Ouch, I hurt for you! Feel better and take it easy. DH has this handled!

Oh, how awful for you! I'm glad your hubby has stepped up, I'm sure with a lot of coaching from you. Best wishes that you heal quickly Seagrass

Hope you feel better soon.

It is on my things to do list; to develop tools and skills for one-handed living in the kitchen.

Here are a couple:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywsrpbE4RgY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOXGzLSRQfI

dcarch

Soon after I broke my right arm a few years ago, one of my neighbors brought me a set of spoons like the one like these. I used them for meat and vegetables cut up by spouse in addition to soup. They were easier to manage with a stationary arm than traditional utensils. Wishing you a speedy recovery.

That's rough! But at least you got some food in you. Good thing you've trained the spouse. :) Wishing you an easy and fast recovery, and great success of the repair.

dcarch I scare myself using 2 hands to cut winter squash.

Well, here is my tip on how to cut a tough spaghetti squash:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NOsqV-Wh9U

BTW, cutting the squash equatorially will give you longer spaghetti strains.

dcarch

dcarch - I knew that about cutting spaghetti squash - amazing what difference it makes.

So tonight DH cut up my sausage, peppers and onions. I managed to eat it all.

I've been pretty much 1-armed since mid-may. fell at school and broke humerus. in sling for 3 weeks before surgery happened. in sling for 2 more before doc said no more sling. luckily not dominant side. for being sliced open from top of shoulder to almost elbow, NO "agonizing" pain to speak of. just started PT and that's pretty brutal. sensation in left hand is slow returning... no real gripping... yet. have had to think a whole lot more about what i want to cook eat. cutting a lemon... not easiest thing with one hand. get better soon!

Annie... took picture of xrays at follow-up with surgeon a few weeks ago... would post if i knew how and they weren't pretty gruesome! sister says metal in arm looks like something you'd find at home depot! break is long, starting almost all the way at tip of shoulder... long, narrow "sword" looking break that goes to maybe an inch or so from elbow.

until i'm "motorvating" again, using a shop at home service for basic groceries. bagged, frozen, diced onions have been on my list once i realized how DANGEROUS it was to try to cut certain things. think when i'm back to normal (or at least my definition of normal), prepped onions just might become a staple from now on!

Seagrass, hang in there and it does get better. Follow doctors advice and don't rush it. When mine was done, I was in the sling with a stupid pillow thingy on it (no driving, no nothing) for twelve weeks prior to even starting PT as they wanted to make sure it was re-attached and healing. I found using a rubber exercise band (like a sling) helped in the shower so my arm didn't feel like it was going to fall off. Someone told me there are hairdryer holders/stands if that's helpful. Slept in a recliner for months as lying flat was too painful. If you can, once you start PT, find a masseuse as while PT will work the necessary, the rest of your back, etc. gets pretty stressed and out of whack. You are going to have a very talented left arm, LOL. Good luck.

Miserable....so sorry! I broke my upper arm and shoulder 3 years ago....very painful, When I was recovering I found that an electric knife was a Godsend....Kept it plugged in on the counter and sliced my bread and whatever else.
And when the time comes, do your exercises!....I know people who didn't and it's not pretty!

I broke my humerus. I opted not to get the surgery and plates, though it meant my humerus did not heal straight - it's got a bump and a slight curve to it, shrug. But not having the surgery meant a much longer healing time. It was my right arm of course. For eating, I ate mostly sandwiches and salads for months. For cooking, my DH, my sister, or my housekeeper were my hands. I talked them through (standing next to them) stir frys, stews, roasts. I was able to cook a few things one-armed, like eggs.

Klseiverd - Padma Lakshmi, the TV chef and host, broke her humerus and got the surgery. She proudly wears a lot of sleeveless and strappy tops showing her scar, and has done just fine.

My finest most joyous moment in PT came when I could do an exercise that used to make me cry. It was simply standing with my body pressed up against a wall, and raising my arm straight up above my head. Arm extended up and pressed straight against the wall. Took months. Now, it's no biggie. :)

Thanks to all for words of encouragement and advice. I'm one week out from surgery and still have a lot of pain. I'm wearing the sling with the pillow as H B describes, "sleeping" in a reclining chair. Have no idea when I'll be able to drive again. DH & I will do some meal planning and go grocery shopping tomorrow. I don't like being dependent but I'm lucky to have someone to depend on.

We eat lighter in the summertime, so sandwiches are ok for supper. I bought small squeeze bottles of mayo, ketchup and spicy brown mustard that I can use with my left hand. Pre sliced bread, pre sliced cheese...and as M Miller says, eggs are easy. We had meatloaf in the freezer and had sandwiches with that last night and tonight again.

What else can I fix and eat with one arm tied up around me?

mmiller... i'm frequently mistaken for Padma... i WISH! what scar finally looks like is not even close to making list of things to fret over! in fact, open for suggestions of an alternative to how i actually broke arm . every school has video cameras, and I've been told i really do NOT want to look at my 15 minutes of "fame"!

lindac92! electric carving knife! GREAT!

I am trying to remember how I cooked...if you have a stand mixer, think I managed to throw meatloaf fixings in there... stuff takes a lot more time, as you don't want to move suddenly. Think I could use bad arm fingers sometimes. Spaghetti sauce of ground meat with jar of sauce...think I used a small enough pot for boiling the pasta I could carry it with left hand...IKEA meatballs...ugh my kids were in K and preschool ( so they were not helping) Bet it was chicken nuggets in the toaster oven LOL... quesadilla with oreshredded cheese, yes, purchasing pre cut stuff. Good luck, I feel for you. Hope the pain subsides soon.

Crud, sorry to hear about your arm. But seems like you are working through it with some help. I know you look ...and your DH...look forward to you being the full time cook again.

I propose everybody take the precaution of
learning to cook and/or live one handed. To be on the safe side learn
both hands. Maybe devote the first week (left hand) and third week
(right hand) of every month to this end.

mxyplux - that's a state of preparedness in an extreme.

mxyplux, that IS extreme preparedness!

Seagrass, I was hoping you'd be feeling better by now. Be sure to do as the doctor advises, though, if you mess up his "work", it'll take even longer. I'd rather take a bit longer and be sure I heal up completely, I think.

I did have a secretary who was born with one arm. She said it was hard to do simple things like peel a potato. My Dad promptly drove a large "spike" nail up through a piece of 2X4 and sent that and a "c" clamp home with her. She attached the 2x4 to the counter with the clamp and then just stuck a potato on the spike and peeled it that way, took it off, tossed it in the pan and she was good to go. She said it worked for slicing meat or a chicken breast, peeling peaches (like me, she just couldn't eat the fuzz), slicing "ribbons" from a zucchini. She even used the tip of the spike to poke holes in foil tops on things like coffee creamer and catsup. It's ugly and you have to be careful not to hurt yourself, but it was cheap, removable when no longer needed and it worked for her. I'm sure someone can come up with something much nicer looking...

I'm still sending healing thoughts your way.

klseivard, I can think of all kind of ways you could "break an arm". Bear attack, sports injury, fighting off a mugger, playing football with Tom Brady, karate with Chuck Norris, someone stepped on it while you were dancing. Yeah.....

I did break the middle finger on my left hand years ago, I was working in a Hush Puppy shoe factory and ran it into a punch/press. Broke it in 7 places, they put one of those metal protectors on it and put my arm in a sling so it looked like I was "flipping off" the world for about a month, LOL. I used the "boyfriend stepped on it while we were dancing" several times, and did it with a straight face. People would nod sympathetically then realize what I said. (grin)

It sounds like your break is much like Dave's. He's got a plate that runs from his shoulder to his elbow, nearly, and several screws. I told him he has a repair shop, if he'd supplied his own parts, maybe he could have gotten a discount on the arm repair!

Annie