Below is the text of an email that I sent out to folks here in late January 2008, the good news is healing was quick and things are back to normal.
Yet, it was a life changing moment....
"Home Economics 101…Ask and ye shall receive….and other sharp life lessons".
...Always cook with closed toed shoes… ALWAYS, wear shoes while you are cooking. A basic fundamental of junior high home economics, easily discredited…..The evening started out as a cold night in. Not too much on the list…maybe a few pages in the new read, after a quick trip to Dillions. Tonight was the night…I was going to follow a recipe. Much to my dismay, I thought that the stars were in my favor---the last package of tenderized beef on the shelf nearly had my name on it. The ingredients were all in my cart even thought I have forgotten the grocery list at home I could still recall the right stuff.
After returning home and settling in for the night it was time – breakout the recipe. Step one: flour the meat and cut it. Cut it? Hmm, I did just get those new knives. Just what every kitchen needs, right? A good set of knifes. Finally, this recipe is a breeze! About the time that I had one piece in the pan and had set my snazzy new knife down on the counter…it all happened so quickly…. I do recall the knife falling to the floor, at which I must have jumped back. Yes, I know I jumped back Whew, thank goodness…while it did barely knick my foot, it didn’t even hurt. Within a few seconds of looking down at the floor however, I quickly realized the small slice that was now in my sock and the blood that was emerging from the apparent incision. How is this possible? …Well, laws of physics I know (that was a great high school lesson, too) But really, could it be? Yes, my eyes were not deceiving me. I quickly sat on the floor with some paper towels, remembering all that I could of basic first aid… “apply pressure” and “elevate”. Got it! As I sat there… for what seemed like a while, but in reality was just a minute or two, I was reminded of just days early having prayed to be slowed down, to be given the give of time to reflect, to bring back some focus. And as the inspirational radio played in the background and I sat applying pressure and elevating, I thought this is it, this is what I have asked for.
Well, this reflecting moment soon passed away, as I began to ponder….there is definitely some blood…but stitches? hospital? Was it really that bad? It probably was going to be best to not try to drive, as my right foot was the one with the stab. But it was a knife…used to cut raw meat – last tetanus shot –’96. Yep, it was clear I needed a second opinion… So…911? Staff on Duty? No, they have had enough of a work out this week. My friend Emily! She would be around.Upon arriving to the emergency room (after finding it due to heavy traffic by the stadium) I entered into a foreign land. THIS would be a new experience.
To make a long story short, I know too late at this point…2 hours later the verdict was…some irrigation (yes, this was exciting)….and one stitch on the mid section of the big toe. Before which they needed to consult with an ortho-something-er-doctor BECAUSE below the layer of my Cutco damaged skin… laid a tendon. Verdict here: only 20% effected, should be okay…let’s stitch it up and keep an eye on it…and give her a really cool shoe that she can wear with out any socks in the negative fifteen degrees wind chill world-o-kansas. Then we can have her go visit the doctor-ortho-something tomorrow in another new foreign land with large words of which you have to scribble your name illegibly in order to be a part of.
As I am running out of poetic words to bring you this summary, I just wanted to keep you updated…. That in deed, I will be at home tomorrow for a long while…..maybe resting a bit…maybe catching up on e-mail…or watching a movie….but you can count on it….I will be sporting my cool new shoe in style and using this gift that has been given for the time to slow down…. reflect, relax, and refocus.
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