On Saturday, we took all the kids to the community swimming pool for an afternoon swim.
I love going swimming and I love diving off the diving boards.
I decided that if I wanted to solidify my status of "coolest resident mentor of all time anywhere in the universe" I need to do a monster squirrel dive off the high diving board.
I got a running start on the diving board and arced through the air in a perfect squirrel dive.
I imagine my dive looked something like this.
It turns out that my dive was a little too good.
When I hit the water, I immediately shot to the bottom and slammed my face/forehead on the floor of the pool.
It hurt. A lot.
This picture is a fairly accurate representation of
what happened.
(Note: I was NOT diving in the shallow end of the pool. I dove in the designated diving area where the water is 12 feet deep.)
I got to the edge of the pool and noticed I was bleeding from my head. I got out and was escorted into the first aid room. While cleaning up my head I found that I had a 1.5 inch long vertical cut above my forehead.
I initially decided not to go to the E.R. because I felt ok, I just had this cut on my head. But when the cut wouldn't stop bleeding after a couple of hours, I decided to go to the doctor.
Fortunately, I didn't get a concussion or break my neck. All I needed was two staples to hold the incision together while it healed.
Can you see the staples?
Given my history of head injuries, I'm incredibly grateful I didn't break anything or get a concussion.
I've also decided I need to wear a helmet everywhere I go.
Glad the plastic plate held in there! you goon
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you can dive... any attempt I have ever made ends in a painful belly flop.
ReplyDeleteGlad you are okay and that there were no sharks present... you would have been toast.
I'm sending a helmet in the mail--you need to wear it at all times--even when you sleep. Tim, you need to be kind to your head--treat it with more respect.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that you could do a squirrel dive? Why have I never seen this before? (I think I call them swan dives...maybe it's similar to a squirrel...). And you're lucky the lifeguards didn't put you on a back board! I'm sure at the WJ pool we would have sent you to the ER.
ReplyDeleteSo, you'll have to come swimming with us at the Belmont pool when you're out and show us this dive. But I think the pool is only 10 ft? Maybe 12? You'll have to pull up quick so you DON'T HIT YOUR HEAD ON THE BOTTOM OF THE POOL!
Glad you didn't have a spinal injury!
Well, it would have been cool to get a scar on the front of your head that matches the one across. Then you could sport your cool lightning bolt scar to the new Harry Potter movie. You need a native Alaskan name that means head injury prone. :) (I still laugh about the name that means cry a lot...)
ReplyDeleteForgive me for laughing. Out loud. And trying to stop myself but entirely unable to. The pictures... the story line.... my own added mental imagery made for quite delightful reading.
ReplyDeleteOn a more serious note. I am more glad that you, your head, your brain and your cervical vertebrae are intact and quite functioning. That is good news indeed.
P.S. How do I become a follower of your blog, I cannot seem to do it on my own with guidance, so help me if you wouldn't mind.
~Ashley