Suddenly, a change of plans.. .

A pedicure, the hard way. Seven hours late, Kathleen finally made it.
She'll be early to Minnesota.

At 10:10 this morning, outside a popular nail salon at the corner of Antelope and Scott, our winter plans abruptly changed.

Tripped on curbstone.
Why is this there anyway?

That’s when Kathleen tripped over a mall curb and executed a face plant that struck her forehead so directly it saved her glasses. Her wrists barely broke the fall.

After six and one half hours in the emergency room at the nearby Loma Linda Medical Center, after a catscan and numerous x-rays, we can report negative brain damage, just a lot of bruising and a broken right wrist.

Roger the Wrapper. The splint will get her to
Minnesota.

She’s in a splint and under orders to return to Minnesota and seek an orthopod for a hard cast before the bone sets.

We’re on our way Monday.

Kathleen finished her day the way we started it, at the nail salon (above). It should comfort all to know that after her big day, she enjoyed a relaxing pedicure and remains in good spirits, now chatting with family members, fortified with Advil and Stan’s cooking.

Stan heard the thud when she fell. A customer leaving the nail salon was the first to assist. Dropping down she said immediately: “That's a big hematoma. We need ice.” As we comforted Kathleen, checked for bleeding and shock, our angel said: “I’m a nurse. . . if that makes you feel better.”

We waited six hours in the waiting room.
That's long enough for a flight to Minneapolis.
This was an interesting diversion.

It definitely did. And she stuck with us until we headed to the hospital. Kathleen phoned Raquel tonight and thanked her.

The medical center is a busy place, and fortunately just down the road from our incident. We sat patiently in triage and comforted ourselves knowing that our long wait times between services were partly because we weren’t in a life-threatening situation. Others were, obviously. One unfortunate was choppered in as we watched from the waiting room, probably the most interesting part of the day. Another, a softball player had taken a bad hop, crushed bones around her eye and suffered a concussion. Heart attack types wheezed by in wheel chairs. We were relatively fortunate, yes, but it didn’t make the pain go away.

Blake Shelton?

Eventually we got to see a doctor, a big fella Kathleen thought looked like Blake Shelton. She’s not the only one who mentions that, he confirmed. After seeing the second round of x-rays, he ruled out broken fingers, said the cat scan was all good, but one of the eight bones in her right wrist was broken. He also warned Kathleen that in a couple of days the blood from the forehead hematoma would likely descend into her face and she will generally look awful.

Stan politely asked if it would be possible to get a signed note explaining the situation.

The Big Doc laughed and said that wouldn’t work, but suggested having some fun the next time we walk into a public place. Stan should turn to his bruised wife and loudly state: “And next time, don’t forget the cheese!”

Conveniently located just a mile from Kathleen's accident. Nice place, Nice people.
Try to stay away.