Friday, June 25, 2010

GUESS WHO WAS IN THE HOSPITAL! THE ANSWER MAY SURPRISE YOU (the answer is me)


Ok – I super broke my leg yesterday. I don’t really recommend it. Let me breakdown what happened for you.


9 AM (Four hours to “the incident.”)
I wake up and head downstairs to have breakfast. My leg has no idea what’s in store for it today. It’s just hanging out in my shoe, having a grand old time. Poor, sweet, stupid leg – it really has no clue what’s coming. Debbie and I go over the weather information for the morning. She’s been having some trouble getting accurate readings lately with all of the broken equipment, and this morning is no exception. Debbie isn’t comfortable sending me out into the field alone, she tells me to check in with Scott.

10 AM (Three hours to “the incident”)
I drop by Scott’s office, he pulls up his weather feed and decides that I’ll be fine out in the field, he marks a few places on my map. I pack up Frosty’s cameras and take off.

10:30 AM (Two and a half hours to “the incident”)
I get a little lost. Normally when I’ve got somewhere to go I’ve got Frosty with me (although his directions can be a little less than helpful sometimes – he’s the kind of guy who will tell you you’re going the wrong way, but then offers no follow up information about what the right way could be.) but this time I was on my own. Since I can’t drive and look at a map at the same time, and because the GPS unit was being really weird I decided to stop by Ma ‘n Pa’s for directions.

11 AM (Two hours to “the incident”)
Pa gives me some tips on how to get to the spots Scott marked on my map. Pa’s a little strange about giving me directions to the storm. I don’t think he approves of people heading into stormy weather, which makes sense to me now.

11:30 AM (One and a half hours to “the incident”)
I may have spent some time playing the arcade game at Pa’s place. I also may have set the high score. 

12 PM (One hour to “the incident”)
I arrive at my first location. The storm is really starting to get bad.

That bad. That’s noon up there!


I start shooting pictures. The wind is so over-the-top-crazy at the top of the hill that I head for lower ground so I can keep the camera steady. I’m starting to really get into taking pictures. I’m following the movement of the storm and looking for a good vantage point to take a few shots. Things are going pretty great.

12:55 (Roughly five minutes to “the incident.”)

It starts to hail. Then it starts to Hail. Then it starts to HAIL! I decide to run back to the car. Just then a piece of hail the size of baseball crashes down less than a foot away. I decide that this is no time for casual running - this is the time for full-out-crazy-arm-flail-running. So I do that.

12:57 (Roughly two minutes to “the incident”)
There’s the car! I jump in – but it won’t start. The car is broken! It’s a car tragedy! I can’t get the windows back up – hail is flying into the car. There’s an old barn across the field from where I am - I decide to make a break for it.

12:58:48 (2 seconds to “the incident.”)
There’s the barn! I’m running really fast now – I’m at the top of the hill, seconds away from the barn. Things are looking good. I take a step and slip -

12:58:50 (The Incident!)
I’m airborne. I have just enough time to think “I am almost certain that this is going to be its own special kind of bad.” I land on my leg in just the wrong way, and suddenly I couldn’t care less about the hail.

After a few solid minutes of self-pity, and feeling a little jealous of my friends who have “boring” internships, I crawl over to the car and call the homestead for help. In a few minutes Debbie is there, and I’m off to the hospital.

I’m going home tonight to get some rest the weekend, and we’ll be deciding if I’ll be able to return to the homestead this season Monday.

Wish me luck!

13 comments:

  1. Oh, Pete! I am SO sorry that you got hurt! And hmm, I wonder why the car wouldn't start. Ask Scott if he'll call in a girl by the name of Nancy Drew. I heard she's pretty good, and I think she might be able to figure it out. Obey the doctor, and I'm sure you'll be out of the hospital ASAP!

    Get well soon! (:

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  2. I don't know what was wrong with the car, but it had NO intention of starting again. When I turned the key, instead of making the normal car starting sound, it made a sound that was pretty much the car equivalent of saying "Nah, it's cool. Let's just hang out here forever."

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  3. That darn car! Maybe it was hurt by the hail too! I am so sorry t hat you are hurt and hope that you recover soon! I <3 Pete!

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  4. Ugh! Maybe the mice wanted revenge and ate up your engene (enjene? ugh. I stick at spelling.):P

    Feel better...

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  5. Aw man! Good luck and feel better soon!

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  6. Feel better soon and good luck! =)

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  7. Get better soon, Pete, and good luck!

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  8. Aw get well soon, Pete! I could send you a box of Koko Kringles...those always lift my spirits!

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  9. Did U check the coolant?

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  10. It does seem like there is that split second when your falling and you have time to think, "This is going to hurt!"

    Thanks for the detailed update Pete; hopefully you'll be back on track soon.

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  11. Wish your leg good luck from me! Maybe it'll get better if you tempt it with some ice cream..

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  12. Maybe if I ask, they'll name a flavor after me at Dr. Wafflecones - Intern Leg Crunch? (ew! I did NOT think that one through all of the way.) Or maybe Cookies N' Cream N' Bedrest...Or Butter Pete-Can't-Walk-For-Two-Months. :P

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  13. My car used to do that to me all the time...I think it had something to do with a fuel line...oh well. Hope you and the car get back to work soon!

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