Larry's Accident

Friday Larry had an accident at work.  The simplest of things that turned into the biggest of injuries. 

Larry tripped over the huge bucket of water they use to check for air leaks in tires.  On his way down, his face hit one of those big outdoor ashtrays. 

I got one of those calls a wife never wants to get.  Larry's boss called and said Larry wanted me to call you.  He fell and cut his face open.  I said is he there and needs to me to take him to the ER or is he going by ambulance.  I was told to come to the shop. 

Ok it can't be that bad.  No ambulance.  Be calm.  Careful driving.  Take it easy.  Breathe Christine.  All this is going through my head on my drive to the shop.  As I am getting of the expressway, I see an ambulance getting on the expressway.  No can't be. 

I get to the shop, run in.  And the boss says Roanoke Memorial Hospital.  WHAT????  He said you just missed him.  He was in the ambulance.  (I later found out, boss was in the front calling me thinking it wasn't that bad, and the service manager was in the shop calling 911 cause Larry passed out when he fell).

Ok this time it was much harder to stay calm on the drive.  So I talked to God.  I asked Him to give me the strength to get me through whatever was head of me.  Somehow God got me to the ER cause I don't recall the drive.

Larry had just gotten there when I did.  He had a c-collar on and they had thought he broke his jaw.  After hours of waiting for CT scan and results, we could breathe one sigh of relief, nothing was broken. 

I had said when I first looked at the wounds, Larry needed a plastic surgeon.  Once the collar was taken off, they finally turned their attention to the wounds.  Physician's Assistant said no way she was going to stitch Larry up.  The wound on his chin went completely through in several places.  The ER doctor said he could do it.  Larry said told you so.  10 minutes later, ER doc comes back and said he changed his mind and called a plastic surgeon in. 

Larry's upper lip has a small cut on it.  His lower lip has a gash taking about 1/2 the length of it.  Larry's chin has a 3 1/2-4" inch spilt going through and though in several places.  In addition he has several places that the skin has come off the gum and he has chipped the bone on the gum.  He has broke one tooth and has a second one that has loosened up. 

Because Larry is diabetic he has to be seen today for a wound check.  Then some stitches come out in 7 days and others in 10.  So lots of trips in the future.  All cause he tripped.