Left-handed report on my life

inside the ambulance

inside the ER

Views from inside the ambulance and from inside the emergency room.  The EMTs thought I was crazy, taking pictures, which is of course absolutely true.  But it took my mind off the pain.  Short version:  I fell on my way into the restaurant to meet my friend Jane.  I was hurrying, wasn't careful enough, tripped on the curb, and dived lip first onto the pavement.  I have no idea how my upper lip made contact, yet my nose didn't.  Both hands and both knees were badly gashed and bloody, but worst was my right elbow, which took the brunt of the fall, jamming the humerus (upper arm bone) upward into my shoulder.  I couldn't turn my wrist and was sure I had broken my shoulder, but it's the arm bone, just below the knob at the shoulder.  Tomorrow -- well, actually that's today since I haven't slept much here in my recliner all night -- I have to see an orthopedic surgeon.

Jane followed the ambulance to the nearby hospital and called my son, who notified his sisters.  My daughter Sandra showed up at the hospital within minutes of getting the phone call.  She had been shoppimg across the street from the restaurant and watched the ambulance depart, not knowing her mom was in it until her brother called.  My kids got me home, picked up the prescription pain medications, fetched my car from the restautant parking lot (I won't be driving it for awhile, without the use of my right hand), and took turns staying with me as they took care of everything for me.  Sandra cancelled all she was scheduled to do tomorrow -- I mean, today -- and spent the night with me.  She and my friend Donna will get me to the doctor in an hour or so.  I hope the techs got enough x-rays last night and don't have to jostle my shoulder any more.

Although Jane stayed with me in spite of never getting to eat supper, she had already sent off an email to our friends before I got home.  What would I do without such wonderful friends and family?

Kendall, exactly a year ago, on 12-10-11

By the way, the EMT who was inserting an IV line while I photogtaphed his partner above knows my grandson Kendall.  They went through fire fighter training together.  Because the nearest ambulance was out on a call, the Dallas Bay Volunteer EMTs were sent for me.  Notice the name on the fire truck behind my grandson, here and when I wrote about him last year.