So, if you weren't aware, I was in a bike accident.
Refer here to part 1: Part 1. (PS. I made a pun in the last major paragraph, which I find hilarious. haha) I ended up having surgery on Wednesday and everything seems to have gone perfectly well. I'm going in for a follow-up appointment with the surgeon on Thursday morning and my arm isn't really in pain anymore and I'm (somewhat) typing with two hands again (although the left hand only gets to type e,w,a,s,d,z,x and left-shift (he usually gets to type a little more of the keyboard too)(I only normally type with like 2 to 4 fingers. xP)).
But part 2 is mostly about what I was thinking throughout the day in relation to God and the Bible (hence parables).
To start, looking back on the accident itself I'm really quite happy about the way it all happened. The day started with a good solid time in the Bible and looking at who God is and trusting in His goodness. Which was somewhat uncommon at the time. Had it not started that way, I don't think the rest of the day would have happened the same way.
First, the accident itself, praise God, was so benign. A bump to the head; like 10 stitches; a couple scrapes; a bit of a sore neck and shoulder; and a broken ulna bone, which is pretty much better now. It wasn't a serious accident, but it could have been so much worse. I kept thinking about how everything had been planned. GM had messaged me like two weeks prior to go biking and we ended up on that date because I was free. We could have chosen any other week. Had I not gone biking that Saturday, I would have biked to church the next day alone, which has a lot more street biking. I could have ended up unconscious, on the road, alone Sunday morning rather than on the side of a bike path, fully conscious, with a buddy, 5 blocks to a hospital. The idea that God works all things for the good of those who love Him (Rom 8) kept coming to mind. He kept me from a worse injury. He has given me more time in the Word and reading other encouraging materials. He has shown me so much love through my brothers and sisters in Christ. He's brought me closer with my parents. There's so little here that has been a downside. xP Yesterday SC even told me how me and JF (a fractured radius) being in bike accidents caused him to check his bike and not ride it when a bolt was missing. Our injuries have caused everyone in the church to be much more aware and safe with biking!
Secondly, I, and GM and others, were amazed at how calm I was during the whole thing. When it happened, my first response (which surprised me too) was to pray. And through the whole thing I was thinking so clearly and calmly. It was insane. Looking back while I was in a room waiting for stitches the thought of Phil4 came to mind: 'pray about all things and the peace that surpasses understanding will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus'. Honestly, one of my thoughts at the time were like 'we need to press down on the wound to stop the bleeding. we need to breathe slower and get our heart rate down to slow blood loss. we need to make sure anything we feel or any loss of sight or anything is conveyed to GM so he can tell the paramedics when they get here. etc.' and then I also answered all of the questions about who, what, where, why, how, etc. perfectly.
Third, I think I got a bit of a picture of Israel waiting for the Messiah to come. Maybe this was just me experiencing a prolonged waiting, which I normally don't, but it really was a long wait, and I was in a fair bit of pain. The guy in blue was my Jesus. Kendrick. Xrays were taken at like 2:30 pm after I had been stitched up, but nothing happened until 3:30. Kendrick came and told me about my arm. He had to go and talk with his seniors, but he would be back. So I waited in pain, mostly singing hymns and praying. One time he came back and said I needed a CT scan. Cool. More waiting. Around 6 pm I almost gave up hope that he'd be back. Maybe he went for dinner. When does his shift end anyways? Got a CT scan. Kendrick came back. This time literally just to say "we haven't forgotten about you. I will be back soon!" It was like 10 pm when he finally came back and gave me the final news, but he gave me a cast and gave me pain killers. He showed genuine concern for me and talked me through everything and sent me home. It was a long day, waiting for rest and comfort from my self-inflicted pain, but time after time it was prophesied that the saviour would come. (I realize this is a bit of a stretch, but the hope that Kendrick was coming back and that he actually cared really got me through what could have been millennia of waiting. haha)
So ya, it's been cool. xP And of course, this light and momentary pain is nothing in comparison to the future glory we have as children of God (Rom 8).
Ttyl,
D.Fa
20.7.15
Pain, Patience, and Parables. Part 1/2
Yo
How goes it? As my luck would have it, I am now injured again. It seems that this summer I just attract injury like a magnet attracts iron shavings. The second I move past one injury, the next is waiting for me. xP
Long story short: bruised rib, badly sprained ankle, re-bruised rib, twice re-sprained ankle, and to top off the summer: stitches and a broken ulna.
In some ways, it's a really dumb story. haha. I had biked to softball in light rain and so a friend drove me home. To do so, I removed the quick release front tire. The following day my friend and I were going to go for a long bike ride just for fun. About 15 minutes into the bike ride I was lying on the ground bleeding.
It seems I hadn't tightened the front wheel very well when I put it back on and as I went to hop over a bump on the bike path, it popped off. The forks of the frame hit the ground, I flew over head first into the pavement (as I watched by friend bike behind me. xP // note to self / everyone: wear a helmet!) and presumably did a roll right, hitting my right shoulder and left elbow (as it came around). I got up (without my glasses), felt my forehead, saw blood drip, felt a bit faint, so I lay down off the bike path. My buddy calmly asked (well, maybe a little nervous. I couldn't see his face, but his voice sounded a little urgent) if he should call 911. He did and, knowing the area better than he did, I calmly answered all of the operator's questions whenever he repeated them aloud (y'know, that thing you do to both fully understand the question and buy an extra second to think about it? I don't think he was actually asking me). We were actually only about 5 blocks from a hospital. Some joggers came by and helped direct the ambulance to us. I asked my buddy to find my glasses while we waited.
The two in the ambulance were extremely nice, funny, and calm. Andrew and Amanda. So nice! They patched me up, gave me a neck brace, put me on that plastic board thing, got me into the ambulance, asked me a bunch of questions, took my vitals, got my bike, and drove me to the hospital. On the way I found out that Andrew knows all about my thesis supervisor and what I'm working on. haha. My supervisor has "god status" when it comes to aptamers, in his words (but pretty true), and his friend did her PhD in her lab. xP Small world!
Got right into the hospital and saw a doctor not too long after. Had a guy in training do most of the preliminary screening, 'irrigate' and numb my forehead, and most of my stitches after observing a few by the main doctor on duty. Based on my ability to move and that I didn't go unconscious and my general lack of pain in my neck they determined my neck was ok and I hadn't had a concussion (thank God!). I managed to convince him I should still get a neck xray done. They also xray'd my left elbow, which really hurt and I couldn't move too much.
A while later a guy in a blue jumpsuit (is how it seemed) came in, assessed my motion of my left elbow again, said I had a fractured ulna (one of the two forearm bones) at the head (where it connects to the elbow joint), but he'd need to consult his seniors because it was right on the edge of maybe being a lot worse and the xray's angles was inconclusive. Later he came back and said I'd need a CT scan. I got a CT scan (and tetanus shot) and later he came back and broke the news to me: the ulna was fractured in a few places and broken such that the two pieces were not aligned and would need to be corrected surgically with a metal plate (and maybe have the head replaced with a fake if it is too small to attach the plate to). He got me to sign off on the procedure (after telling me the pros and cons of the procedure) as well as potential blood transfusion. He made me a plaster cast and sent me on my way with a prescription for moderate pain killer medication.
A number of thoughts crossed my mind during this whole thing. I'll tell you more tomorrow (my hand is tired of typing. lolllllll).
Ttyl.
D.Fa
How goes it? As my luck would have it, I am now injured again. It seems that this summer I just attract injury like a magnet attracts iron shavings. The second I move past one injury, the next is waiting for me. xP
Long story short: bruised rib, badly sprained ankle, re-bruised rib, twice re-sprained ankle, and to top off the summer: stitches and a broken ulna.
In some ways, it's a really dumb story. haha. I had biked to softball in light rain and so a friend drove me home. To do so, I removed the quick release front tire. The following day my friend and I were going to go for a long bike ride just for fun. About 15 minutes into the bike ride I was lying on the ground bleeding.
It seems I hadn't tightened the front wheel very well when I put it back on and as I went to hop over a bump on the bike path, it popped off. The forks of the frame hit the ground, I flew over head first into the pavement (as I watched by friend bike behind me. xP // note to self / everyone: wear a helmet!) and presumably did a roll right, hitting my right shoulder and left elbow (as it came around). I got up (without my glasses), felt my forehead, saw blood drip, felt a bit faint, so I lay down off the bike path. My buddy calmly asked (well, maybe a little nervous. I couldn't see his face, but his voice sounded a little urgent) if he should call 911. He did and, knowing the area better than he did, I calmly answered all of the operator's questions whenever he repeated them aloud (y'know, that thing you do to both fully understand the question and buy an extra second to think about it? I don't think he was actually asking me). We were actually only about 5 blocks from a hospital. Some joggers came by and helped direct the ambulance to us. I asked my buddy to find my glasses while we waited.
The two in the ambulance were extremely nice, funny, and calm. Andrew and Amanda. So nice! They patched me up, gave me a neck brace, put me on that plastic board thing, got me into the ambulance, asked me a bunch of questions, took my vitals, got my bike, and drove me to the hospital. On the way I found out that Andrew knows all about my thesis supervisor and what I'm working on. haha. My supervisor has "god status" when it comes to aptamers, in his words (but pretty true), and his friend did her PhD in her lab. xP Small world!
Got right into the hospital and saw a doctor not too long after. Had a guy in training do most of the preliminary screening, 'irrigate' and numb my forehead, and most of my stitches after observing a few by the main doctor on duty. Based on my ability to move and that I didn't go unconscious and my general lack of pain in my neck they determined my neck was ok and I hadn't had a concussion (thank God!). I managed to convince him I should still get a neck xray done. They also xray'd my left elbow, which really hurt and I couldn't move too much.
A while later a guy in a blue jumpsuit (is how it seemed) came in, assessed my motion of my left elbow again, said I had a fractured ulna (one of the two forearm bones) at the head (where it connects to the elbow joint), but he'd need to consult his seniors because it was right on the edge of maybe being a lot worse and the xray's angles was inconclusive. Later he came back and said I'd need a CT scan. I got a CT scan (and tetanus shot) and later he came back and broke the news to me: the ulna was fractured in a few places and broken such that the two pieces were not aligned and would need to be corrected surgically with a metal plate (and maybe have the head replaced with a fake if it is too small to attach the plate to). He got me to sign off on the procedure (after telling me the pros and cons of the procedure) as well as potential blood transfusion. He made me a plaster cast and sent me on my way with a prescription for moderate pain killer medication.
A number of thoughts crossed my mind during this whole thing. I'll tell you more tomorrow (my hand is tired of typing. lolllllll).
Ttyl.
D.Fa
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