The Value of a Limb

How often have we looked at a disabled person and not felt anything? At the most we feel is “Ah! Poor Fellow!” and we get on. It takes us a fall and temporary disablement to actually understand, feel and empathise with the permanently handicapped how difficult even small things in life can be.

It sure took me a very small accident (I slipped, fell and strained an ankle ligament) to do a bit of introspection on how we take things for granted- how we take our life for granted. Being invalided means being dependant on a lot many things and lot many people for basic necessities. A plaster cast on my leg meant that I had to use a pair of crutches to move around. Its only then that u actually understand the value of your limbs- here is a collection of a few daily chores which we don’t event think of while doing it.

A small walk from the bed to the bathroom and back will leave u tired and gasping for breath
Brushing your teeth and having a shave with your full weight on the crutches
The effort and technique required to climb a couple of steps (forget a flight of stairs!)
Trying to balance the body weight on one leg to have a shower and making sure that the plaster cast does not get wet! (I wonder why no one has ever tried to create a water proof plaster cast!)

None of us able bodied men and women can appreciate the value of being a normal individual until it happens to us. So ladies and gentlemen, reflections from the painful learning I am going through:

--> Value what we have today- tomorrow it might not be there!
--> Take care of what u have today – it might come in handy later!
--> AND TAKE MEDICAL INSURANCE FOR HEAVEN SAKE!!!

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