Dodging a Bullet

“You dodged a bullet,” my doctor said as he looked at the blood stains and bruises on the right side of my face.

In a parking lot late last Thursday, I had tripped over a speed bump. Fortunately, my face broke my fall.

A number of concerned bystanders immediately coalesced around me, and the fire department medics arrived within minutes. They provided emergency care, but strongly recommended that Daveen immediately take me to a Level One trauma center for evaluation. Their concern was internal bleeding that could result in a serious problem.

So off we drove to the UCLA Hospital emergency room. As Proust wrote, “We listen to pleasure. We obey pain.”  Any other plans for our evening simply vanished.

Even though many patients were still waiting their turn, UCLA admitted me for a CAT scan right away. The result?  No internal bleeding.

We waited to see an actual doctor, but after three hours, at eleven pm, they said it would be another six hours before a doctor would be available.

So Daveen drove me home.

First, I assure you that even though my eye and forehead still look a little bit bloody — all right, more than a little — there was apparently no real damage. I guess it pays to be hard-headed

For years I’ve been reminding others, especially “older” others, not to fall. Apparently, I had been talking more than I had been listening to my own advice.

So beware of speed bumps in parking lots. They can really slow you down. I was fortunate. Others have broken bones and ended up in the hospital for days, or worse.

But I will add that there are a lot of strangers around us who are ready to help in an emergency. And it’s reassuring to know that despite all our differences, there are many kind, helpful people in this world.

Alan