There are moments in life when an unexpected event interrupts everything.
Recently, I broke my left wrist. Being lefty, it’s my dominant hand. What followed was reconstructive surgery, immobilization, and the sudden realization that even simple daily tasks would now require help, patience, and adaptation.
Physically, it was a fracture.
Emotionally, it was something more.
When Injury Becomes Loss
We often associate grief with the death of a loved one.
But grief is the natural response to any significant loss.
Injury can be a loss.
The loss of independence.
The loss of normal routine.
The loss of strength.
The loss of the body we rely on without thinking.
When my wrist was immobilized, I felt something deeper than discomfort. I felt vulnerability. I felt limitation. I felt the frustration of not being able to do what I normally do with ease.
And that, too, is grief.
Disenfranchised Grief After Surgery
Many people minimize this kind of experience.
“It’s just a broken bone.”
“At least it’s not worse.”
“You’ll recover.”
And while all of that may be true, it does not erase the emotional impact.
This is what we call disenfranchised grief — grief that is real but often not validated by others.
When we do not recognize it, we may push it aside. We may expect ourselves to be “strong.” But unrecognized grief does not disappear. It goes inward.
Healing from the Inside Out
As someone who teaches the 11 Principles of Transformation®, I was reminded that healing is never only physical.
Recovery asks for:
• Patience
• Humility
• Acceptance
• Trust
• Self-compassion
It asks us to slow down.
It asks us to allow support.
It asks us to acknowledge that something changed.
And when we validate that change — rather than dismiss it — healing becomes deeper.
What This Experience Taught Me
This broken wrist reminded me that:
• Our bodies carry stories.
• Loss is not always dramatic to be meaningful.
• Vulnerability is not weakness.
• And healing, even when uncomfortable, can be transformative.
If you are recovering from surgery, injury, or any unexpected change, allow yourself to recognize the loss within it.
Validation is the first step toward transformation.
Healing happens from the inside out.
From my heart to yours,
Ligia M. Houben
