Thanks to everyone for their answers. Some really good reflections there!
@Jeruba Last June, I injured my left arm. The damage isn’t permanent—and fortunately, I am right-handed—but I’m not expected to fully recover until sometime next month. Overnight, I went from the guy who opens all the jars, lifts all the boxes, and carries all the groceries to the guy who can’t pull open a cereal bag.
So I spent a lot of the year learning how to do things with one fully functional arm and one that could exert no more than the smallest amount of force in any direction. I had to learn to rely on tools for simple tasks. And to be completely honest, I had to learn how to ask for help. I grew up in an environment where asking for help was risky, which made it a hard habit to change.
It was frustrating at times, of course, but it had its upsides. My son loves being helpful, so we’ve been doing a lot of things together that I might have otherwise done on my own. And it has made me a better martial artist. One of my instructors told me it was actually the perfect time to relearn certain techniques since there was no chance I could rely on strength instead of skill.
It’s not something I’d recommend, but I’ve learned to live with it.