Hospital Visit Number 1

I'd like to take this time to welcome Julian to grey images. She has definitely brought some more color to Grey.

The other day we received a visitor all the way from Egypt via the 'Silver Thermos' blog entry. Can you imagine the story behind Cairo's visit? It inspires me to envision the disposition that spiraled Cairo's search for a silver thermos using our all favorite www.google.com.

Do I dare try? Maybe another time.

Two nights ago in a rush to use the restroom I slipped in my bathroom causing me to bang my ankle against the frame of the door. You can imagine the pain that I found myself in as cursing poured out of my mouth.

I went to sleep with my ankle elevated with a pillow. When morning arrived the ankle had become swollen and showed bruising. For some ridiculous manly reason I thought I could walk it out. So, after showering up and dressing down in my usual slacks and dress shirt I marched down the road towards work. I stopped for my coffee without my thermos. (I keep the thermos at work now leaving it to sit at my office desk). I smiled at the pretty lady who serves me coffee and continued on my way. It ended up being a 25 minute walk. It did not help to walk it out.

Upon arriving at work I immediately told my boss that I needed to go see a doctor.

She asked, "are you sick again"?

"No, not at all. I slipped in the bathroom and hurt myself".

Next door to the kindergarten I am employed at is a Hospital that specializes in acupuncture. It was close enough to be in and out in 40 minutes. It's exactly what I did with the opening in my schedule.

The hospital must not get many foreigners. They were extra friendly and kind of giddy. After checking in at the front desk they kindly asked me to have a seat. In less than 10 minutes I was being ushered into a room with a desk and a man with a white robe. The doctor had a big smile on his face.

I explained to the doctor what happened. He then tried to bend my ankle in a direction it doesn't normally bend.

"Ouch... Uhmmm. I don't think it normally bends that way," I said.

The doctor said, "Okay, okay".

The doctor and his team of nurses then ushered me into another room with a lot of beds. Each bed had a curtain around it. I took off my hoody (Yes, I wore slacks and a button up dress shirt and wore a thick furry hoody as a coat). I took off my All Stars (Chuck Taylor All Star shoes). I then laid down on the slightly uncomfortable bed.

The doctor took off my left sock and rolled up both legs of my slacks. He then rolled up the right arm of my sleeve. Before I could realize what was happening and how uncomfortable it was to have a doctor touch me, needles were being pressed into my right arm and hand. The doctor then proceeded to put a needle into my right leg.

"It's my left ankle," I said.

The doctor said, "I know, I know," and proceeded to put the last acupuncture needle into my left big toe.

I had more needles in my right arm than the rest of my body. I was dumb founded. It was my left ankle that was injured.

The doctor then used a needle to make multiple punctures into my left ankle. He then applied a suction cup instrument to draw out the blood that was causing the ankle to swell up.

In about twenty minutes I was out the door. It was easier to move my ankle. As I left the hospital the front desk lady scheduled another appointment for today... which I also went to and returned from.

I think this entry is long enough and so I'll save the following hospital entry for another day.

Don't slip on the ice. You might hurt something other than your ankle. Be careful when in the restroom also.