and shoulder for a few months, and won't have full use of my shoulder for at least a few more. My entire arm was completely immobilized for almost three months, and the challenges of life didn't stop. You'd be amazed at how many things we need two hands to do. For example, I couldn't open most containers on my own unless I could hold it well enough with my knees. I always had someone around to help but what if I didn't?

It's made me give my survival gear an intense rethink. Here's a few examples from my experience to get us all thinking.


Re-Thinking My Kit

Carry:

*I couldn't wear my regular backpack so switched to a single strap messenger bag, which I usually hate because it's way less stable on me and not condusive for movement other than walking.

*I can use my regular pack again but it's still too heavy with everything that's in it. Rethinking necessity and weight.

*My reach is now severely limited so what I wear on my waist, and where it's placed, has changed


Mechanics:

*I couldn't open my folding knife or Leatherman, so I threw a little fixed blade into my kits.

*I couldn't use a ferro rod or mag stick, so extra lighters and matches were added.

*Buttons were impossible and I couldn't wear anything that wasn't loose fitting so I changed all the clothes in my kits.

*I couldn't hold a flashlight AND do something else at the same time, and I couldn't get my headlamp on without help, so I switched to those lights that slide onto the brim of a baseball hat.


Rethinking YOUR Kit

I could babble all day but my point is this: Have you thought about an injury? Is your stuff one-armed user friendly?

That's what I think of when some people go on about their spark-making tools. Some plain old strike-anywhere matches can come in very handy if you have to light a fire with your non-dominant hand.

When my elderly neighbor had a stroke and was in one of the Providence care centers, they had her nurse-call button and the telephone on the same side of her bed as her side that was affected by the stroke. I moved it over, and the next day, it was back on the wrong side. I had to have 'a strong word' with the nursing desk, and even that didn't fix it entirely.

K.I.S.S. is always a good idea with a lot of things. Hurt yourself, and it suddenly becomes a lot more obvious.

Sue

Kind of sounds like you need to work on your weak-arm dexterity and strength.

Left handed I work the thumb controlled knife blades on the Leatherman Wave by gripping the blade and swinging the handle, or using the index finger instead of the thumb. Using my thigh. easier if I sit or squat, I can get the pliers open and get the various blades out.

Lighters still work as long as I have a thumb.

When I was younger I dislocated my right thumb and banged up the hand. It was essentially unusable for weeks. Having time on my hand I made a protracted effort to work on weak-hand strategies.

The first time it took me about an hour to tie my boots and the knots failed after a couple of steps. My left hand cramped up and I felt so frustrated. I walked around for a few hours with my boots untied and was quite short with the person who pointed my boots were untied.

After a while I gave tying by boot another try. And another try. After working on it off and on for a day I got it done well enough.

I came up with a double overhand to start as it tightens up better pulling one leg at a time after an initial weak tightening by spreading the hand using both thumb-forefinger and little-ring fingers to grip each side. Then a single loop double wrapped around the other string, a weak spread for initial tightening and working both ends one at a time.

I could get a strong grip for opening jars by sitting on my rump and trapping the jar between the soles of my feet. In some societies its a traditional method for holding items to be worked on. Pulls a lot of strange stuff working that way, expect to be sore, but it works.

By the time I could begin to use my other hand a little I was pretty self-sufficient. Even though it looked like a four-year old's scrawl I could even write a bit with my left hand.

I'm in no way exceptional. Keep working on it and I think everybody can get along pretty well using their weak hand. Once learned it comes back quickly with practice.

Those are some good points, bacpacjac!

Using a ferro rod with one hand takes practice just like any other skill, but it's certainly doable. If I could carry only one fire starting system, then it would be a ferro rod and knife.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0bU0F0hKdI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l10DV95HA1I&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XeZV86pUA8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQ_yiR26wxw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6ql8yt_wHo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bf5ukPIDJ8

I relate: what was diagnosed as left shoulder bursitis has for years occasionally rendered me essentially one-armed, and now I seem to have managed a left rotator cuff tear as well. Medical supply houses have a number of aids for the one-armed that can make daily life livable.

Thanks dweste! i'm researching now...

Good reminder, bacpacjac, about doing the mental preparation ahead of time to think about "preparing for the worst".