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Party, Interrupted

Today’s post is supposed to be all about my brother-in-law Randy’s 60th birthday party. Friday night he had a big bash down by the river behind his house (I’ve talked about this place special before, if you recall) with a bonfire, family and friends, loads of food and folk guitars and singing. He kept referring to is as a Vernal Equinox party but it was truly in honor of his birthday. I thought I’d have loads of pictures to show you. Pictures of people eating and drinking, singing and laughing, doing what our family and friends do best. I have one. Picture that is.

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This is Dale and Randy’s friend Mike before.

Before what, you ask? Before Dale decided to hoist a flag. And before the top of the flag pole and the metal pulley that hauls the flag up the pole came crashing down and smashed into the side of his face.

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I present Exhibit A. This is the 6 lb. hunk of metal and wood that split my dear husband’s temple wide open just before the festivities were about to get under way. Scary looking, isn’t it?

I was helping out with a few things when I heard Dale call my name. I looked over and he was on the ground. I thought he had slipped and fallen so I called over, “Are you okay?” And he looked at me in the most vulnerable and scared way and said, “I’m hurt. I’m bleeding.” That’s when I saw that the side of his face was covered in blood. I ran to him and saw a gash on his temple and knew immediately that he needed stitches. Probably a bunch of stitches from the depth and length of the cut. I squeezed it together and started yelling, “I need help! I need help!” I spotted Dale’s sister Lisa (she’s a nurse) and called her name. She told me afterwards that she’d never heard me sound like that before and she came running. So did Randy and Mary. They all thought Dale was having a heart attack or something, the poor things.

While I raced around frantically looking for my cell phone, Lisa and Mary got clean towels to apply to Dale’s face and Dale’s dad came over with a golf cart (we hadn’t brought our cars all the way down to the river) to bring Dale up to my Jeep. It seemed like everything was happening in slow motion but I think we were on our way to the hospital within 10 minutes of the accident.

We got to the hospital and I have to say, as awful as it sounds, that it was a good thing he was bleeding so much as we were seen much quicker than I think we might have been otherwise. The doctor explained that Dale had cut a blood vessel in his temple and that’s why there was so much blood. 18 stitches and two hours later and we were ready to leave. Dale was sporting a giant goose egg on his temple and an ace bandage wrapped around his head to apply pressure to the wound to decrease the swelling. His eye was already turning black and blue but he insisted on going back to the party. No surprise there, eh?

He was greeted as the conquering hero by everyone there. I made him sit, he made me let him have a couple of beers. And then we headed home. What a night!

By the way, Randy writes a weekly column for the Brockton Enterprise. You can read his version of the party here, if you’re interested.

There are pictures for those who want to see his eye as it looked on Saturday and Sunday. Just look in the extended entry. And if you don’t want to see them then don’t scroll up when you leave a comment. It’s not that bad, but then again, I’m used to it. It might not be good for the squeamish.

I shudder at the thought of how much worse things could have been and I will be forever grateful that Dale wasn’t hurt more severely. Really, this was a close call.


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Saturday afternoon, still wearing the pressure bandage.

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Sunday afternoon, no more bandage but UGH.

This Post Has 93 Comments

  1. That is unbelievably scary. Grace under pressure, you both were. I am so very happy it turned out okay. Or at least stitched and healing. *PHEW*

  2. Poor Dale! You’re right that I think he got off “lucky” how scary. Amazing how we can pull our shit together when we have to, no? Hugs to you both, so glad the story has a happy ending.

  3. O.M.G. Yikes. I’m so glad you’re both OK. Big hugs to you both.

    (I know that tone of voice, sort of. With Miss B I have a “stop that, it’s annoying” voice and a “stop that, it’s dangerous” voice. She responds immediately to the latter, which would be very handy if I could do it on purpose.)

  4. How frightened you must have been. It’s awful when anyone gets hurt, but when they “belong” to you, it kicks you into high gear. So very glad he’s ok.

  5. Oh, how awful! I’m glad you didn’t see it happen. And I’m glad things turned out okay and that you’re both fine.

  6. Yegads … that WAS a close call. I’m so gratefult that he’s (battered and bruised, but) o.k., and that you were able to get him help so quickly.

  7. What an awful thing to have happen. Thank goodness you were there and acted so quickly. I hope Dale heals well and fast!

  8. Jeez, Carole! What a harrowing thing to have happen. I’m so glad he’s ok. The pictures of the flag pole top? All that jagged wood? Well, yikes. Now I guess he’ll have a battle scar to go with his regalia.

  9. Wow you guys – that’s pretty scary! Glad to hear that it turned out as it did. I wouldn’t want to hear the alternate ending to this story. Get better soon Dale!

  10. Ayup. Some people REALLY KNOW how to party!

    I’m tempted to call Dale a big attention-getter, but I’ll refrain. 😉 Relieved that everything worked out ok.

  11. Oh my gosh, Carole. An inch or so lower and he might have lost his eye! I am thankful that he was not hurt worse. Sending wishes for speedy healing.

  12. Yowza! That was some party!
    Seriously, Carole, I’m just so glad Dale is alright, sure, he’s got a black eye and sutures to show for it but he’s alright.

  13. Very lucky to not have lost his eye or worse. That will be quite the battle scar! At least it’s on/ follows the brow line. Glad Dale is okay.

  14. I am glad he is ok and not at all surprised at his wish to return to the party. I would have gone straight home to bed, my wife – back to the party. Wishing him a speedy recovery.

  15. Yikes. That would look like a great battle wound when you do your next reenactment. Other than that, I can’t really say much positive.

    Here’s to a fast healing process and minimal scarring.

  16. That’s really a scary accident. I’m so glad that Dale is ok. My heart was pounding the entire time reading your story.

  17. Horrible story; I am glad Dale is okay. Pretty close to his eye – he was definitely lucky. It does look pretty sore though.

  18. I love happy endings for you! And Dale – well, guys will buy him free beers and toast his health if he tells the story as the “wound he received trying to hoist the flag”! Men!

  19. You are right – he was lucky. It could have been so much worse. You always wonder how you will be when there is an emergency but somehow we manage to pull ourselves together and handle what we need to!

  20. Poor guy! And I hope your heartbeat has returned to normal as well! When it doesn’t hurt too much, give him some kisses from the blog community to make it better. Add a beer too- couldn’t hurt at this point. Well, not on the injury- internal application is best.

  21. Yikes. That’s a nasty gash. Head wounds bleed a LOT – I’m glad everything turned out OK. The green phase of the bruise ought to be spectacular.

  22. OMG, Carole! That’s absolutely horrible. I’m glad he’s ok, but keep an eye on him just the same. tell him I hope he’s doing better soon. Wow.

  23. Oh gosh! That’s so scary! I’m so glad he’s OK. I can’t believe he wanted to go back to the party–now there is one tough fella! =)

  24. The only thing worse than having to wait for hours at the emergency room is having them say “please, step right in”. I’m so glad it wasn’t any worse.

  25. All I can say is wow. Good Friday wasn’t so good for a few. My friends DH who is a minister fell off the garage roof and broke both wrists and also had stitches on his face and leg. Fortunately both men are around to talk about it. Good luck to your DH. sandy

  26. Ack! I’m just catching up on my reading after vacation and I can’t believe what happened. Such a very scary evening…sounds like it all turned out O.K. but that would have freaked me out if it had happened to my husband. I hope Dale is looking and feeling better now, and that he’s continuing to get lots of TLC!

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