Stitch and then Some

So it's been a while since I posted anything newsworthy on here. I wonder if anyone even comes here anymore.

In any case, if you're here, I guess you're in for a treat...or something...to..read.

Where do I even start?

I guess I should start off with my title. Stitches. 

Here's the short story: I got stitches from a hockey incident.

But, here's the long story if you want to read about it. It begins on Wednesday night, this past Wednesday actually and I was in Brampton for a hockey game. Pretty important game too as it's our first playoff game. Our team was ranked 3rd after the regular season and we were playing the 2nd place team. 

We're down 1-0, and I'm sent in on a breakaway (I believe we were short-handed too). So I deke the goalie and try to go 5-hole (between his legs), but he made the save and there was a rebound behind me. I tried to turn myself around to get to it, but as I was doing that, I lose my balance and fall to the ice, face first. My arms/hands weren't even in place to break my fall, so I blanked out for a split second from hitting the ice. Luckily I had consciousness before I slammed into the boards. I was a little light-headed, but I slowly made my way back to the bench where I collapsed again due to the light-headedness.

When I finally felt..normal enough to get back on my feet and move down the bench, I take off my helmet. Only to have Tram look at me and tell me, "Dude, you're bleeding man!" Takes a 2nd look, "Yo man, it's deep, you need stitches man! You gotta go to the hospital."

Here I am, standing on the bench, in disbelief, and asking, "Are you serious?" To me, it didn't even feel like I was busted open. I felt like..a bruise after something had hit you with a lot of force. So Jeff and Kie bring me back into the dressing room, where I begin to clean myself up after taking a brief look at the mirror to survey the damage. Jeff had to get back on the ice to play, but since Kie wasn't playing, he was able to look after me and got me some gauzes and bandages. Let me tell you, the First Aid Kits at arenas are crap. You'd think the arena would have ice for people who need it. The place has 4 rinks for crying out loud.

Anyway, after cleaning myself up, I contemplate whether or not I should go back out. I wanted to. I wanted to play for my team. But Kie and I decided that I better not and try to get to a hospital sooner rather than later. I had him call my brother for me while I changed out of my gear to have him meet me at the arena (he didn't play because he had his wisdom teeth out the day before). 

We were able to stay until the end of the game, in which we unfortunately lost in overtime, before we left for Brampton Civic Hospital (the nearest hospital I believe). Registration went by fast, but waiting for a doctor is what took forever. You'd hear stories of people waiting 6-7 hours just to be seen by a doctor. Luckily for me, I only had to wait 3-4hours. I was only there from 10.30pm to 2.30am.

The doctor who sewed me up was very nice. I liked how she determined who I was while I was waiting for her in a room. She didn't call me by name, but asked, "Hockey?" Haha. Anyway, it was my first time I would ever receive stitches, so naturally, I was apprehensive about the whole thing. I asked her if she was going to freeze the area up, and she said yes. Then I asked her if the freezing will hurt? She was honest about it and said that it would, but it would sting. So, I was kinda thinking, ok, that's not too bad. 

When she took the bandage off my chin to take a look, she said, "Oh, that's a nice one. It's an L shape!" So I kinda laughed, and then she said something about growing hair to cover it up. I responded that, "I don't really grow hair in that area. I just don't grow hair in general." Those who know me, know that I'm pretty hairless on the face, arms, and legs. She made a joke how she has female friends that would love to have what I have. LOL. 

The whole time she was sewing me up, I was very tense and I could feel my legs shaking. She was great about it though, asking me various questions. I was more nervous that I would start to feel her stitching me up when the freezing had worn off.

After the doctor was finished, the nurse came in to clean me up. She was nice, but the only knock I had against her was that she kinda..poked the area. I don't know why she did, but I thought it was odd. She administered the tetanus shot I needed to protect myself (since I hadn't had one since high school). And to be honest, that was more sore the next day then my chin.

So, needless to say, I didn't go into work the next day, just so I could rest up. I needed it anyway since on Thursday night, I went to see John Crank's Romeo & Juliet at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. It was ballet. I took Jo to see it as a Valentine's Day present. I didn't have any expectations going into it since I've never been to a ballet performance before. It's usually stereotypical for people to say that it's a girl's thing to do, but really it's not. Lots of males were there to see it and y'know, to be honest, it wasn't that bad. It's like a musical, without words. I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it either. It was alright. Definitely not ruling it out in the future.

In other news, some of you may know that my sister recently gave birth to a healthy baby girl on February 22. I'm an uncle! She was named Breanna Reese. Bree for short. She has grown a lot since and she is so cute, especially when she smiles because of her adorable dimples!! :D I'm going to have a lot of fun with my niece. I hope she'll be interested in sports! :P And the bonus is that I won the $50 office pool for when my sister would give birth! :D Hahaha..

So that's all for now. 

Until next time, which could be soon depending on how things unfold. I leave you in suspense.