Fall is the season when the Mathematician seems to be most accident prone. He’s been home from England for a week, and we spent this morning in the emergency room getting his head stapled back together.
Yes, you read that right. This morning he was doing his physical therapy exercises which involve a great big rubber band and a hook on the door. Have I mentioned the Mathematician is a rather big guy? So he was pulling straight out from the shoulders with his back to the wall and suddenly there was a terrific bang, which almost woke me up.
—I need a towel, sez he.
—Huh, say I (still half asleep)
—Right now! sez he. And: Too late.
And he lay down on the bed.
This is what happened: The hook flew off the wall propelled by the giant rubber band (an impromtu slingshot, if you will) and bashed the Mathematician on the back of the head. It broke in half, and his scalp was lacerated in two places. So at that point he was shaking and very white. Blood was everywhere (and this not ten seconds after the impact).
I ran for a towel, he sat up and I squeeked. Head lacerations bleed a lot, but this was scary. Two pillows half soaked with blood.
They were very good at the E.R. Got him cleaned up, and put five staples in his head. Now were home again and I’m wondering if these down pillows really can be machine washed, as the tag claims. Also, I’m thinking this has not been a good year. I wish I believed in astrology so I had something to blame it all on.
PS And the physical therapy had really been going so well. His back symptoms completely under control, no more heavy duty drugs for the pain.
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OH NO, what a horrible accident!!!! I’m glad he’s okay, but yikes what a terrible thing, I would not want to wake up to that scene, but even worse that it happened.
Hope Mathematician is feeling better soon!
Like somethin out of a horror movie! OUCH!! My son got a couple staples in the back of the head, earlier, in the summer, there no fun. Wish him a speedy(and safe)recovery.
I hope he heals real quick! Cannot imagine how either of you felt! Tell him for me umm BE CAREFUL!!! ;)
No fun in the ER…unless you’re…well, never mind…
Lynn
Did you get scared when you saw all the blood? See, me, I think I would have passed out.Which really sucks. I would hope to think I would be able to react fast to a situation like this one. I guess maybe adrenaline and instincts kick in. Good job Rosina:) Feel better Mathematician…
The blood scared me because it was coming out of him and there was a lot of it. But otherwise, I’m not scared by blood. In fact, I can (and have) watched all kinds of medical procedures and surgeries. I can watch anything except venipuncture. That is my downfall.
I live in a rather accident prone household (though rarely that bloody) and can say with certainty that down can be washed, with bleach. Just put some tennis balls in the dryer.
I hope the Mathmatician is feeling better…
If it is any consolation head wounds bleed prolifically because the head is blessed with a good blood supply – making things of this nature rather bloody, but on the upside a good blood supply means good (and hopefully quick ) healing.
Hope he is feeling better.
How awful for you all. Glad he’s OK and hope no more accidents occur for awhile.
Ouch! Glad to hear he is all stapled up and that the physical therapy has otherwise been a huge succcess.
Gosh Sara~
Sounds like the time when my 4 yr old pushed my 3 yr old into the wall……missing the wall, catching the corner head on (no pun here). Husband in Europe so I didn’t have to calm him (the husband) down too!!! Spilt his head open…Lotsa blood……8 stitches. We went to a “Luna Park” later that afternoon. I rode the ferris wheel with him…..the injured one!!!
It takes a while to calm down from events like that. My advice? Buy new pillows.
Cynthia
One time when I was 11 my grandpa gave me a BB gun for my birthday. I went out in the back yard and started shooting at a can that I set on top of a fence post. After about 100 shots I missed the can. The bb bounced off the wooden post came 20 yards directly back at me, went through the tiny space at the top of my zipper where my jeans didn’t zip all the way shut and hit me… someplace you don’t want to get hit with a bb.
After I stopped screaming and crying I looked and noticed that the opening the bb had gone through was, basically, bb-sized. In the entire whole wide world of places that bb could have gone, it went through a bb-sized hole in the fastener of my jeans.
Ever since then I have tried to be very circumspect about what represents a potentially dangerous accident scenario.
Sorry about the Mathematician. I’d say just find something sturdier to tie the rubber bands to and keep on truck’n.
Joshua, what are the chances of that happening! Was it a boomarang bb?! lol Did you ever use a bb again!!! lol!!
Yes, that is scary. And I’m glad he’s OK. But in retrospect (maybe not today, or tomorrow, but someday) it’s going to be funny. And think of what a great inspiration it will be for a story! With somewhat less blood, I suspect.
Much like Joshua’s BB story. Tee hee.
Eeyow. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
About 4 years ago my bf broke his ankle in 3 places while at a dear friend’s funeral (a story in itself) and after surgery to place and remove steel had to use one of those rubber band thingies to get the mobility back in his ankle.
Fortunately, he held it in both hands and put his foot in the loop, so nothing ever shot across the room at him (although we did joke about the giant slingshot every time one of our cats misbehaved!).
You might want to mention what happened to the physical therapist if the device was “prescribed” — they should do something about getting a sturdier exercise setup so this doesn’t happen to the next person.