Apodaca: Thankful for family, friends and frontline workers.

I am pecking away at my latest column one-handed, hobbled as I am by a broken wrist.

This isn’t an attempt to elicit sympathy. Quite the contrary. Aside from the pain and my grouchiness over the physical constraints that I must endure for the next few months, I’m actually experiencing intense bouts of gratitude.

Gratitude for my family and friends who have been wonderfully supportive. And for the many people that I met just briefly, and for those I may never know, who have dedicated their lives to the well-being of their fellow humans.

Cast your memory back to the early days of pandemic lockdown when, for a nanosecond, society engaged in a huge outpouring of appreciation for essential workers. Healthcare workers, first responders and educators were among the recipients of the well-deserved communal love.

But the warm feelings quickly cooled. The very same workers were scapegoated over public frustration and exhaustion stemming from COVID-19 restrictions. It wasn’t fair then, and it’s not fair now that we’ve resumed our usual equilibrium in which we too often take for granted these everyday heroes.

So, yeah, my arm hurts. But I am grateful beyond measure that every healthcare professional I have encountered since my injury has demonstrated the diligence and compassion that I would wish for any patient in similar circumstances.

My surgeon was highly skilled and possessed a reassuring air of authority coupled with a kindly demeanor. But special thanks are due to the nurses who cared for me, from the longtime veteran of the field who had me laughing through the pain with a story about her own similar mishap to a young, fresh-faced colleague who made sure I had enough blankets,

They represent the hardworking, heavy-lifting backbone of the healthcare field, and they are often the deciding factor when it comes to patient outcomes.

My gratitude extends far beyond my own experience as a patient to those of various family members that have recently suffered serious health issues. Granted, not every encounter with our vast, unwieldy mess of a healthcare system is ideal — far from it — and too many people with limited resources don’t receive adequate care.

But that’s a systemic issue, one that requires solutions from policymakers and others in powerful positions. Recognizing the problems doesn’t negate the efforts of some of the individuals working within the chaos who take it upon themselves to lend a helping hand.

Systemic failures might also be found at the root of the recent near-disaster in northern Orange County, when a dangerously overheated industrial tank containing toxic chemicals was at risk of spilling or exploding, leading to the temporary evacuation of 50,000 residents.

During a tense few days when the situation was at its most dire, I couldn’t stop thinking about the firefighters and other personnel who were toiling round the clock, at great risk to themselves, to prevent a catastrophe.

When the dust settles and investigations into the causes and response to the crisis are complete, I have no doubt that many mistakes will be identified. Hopefully, lessons will be learned and changes made.

But whatever errors did occur, we can still find room to thank those whose jobs involve operating within a highly imperfect structure — the frontline workers who put it all on the line to get the job done and keep the rest of us safe. When the general public is told to leave, they rush toward the danger. Such courage takes my breath away.

And a final thought is due to public school teachers, those chronically undervalued professionals who know perhaps better than anyone what it’s like to work inside a system that frequently teeters toward dysfunction.

No, they’re not all Teacher of the Year material. Some are undertrained. Some are worn out and jaded. A few stumbled into teaching because they didn’t know what else to do with their lives.

There are plenty of teachers, though, who fully understand the importance of their roles, and strive mightily to do right by their students — even when it means they must struggle against entrenched, sometimes misguided restrictions and requirements, and invest their personal time and resources in order to uphold their own high standards.

In our complicated modern lives, there is so much that is beyond our control. Like it or not, we must rely on others. They can disappoint us, even infuriate us. Mistakes are made. Shortcuts and compromises are too easily taken. Sometimes those who have great power to influence our lives don’t really seem to care.

It can be a harsh world at times.

But I take heart from knowing that behind the scenes, away from public view, many people quietly, without fanfare, toil away at jobs that benefit others. Sometimes their dedication carries a large personal cost. That’s part of the deal they make with themselves, so that they may to try to do some good.

It’s sometimes said that not all superheroes wear capes. Some wear scrubs and hazmat suits and sensible shoes because they’re constantly on their feet. I’ll go with those kinds of heroes any day of the week.