bigger, better scans of the screws and plate...

:)
amjw

So this is how it goes...

If there was a photo of my very cold behind or very angry face the day I fell, believe me, you would pass on it. Duane seems to think the screws are cool.

For those who haven't heard the whole story - or if you got the abbrieviated version due to the Percocet - then here it is.

Last Wednesday, February 6, I drove to work and I remember very clearly I was listening to "Our God Saves" by Paul Baloche off a "mix tunes" cd for worship choir. I took the last of four spots at the end of the parking lot. It was the DON's car, the Administrator, the Director of Finance and then me. Truth be told, it was sort of a precarious spot, and I had to reverse and drive forward an extra time to get it “right”.

I got out of the van, grabbed my purse, and yes, I was still humming the chorus of that praise song just *one more time*… when, whoosh… Okay, there wasn’t really a whoosh. I wish there had been a whoosh – something to blame for my poor timing besides luck. ANYWAY, I stepped out behind the van, crossing the parking lot to the sidewalk and D-O-W-N I went…

• I thought, on my way down, “here I go again – Maintenance has GOT to get some salt out here!” (Because this was in direct contrast to the previous Saturday night when I fell on a *different* patch of ice in our parking lot… but that was much more of a legs-out-from-underneath-me-and-flat-on-my-round-bum-no-harm-no-foul sort of fall.)




• Watching each of my limbs spread quickly in every imaginable direction was an interesting phenomenon.




• The sound of my bones cracking from toe to hip didn’t catch up to my ears until my very cold behind was firmly on the frozen ground.

The first thing I did was ensure my skirt wasn’t up over my butt.

Then I reached for my cell phone and called the receptionist at the front desk, only a short 100 feet away or so… Apparently I didn’t sound as “together” when I spoke as I did in my head. I think the words that actually came out were: “send a guy”, “need help”, and “on ground”. Penny (lovely Penny) somehow deduced I was in the front parking lot and I soon saw three of our Nursing staff on their way to help me.

Somehow I made a call to Duane before they made it to me. Again, apparently enough pain in my voice to illicit fear. I told him to sit tight I may need some help.

Oh, how I wish the story got shorter from here. And I may just do that to avoid all the embarrassing positions I was in over the next ten minutes or so. Basically, I can say that – wow – we give great care where I work. The nursing staff totally rocked, got us to somewhere safe (non-ice-patchy), got me up and in a wheelchair.

Mind you, this was probably not an easy task for a variety of reasons. The least of which, I’m sure, was that I could have been found (perhaps?)barking from the ground: “No, no wheelchair!” “No, no paramedic!” “No, no picking me up!” “Don’t be ridiculous!” and “We are NOT doing THAT!”

Alas, between our Director of Social Services and the RN, I found myself up and in the wheelchair safely. The rest of the day was sort of a blur, but a blessed, blessed blur… because at the end of it, I was back at home, in bed, with painkillers.

Quick recap:

• 2-6-08, 8:40 a.m.: Fell in parking lot.
• By 9:00 a.m.:Inside, called Duane again to come and get me (this was my compromise to calling the paramedics).
• 10:00 a.m.:The most painful xrays of my entire life. Seen at clinic in St. Paul by United Hospital ER doctor.
• 11:15 a.m.:Seen in Maplewood by ortho surgeon.
• 1:00 p.m.:See in Roseville for a pre-op physical.
• 2:15 p.m.:On our way home.
• 3:15 p.m.: Duane brings me home drugs. The very good, painkilling kind.
• 2-7-08: Pain
• 2-8-08, 11:00 a.m.: Surgery. 100% out.
• 4:00 p.m.: Home recovering.

Yes, I am myself the

Director of Human Resource’s

Workers Comp Nightmare.

********************************************************

So, we still covet the prayers of the people who have brought us through this far. What I’ve told everyone so far: they’re working! As unfortunate as this incident and circumstances are, we’ve really come through it relatively unscathed. God is always so good to us – and we thank Him continually for those blessings.

My ankle has to be completely non-weight bearing for 6-8 weeks. L The surgeon wants me off for two weeks to begin with and then if I “really” want to go back to work, he’ll consider it. Well, I’m already hooked up to my desktop from home (thank GOODNESS), and have one box of work to keep me busy. I anticipate getting back there sooner rather than later.

The last class session to present my thesis was supposed to be tonight. I don’t know that I’ll make it – it wholly depends on how the day goes. However, I’ve made my presentation and will send it to my classmates in the event I’m not able to go.

So it’s me and the Chesapeake Primaries today… hope everyone has a great day. Thanks again for the prayers and support and help, etc.; we truly appreciate it and sing the wonders of His love.

Love,
Ann Marie and family