"Lucky"

Last week I really did a number on myself. I have done some really stupid things over the years and my Mom always says she should have named me "Grace". This last incident sort of takes the cake.

I was playing horseshoes with dh last Tuesday. He was practicing for a tournament and I was trying in earnest to be interested in the game (a big stretch); I thought maybe I would enjoy playing more if I could do it without my horseshoes ending up bouncing down the hill with every throw.

So, I was getting instruction from dh, who, by the way, is good at everything he does and therefore gets frustrated trying to teach someone like me how to do something that requires coordination. It was cool outside that morning and I had a jacket on when we started throwing. I became warm and took my jacket off and tied it around my waist (can you see where this is going?). As I was preparing to throw my horseshoe I was completely and utterly focused on my foot placement, my stance, my grip on the horseshoe, and I had my left arm placed at a 90 degree angle to my body for the utmost balance (who knew there was such technique to horseshoe throwing?). With my right arm I prepared to throw the horseshoe the 40 foot distance to the stake. As I hurled it forward, it became entangled in my jacket and instead of flying ahead of me, was jerked backward toward my face and clunked me square in the forehead.

For the first second I thought, "OW, that hurt!". In the next few seconds I became lightheaded
and sat down on the ground with my hand on my head. In the meantime dh had run into the house for ice and I was sitting there whimpering--it REALLY hurt. Littlewho started crying and said "Mommy, are you oK?". I mustered up the strength to say "Yes, baby, I'm OK". Then he shrieked "YOU'RE BLEEDING! ARE YOU GOING TO DIE??". I opened my eyes long enough to see a puddle of blood forming on the ground between my legs.

Dh came back with the ice and handed it to me so I could place it on my head. I was still moaning and once dh knew I was alright he couldn't contain the laughter. He proceeded with a list of comments-- "How on earth?....I didn't know horseshoes was a contact sport.....this must be a first.....we'll be telling this story 20 years from now". By now I was laughing and crying at the same time.

Dh asked me to remove the ice from my head so he could survey the damage. I assumed I had a small cut but when he said, "Oh shit", that was my clue that it was probably a little worse. When I finally made it into the house and looked into the mirror I was shocked to see a gaping 3 inch long, deep gash to my forehead that obviously needed professional attention.

8 stitches later, I am fine but with yet another scar and 2 black eyes. My parents love to tell the story that when I was a rough and tumble 3 year old, trying to keep up with the boys, someone said, "You're never going to be Miss America if you keep getting owies!", to which I shrugged my shoulders and glibly replied , "Then I guess I'll just be a scratched up nurse!". Talk about a self-fulfilling prophecy!