May Day 2

My memories of the rest of that day--indeed the entire week I spent at the hospital--are vague and jumbled. Which is probably a good thing; being in shock has its benefits.

I remember that it hurt like bloody hell when I was moved off the helicopter, and from the gurney to whatever else. The worst move was to my bed, after I'd been lying in the hallway for a while waiting for a room to become available. My eyes were bloodied shut and I don't know why no one cleaned them off, given all the examining and stitching that was done. My left eye was still stuck the next day, and I wound up wiping it clean--gently!--myself.

I had a raft of Xrays and CAT scans done, and had my mouth and forehead stitched. All I recall of that is being told that I was going to have the scan, and my saying that I'm allergic to iodine, so they couldn't inject me with dye.

Results:

1. Concussion.
2. Fractured nose, right brow bone, maxillary sinus, palate and palatinate bone (didn't even know I had one!); gash between eyebrows, which had to be stitched --all caused by my glasses smashing into my face. (The glasses shattered too; they looked like the ones in the famous scene in Battleship Potemkin. I was going to take a picture of them, but the husband disappeared them after a few months.)
3. Gash on right forehead (conveniently on an old scar), also stitched.
4. Right three front teeth torn through upper lip, ditto.
5. Fracture across upper right humerus & another down shaft at humeral head.
6. Two fractured back "floater" ribs.
7. Bruised liver, possibly caused by broken ribs.

To add to the drama, Darling Husband was in Washington DC on business. The stable called my home and got the Boy Wonder, who then called DH's office and got his colleague, Gavin, who called DH with the bad news, then drove right over to our house. Gavin brought BW to the hospital to see me (shudder...I was scary looking!), then stayed at our house till DH got home the next day.

At some point (next day?) the orthopedist, "Dr. Tommy," gave me a choice: I could get a titanium plate put in my arm right away, or I could wear a plastic brace and be A-OK in a couple of months. Well duh! Of course I chose the brace. Little did I know...

Continued in next post.