Surviving "Suicide Hill"

Who said "Suicide is painless"? Speaking of the hill, that is. The steep slope is just across the Trans Canada from McMahon Stadium.

My cousin told me not to go. After my first successful run down the slope without incident, I refrained from any more descents.

However, with the advent of a roll of duct tape and the re-inflation of our inflatable/deflatable sled, I was game to accompany my sweetheart down the hill. Bad idea.

My famous last words as we took off, "I'm stupid!", served to be prophetic about 5 seconds later. Our sled veered sharply to the left, headed towards not just one, but two ridges. The first ridge was not too eventful, but the second one was much higher, and we were suddenly three feet airborne.

I landed on my side with a sickening thud. Shades of "How the Mighty Have Fallen" (refer to an earlier blog entry, regarding my rapid descent from the back of a camel in Niger, West Africa). But I appeared to be the lucky one.

I glanced over at my wife who was laying motionless on her back a few feet below me on the slope. As I managed to wiggle my injured body closer, I noticed that Connie's face was bloodied and she was not responding to my inquiries about whether she was alright. I was helpless to do anything for her, as my own pain prevented me from getting up. Just then, I was relieved to hear the arrival of help from the top of the hill.

A paramedic trainee and his friend triaged and began focussing on Connie after I assured them that I was okay for now. Connie then regained consciousness and appeared to have movement in all her extremities. Once we regained our total senses (or at least as much sense as I had prior to that last ride, which you might surmise wasn't all that much), our helpers slowly walked us to our car and our friends, Isabella and Jeremy, drove us home.

We continue to mend slowly. Not much you can do for bruised ribs, except for sleeping sitting up on the couch and trying not to sneeze. Connie is fortunate, not only to be alive and intact, but also to be able to recline and sleep. Her hip injury is improving and her facial scrapes make her look tough.

Praise God that Connie and Marvin were not hurt much worse. Despite the pain from the mishap, there is a certain satisfaction we share that we got hurt in the same venture and we both walked away from it. Now we suffer together temporarily, and we can continue to enjoy our future joys and pains together after surviving 28 plus years of marriage.

The obvious question remains: when do we get to go tobogganing on the hill again?



PS: THIS JUST IN: BUSTED

The results from my February 21 x-ray: you guessed it; a couple of fractured ribs. Ouch. Oh well; I am fortunate to have Constance Nightingale living with me.


PSS: THIS JUST IN: SIX PACK

Sextuple ouch. My doctor informed me today, February 24, that I fractured ribs 3 to 8, inclusive. That would be six ribs. He kept congratulating me on doing such a good job. My sweetheart has me on strict immobility now. Sleeping vertically appears to be easier with codeine.