Hullo friends,
Sorry for the problem uploading photos. I'm connected via a wireless connection at the office of this hostel, and I reckon (as they say here) the signal is as laid-back as Raglan is in general. Speed up, goddamit! I'm from 'Frisco.
But I vow to you, with all my heart, that I will publish a photo of my (formerly, it's been stitched) gaping leg wound.
**UPDATE** Managed to slip in a small photo. Enjoy.
On my first day surfing, in beautiful, perfect waves, ocean warm as bathwater, a full-arching rainbow, fer chrisssakes, I wiped out, and was struck by one of my fins. The force was enough to bash the fin clean off the board, and open a wound (through sheer force- my wetsuit was uncut!) all the way down to the BONE, that's B*O*N*E, right about where the shin meets the calf muscle, or shank in butcher's terms. My wetsuit, which had been utterly superfluous, became useful as a compress for the copious amounts of blood that wanted to gush, and later did.
I was lucky that I recieved a ride back to the hostel (about 2k away), and again, when a vacationing nurse had the supplies and skill to dress the wound. The next day, I hopped a ride to Hamilton, and got the entire thing sewn up and antibiotics for about sixty dollars N.Z. What would it have cost in the US? The doctor descibed the wound, in technical terms, as "gaping". Horrible, I know, but at least it wasn't "sucking", as in "sucking chest wound". Actually, I don't know what a "sucking" wound is, but it sounds awful, and I don't want to know.
So... I have to stay out of the water for ten days. Lots of time to make music, look into the volunteering I want to do in Raglan, and write to you in this blog... and figure out a faster way to do photos.
"Bone" appetit!
5 comments:
I'm so glad you weren't eaten by a shark! I bet you have a nice boner in that gaping hole.
Oh my Gosh, your gaping wound sounds like it sucks anyway! Make no bones about it tee hee. Seriously though, what a terrible initiation into the kiwi surf; but a great warwound to show off to the grommets. Hope it mends ok, stay off it and do as the doc orders. Yes, more pics please, or you'll start to resemble poor old MP & his Chills.... promises, promises.
Rose
Nice to hear from you, Kate... please remember this is a family blog!
Yeah Rose, gotta figure out the picture issue- Drew, any sugestions? "Medium" size seemed to be the same size as "large", and actually posted- any tips?
How long have you been away? Is this going to be a regular thing? It sounds horrible. You have the weirdest good luck when you have bad luck -- the artery was not severed, you had transportation, an enlightened medical system. And you owe the wet suit company a testimonial.
-- Evan
Hi Evan,
I sincerely hope this will not be a regular thing!
Also managed to contract an infection, so I've been laying flat on my back, leg elevated, watching tendrils of redness advance and recede toward my foot,and chalking up consecutive visits to the local medical clinic. Today's visit deemed the infection licked (heh, sorry), which is good news. Next recreational activity: a shower.
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