The Accident

I wanted to be sure and chronicle this on the blog so in the future I can relive it.  May 10th started out as a potentially great day.  We drove down to see some friends who are missionaries in India and this was our weekend to spend with them.  We had only been there a couple hours and decided to go outside and let the kids play.  They were riding tricycles and scooters down a concrete driveway that went down hill for a little ways and then flattened out.  They were really having a good time. There was one of those razor scooters there.

Esther had not ridden one of these before and did not know how to operate it.  I decided to show her how to push herself along on it.  Then I went to the top of the incline to show her she could ride it down.  So, here I am going down a concrete driveway incline on a 4 year old size razor scooter.  What I did not know is that the kids had been warned not to ride the scooter down to the bottom because there was a drainage grate at the bottom of the incline and the front wheel of the scooter would get stuck in it and send you flying.  So, here I am going pretty fast down the driveway and sure enough the front tire sticks in the drainage grate and I go face first into the concrete. It happened so fast that I could not catch myself and the next thing I know I am standing up with blood pouring off my face and in terrible pain. Margo said she knew it was bad when she asked if I was ok and I said "No".  I thought I had busted out all my teeth but luckily just chipped one and injured some others. I had scrapes and road rash all over my hands, arms, neck, and face. I got lightheaded and had to lay down and just kept bleeding.  I finally looked at myself in the mirror and decided it might be a good idea to go to the ER and get checked out.  They did a CT of head and neck but luckily nothing was broken.  They wrapped me up and sent me home because you can't stitch road rash.  My worst wound was my lip, it had a big hunk out of it. We decided to end our weekend with friends early and go home because I was miserable.
I had lots of pain for several days and had to take pain meds and not go to work. Several of my teeth were really hurting so I could not eat well.  I had to drink through a straw for over a week.  It was 5 weeks ago and I still can't bite with my front teeth.  Two and a half weeks after it happened one of my fingers was still hurting me even though the wounds had healed so I went and had it xrayed and it turns out I had broken it in the accident. 33 years old and that was my first broken bone.  I also have to have a root canal next week and we are waiting to see if the rest of the teeth get better or if I have to have them fixed also.
It is so crazy that I go that injured doing something so innocent it seemed like at the time.  I am know to do a lot more crazy and dangerous stuff than that and never get hurt.  I don't think I am invincible or anything, I just think I am really coordinated and have fast reflexes which helps me keep from getting seriously hurt.  It did not work this time though.  I think this was the biggest injury/accident I have ever had before.  I actually healed up pretty well and fast, better than I thought I would.
Here are some pics.

Day after the accident

1 week after

Today