Next Moment : I left the ball and held my face, only to feel blood gushing out profusely. After 30 secs, players on either side are scared and discussing which is the nearest hospital. Still bleeding on the right side of the face.
Hospital : Too much importance to system. No human touch. While I am still bleeding, no one is even bothered.
Procedure : More painful than the cut.
- Fill the application form to be admitted. Name, Address, SSN etc
- Weight and Height measurement. And then sit in the waiting area.
- After 15 mins, comes a nurse and checks temperature and BP.
- She notes down the case and asks what happened and some random questions. Funniest one being "Are you thinking of killing yourself". If I was why would I come to hospital??
- After she records the case, the wait continues and so does the bleeding for 40 mins.
- Then I am shifted to a bed, where I continue waiting for 40 mins for the doctor to come.
- He checks the wound and tells the nurse to prepare for stitches.
- He then works on stitching the cut for 1 hr while I am too bored and am clicking pictures (with my phone) he operating on my face.
- He says you will be fine and will be discharged in some time. Wait continues for an hour after which the nurse comes and issues the discharge sheet and asks me to leave.
- This was procedure for emergency visit. I cant imagine the normal visit.
Optimist : I can still see through my right eye, its better to have a scar half a cm below eye than not have a eye.
Realist : That will be an expensive bill. Getting hurt in US is a costly affair.
Two days later : Eye swollen and black. Since no antibiotics or any medicines were prescribed, fear arises, as the swelling increases, panic sets in. Finally, gave in to the fear and saw the doctor again, went through the entire stupid procedure after which the doctor says, swelling is NORMAL. Nothing to worry. Realist cries again, for it increases the bill by another $100 after insurance cut.
Facebook : Picture uploaded with the caption "My best friend's face art". Some believed, some thought I was beaten up, few concerned called to check. Overall good fun.
The other story : "I was in a bar chasing a girl, her boyfriend pushed me to the edge of the table and this happened. However, I broke a beer bottle on his head and he is still in hospital". I liked the fact that lot of people believed this and thought I was capable of this.
Advices : "U are old now, should be more careful". " Be a little less adventurous".
Thought process : I have done way crazier things than playing cricket in a tennis court to get hurt. Its God's way of telling, "When I decide, anything can happen anywhere".
Lesson learnt : U never know what will happen. How good or bad it could be. So do whatever you like if it makes you happy. For safety is not guaranteed just because u would be cautious.
Prayer : Final bill is yet to come. Hope its not too burdensome. And hopefully, these scars don't work negatively while my parents are bride hunting for me :).
Currently : I am going to Vegas and the doctor is not available to remove the stitches. People come back from Vegas with a scar, broken tooth, tattoo but I am already going in with a scar. Wonder what to expect.
Until next time (mostly after vegas),
Luv,
Sri!!!
