My home office on crutches

By Jeff Bowman

Running a small business for the past 8 years, I thought that I had seen and worked through most of the anomalies and crises that might occur.

I survived an economic downturn in the early 2000’s, worked my way through a business amalgamation and partnership several years ago, enjoyed the prestige of being a Small Business of the Year, and tried to stick handle my way around creating new avenues for business in this most recent recession.

Today, I sit on my bed surrounded by my laptop, cell phone, newspapers, account sheets and reports, with my leg propped high, unable to negotiate much more than getting to the bathroom on my crutches.

I knew months ago that surgery was imminent, and tried my damnedest to think ahead and plan for the several weeks I would be under house arrest while my leg healed.

I didn’t imagine how difficult I would find this experience. I tend to be restless at the best of times; I enjoy my Timmies and I am a bit of a workaholic.

If my business depended on my being physically present at clients, or if I did not have partners to assist and pick up the slack and if I did not have some form of insurance, I hate to imagine where I would be at this time.

I could have chosen to forego the surgery and maintain my limping independence until a “better time” arose, however there will never be a better time.  Business will always be there, the calls will need to be made and the reports will need to be completed.

I accept the fact at I can’t go out, that I need time to heal, that I can’t do everything I want to and that business may suffer slightly for the next several weeks.  What I don’t accept is that there is nothing good on daytime television, it is uncomfortable typing while in a prone position and that Timmies won’t deliver!

I’ll get over it, I am sure.