Shouldering The Load

The morning after the operation we removed the gauze to assess the damage. 

In September I injured my shoulder moving office furniture. I stopped a full file cabinet from falling on me while we were trying to move it up some stairs. At the time I didn't know how much damage I had done. It didn't hurt that bad and after I rested a bit, I kept on going. After a couple of weeks of discomfort my boss had me see a doctor. The doctor sent me to get an MRI, which was an experience in itself. They found a torn supraspinatus muscle, one of the four muscles of the rotator cuff; the most common muscle to tear.

I had surgery on Wednesday, December 8th. Today, a few weeks later I'm still wearing a sling 24/7 and going to physical therapy sessions twice a week. I'll be in the sling for a total of six weeks. They say physical therapy can last up to six months and full recovery can take up to a year.

For the past year and a half I've been shouldering the load of running our fledgling community, with my wife's help of course. Our intention has been to delegate duties and recruit help but procrastination has been an obstacle. Now, I am forced to share this load with others in the community. It is encouraging and a blessing to see how willing everyone is in helping make our weekly Shabbat Service happen. Our congregation really is a community.