Opposable Thumb Appreciation Day

When I was a kid, probably 11 or 12 years old, a retired couple at our church asked my parents if I could "Ladysit" for them occasionally. The lady's mother ("Dedo") lived with them, and they didn't like leaving her alone. She got around on her own pretty well and didn't need any special assistance, so they knew I could handle just keeping her company and being present in case of emergency. I was conscientious enough to know when to call 911 if need be. Dedo and I had a lot of fun watching "Young Riders" on TV, eating homemade fudge, and playing dominoes together. It was about the best first job a girl could have!

A few times when I went to Ladysit, the couple's little great-niece was there too. She was probably five or six years old, I'd guess. She was just a normal little girl, except she had no thumbs. I marveled at how she got things done using her index finger in ways that you and I would never think of. She didn't really need any more help than any other six-year-old would have. It was amazing. I think of her sometimes and wonder where she is in life now.

I thought of her especially yesterday, when my thumb went on strike. That's right. My dominant thumb went on strike, leaving me high and dry. I think it was a bizarre repetitive stress injury caused by writing a bunch of notes in print. I don't have reason to actually write something very often now; most of my correspondence is done on the computer, and all other writing is typically short lists or sticky notes for myself around the house.

Do you realize just how often you don't just use your thumbs but need them and rely on them to do common things? Driving a car is the pits with a painful thumb. Just turning the key on the right side of the steering wheel alone with a painfully unusable right thumb is enough to send anyone to the loony bin! And as if that pain is not enough, in your writhing agony you still have to push the fat button on the shifter to put it in reverse, only to have to do it again to put it in drive seconds later! There are plenty of things you can just use your other hand to do, but it is so automatic to use your dominant hand that you've already sent yourself into a hollering tizzy before you think to use your left hand! Pushing the child car seat's safety belt release button is one of those times...HOLLERING TIZZY.

It is impossible to open an unopened bottle of juice with the safety ring still intact unless you have a peculiarly useful left hand. And you can forget lifting anything, even a magazine. Feeding yourself presents obvious challenges as well. Opening door knobs...pushing buttons on the remote...scooping ice cream...zipping a zipper...cutting with a knife...removing and replacing the lid on a sippy cup (the kind that pulls off and pushes tightly back on)...typing quickly...tying your shoes...signing your name, especially on those electronic pads at store check-out counters...even changing a diaper...mostly things that can be done with your left hand, but it's a million times slower and more difficult to do so (especially if you are undercoordinated even with your good hand like me!), and downright EXCRUCIATING to use your defunct right hand despite your thumb injury as a last resort when absolutely necessary!

Be good to your thumbs. Whether you realize it or not, they are good to you.