Judebert.com (Entries tagged as injuries)

Size Matters

judebert@judebert.com (Judebert) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 21:08:23 -0500

We got a nice bunk bed from Ikea for my youngest daughter, Kayla, a while back. The ladder was only rated to 200 pounds. The bottom rung broke off fairly quickly, but we didn't really need a bottom rung, so we ignored it.

There are weight ratings for a reason

Tonight, after I read her a bedtime story ("The Sneetches" and "Bartholomew and the Oobleck"), I stood on the bottom rung for two seconds — too long.

Nice gashes, don't you think? Shallow, but long, and regularly spaced. Apparently my shin scraped along the bolt all the way down. The bolt actually bent, as you can see in the picture.

Eri immediately went to purchase a new ladder online. (Gee, thanks, Dear.) I sat behind her and applied direct pressure to stop the bleeding. I discussed with Eri how any new ladder we purchased wouldn't be any better than the old one, but she wasn't paying attention.

I got a nice, clean, damp paper towel and started cleaning the wound. It stung like the dickens, but it wasn't impairing my locomotion. I expressed to Eri how frustrated I was with her pointless ladder search; she gave it up, and walked off to find me a bandage.

There was no way a bandage was going to fit on that.

Eventually I convinced her. She recommended Liquid Bandage, an antiseptic that you brush on, then wait for it to harden.

I applied it to a small wound about an inch away from the big one. THAT hurt. I can't believe someone actually thought this stuff was a good idea. I had to screw up my courage to apply it to the big wound. Even then it took three applications, with pauses in between for exclamations of agony. (I'm really trying to cut back on the cursing. And the dentist tells me I'm not allowed to grind or clench my teeth. This was a trial.)

Worse yet, Eri kept asking if she could apply it! How sadistic is that?!?

Ten minutes later, the pain was down to a dull throb, and Eri was saying that if we built our own ladder, it would take us six months. I really love that woman.

Math Injury

judebert@judebert.com (Judebert) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 14:35:20 -0500

Tatiana went to another Mu Alpha Theta competition this weekend. She took 9th place in the individual geometry competition! (Read on for one of the interesting problems she couldn't get.)

Unfortunately, she suffered an injury. You don't normally associate injuries with math; it's not a rough sport or anything. But it turns out Tatiana inherited her mother's brittle feet. She severely sprained her ankle on the way to the stage.

She's on crutches and ibuprofen.

Update 2009-02-04: I will no longer take my family to the CentraCare on University Blvd. After 48 hours without a reduction in swelling, we took her to our pediatrician, who discovered that the leg is actually fractured. Tatiana is now in a walking cast for 4 weeks.
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Judebert's EV Conversion Diary: Birth, Backwards, Blood

judebert@judebert.com (Judebert) — Thu, 27 Jul 2006 08:21:00 -0400

Today was supposed to be the Silent E's maiden voyage. It took a lot of effort and a last-minute drive to the local surplus shop, but we got the wheels to spin. Unfortunately, they spun backwards.

Oh, but there was plenty of blood. Read on.

Continue reading "Judebert's EV Conversion Diary: Birth, Backwards, Blood"