WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS IMAGES THAT MAY BE TRIGGERING TO SOME
I have been busy creating podcasts recently and getting in touch with old friends and family members. It has been a new experience and one which has been a challenge and a joy. Here are some of the people that I have interviewed on my podcasts:
- https://open.spotify.com/episode/2x70epQ1d4oMzSO01kMGIS
- https://open.spotify.com/episode/1SEOxjUX1G6Luo7UAEEcdx
- https://open.spotify.com/episode/4ZAXM4J4qRDXEsPFOIgdCR
I was gliding along at a rather fast pace until one early morning when I woke up to use the restroom and somehow hit my head on the corner of the door frame resulting in 14 staples and 7 stitches at the emergency room. It was unfortunate that Isi was away with the boys in Vegas for the BYU/Arizona State Football game. After falling and hitting the wall, my hand reached for my head and it met my raw scalp and a torrent of blood which soaked up my clothes, carpet, and any rags I could grab. I called for Isi not remembering he was away. Then I realized what a serious situation I was in and debated whether to call 911 or Liana who lives a couple of blocks away. I chose the later and rang her number and she answered right away – “I gashed in my head,” I said frantically, and she replied she would be right over.
Just the day before, Isi had asked me if I would be alright if he left to be with the boys at the game to which I replied, “of course!” Little did I know that my foot would catch on the rug, my blood pressure would plummet, or whatever else would culminate to put my life in danger – I really didn’t plan it at all! Upon arrival at the Riverton Hospital, there were three people ahead of us, and Liana and I were scheming how we could get closer to the front of the line – head wounds always bleed profusely, and it seemed this one was no different. It was reminiscent of an accident I had experienced when we lived in Hawaii where the claws of a hammer fell from the top of a ladder onto the middle of my head requiring two staples some years earlier. I’m pretty clumsy it seems!
Once I was finally taken into a room, they made some comments about how the gash was pretty deep and long and then for the next two hours they never touched it. They did several tests including blood, urine, CT scan, EKG, etc – never once touching my head. They found out my blood pressure was very low and that my heart rhythm was off a bit. Also, my potassium level was very low which could explain why I fell or it could have been that I had tripped on the rug near the bathroom in the hall. I guess we will never know why I fell so hard (enough to go through the five layers from the outer skin to the inner skull).
Patience is definitely not one of my strongest virtues and Liana was trying to keep me occupied as she has done while taking care of me and others several times in various Emergency rooms. I didn’t want to interrupt Isi’s getaway since he really couldn’t help from where he was so we made the decision not to notify him until after the game was finished.
Finally, after all the paperwork was done, they irrigated the wound with cold water managing to get me and the whole bed wet. I got chilled a bit and asked if they could put new sheets on and change my beautiful gown. They started to numb the edges of my injury and the needle pricks hurt as it was going up and down the layers from dermis to scalp so they could put in the staples and stitches. The injury was a curved shape and they first put seven self disintegrating stitches inside and then 14 staples in between the stitches to make it lay flat against my head. I had thought perhaps they would need to shave my hair off, but was glad they did not need to. There was still quite a bit of blood on my hair and they said I could not shampoo it off for 24 hours. So, I looked a lot like Cruella with half of my hair blond and straight and the other blood red and curly. I was quite a sight!
Finally, everything was finished and we went home to rest. Liana planned for someone to be with me at all times. My grandchildren took turns staying with me and I felt very blessed. Food was provided by my sister, Shauna and my daughter. I am so blessed. It could have been much worse. Isi was a bit upset that he had not been informed earlier and I don’t blame him. We are working things out now. It was not the best start to the month of September. I feel like Humpty Dumpty who took a great fall! Hopefully September will get better going forward!
