BLACKBURN AND SWEETZER

This is the sound of me typing one-handed*, having spent yesterday afternoon in the Cedars-Sinai emergency room with a bloody hand. I’m not sure how it happened, but some China fell, must have hit something because it was already broken midair, I put out my hand to catch it and a broken edge sliced into the area below my thumb. It was ugly - blood dripping on my legs, to the floor, and covering my hand.

A good friend (thank you, Nora!) took me to the ER and, as ERs go, I got pretty swift service because 1) the time of day was not yet crazy busy, and 2) my case was not of the IV serious variety. Funny, the doctor that helped me did have a Patrick Dempsey kind of thing going - although probably taller than Dempsey, with a tamed, but slightly shaggy ‘do, smart glasses, and a nice and calm demeanor. Found out he has a genius wife (think a professor of astrophysics) and two kids - you know, one of those real unimpressive families. How smart are those kids going to be? How is it that an ER doctor is not the brainiac of the family? At any rate, it was probably as pleasant as an ER experience could go, even though the pain definitely sucked until my hand was shot to numbness. The good news is there’s no tendon damage and the stitches should be out within two weeks. As good husbands go, mine rushed to the hospital and took me home, which I appreciated. Which is all to say, typing is difficult at the moment and my hand is throbbing, despite my steady stream of Advil, so I’m going to sign off for the day…

* Credit where credit is due: this opener is courtesy of the husband, because this is the kind of thing you do as a writer, think up clever openers for your spouse’s blog, story, book, screenplay, birthday invitation, whatever…