ok, I've had better moments

Rough night last night.

Ol' Ike rolled through the night before last and we had some damage on the 100 year old tree in front of my house. A couple of branches came down, including one that got caught up in other branches on its way down.

Now I like to think I'm a reasonably intelligent guy. I'm a system analyst, I write code all day long in a cubicle.

But dumbassery plauges us all, and last night I proved that point.

The branch that was caught up, was (of course), just out of my grasp. I'm 5'4" tall, so most of them are out of my grasp.! So I got a step ladder. Not a big one, maybe a 5 footer or so. And I still couldn't reach it. So, I got a rake, thinking I just need to hook it over the branch and break it
free. But it wouldn't budge! It had really wedged itself in the other branches.

So I was out there, 3 steps or so up the ladder pulling on the rake that I had caught the fallen branch on. That thing was caught up good, so during the pulling and shaking, I had gotten it to move a bit, 'one more pull ought to do it'....

The branch rebounded, pulling me off of the ladder and we all went tumbling down. (I fought the tree, and the tree won!) Me, the ladder, and the rake. (the branch is STILL there). The ladder was on my front sidewalk, I had kicked that to the right, the rake and I went down together. I landed awkwardly on my left wrist, but I got right up and commenced pulling on it some more.

Then it started to hurt and I figured that was enough for one night. I mean, how stupid was that? The only thing I could have done worse was to wear rollerblades while attempting all that. Pretty stupid move for a 'smart' guy.

I went in the house, and took stock. After about 15 minutes or so, I had a golf ball size lump on the back of my forearm and my left hand was really aching.

Off to the emergency room for x-rays! I was pretty sure I broke or at least fractured something. After only about 2 1/2 hours I was done. No break but a sizable 'hemotoma' on my forearm.

Really, it looks a LOT better this morning than last night. I iced it down three times (per the emer. room dr.) and the swelling is greatly reduced. Pretty sore today though....

My kids laughed their asses off! And everytime Patti told one of the kids, they were aghast at dad's stupidity.

Patti ALWAYS laughs when I get hurt. (especially self-inflicted stupidity!) It's a nervous kind of laughter and always is curious to me. The worse I'm hurt, the harder she laughs. She was pretty shook up - she actually saw me fall. She didn't laugh then, but when I showed her my forearm she started to giggle.

Actually, I can use that to gauge the seriousness of injuries. The harder she laughs, the more I should be concerned I guess....

The kids got a pretty good laugh out of it all and I'm a bit embarrassed and sore.

But it could have been much, much worse.

Consider me humbled!
m.