A first time for everything

Four posts in a row, I'm on a roll...

There's a little known fact about me - I'm a football player. Okay, not an actual football player, but one who plays flag football. That way I don't have to worry too much about getting hurt. Or so I thought...

Yesterday, at our 9th game of the season, I was playing my usual position of rushing the quarterback. I typically go at full speed, and as I was reaching for his flag to sack him, he threw the ball - and his elbow struck my forehead. I fell down pretty hard, hand on my forehead. I thought it would've been just a bad bump, but when I removed my hand, it was covered in blood. People came rushing over and one of my teammates, who had ripped the bottom part of his shirt earlier in the game, gave me the torn piece to apply pressure with. The first aid guy was called over, and after looking at the gash, said that I'd need 35 stitches. Maybe we heard him wrong, but I didn't need nearly that many...

I was advised to go to the emergency room, but one of my teammates/co-workers, who was nice enough to take care of Alena while we were gone, told me about the urgent care place that would only charge us the $20 co-pay (instead of the $50 at the emergency room). We're glad we went there, because when we got there, it was empty. I was told that it was a pretty deep gash - it had gone to the membrane that's around the skull (the galea aponeurotica) but didn't rupture it. I had some arterial bleeding, so it didn't stop for a while.

Anyway, 7 stitches later, and I had a good story to tell. Plus a cool-looking gash. See for yourself:



The good news is that I didn't pass out or have a concussion. And we won our game, 33-18. Hooray! Two wins in the season! Oh, also, I can play next Saturday after I get my stitches out.