The Dusty Dog

Short Hiatus From Blogging

I'm back. I took a minor hiatus this past week because I had no desire to sit at my computer for more than two minutes at a time. Ya see, I had this really dumb and embarrassing accident at work. I've not followed much news or read any good books, or anything constructive. I did play quite a bit of solitaire on my PDA as I laid in bed in a painkiller-induced stupor. OK, the details........

As I was getting ready to disembark from the boat, I took my life jacket (we're required to wear them) off. Then, as I was stepping off the boat, a 25-foot Boston Whaler, onto the dock, apparently the wind (it was a very windy and rough day) blew the boat away from the dock, which was tied, by the way, but with enough slack in the line to accomodate tides. So, there I was, I guess in a momentary lapse of judgment, given that I've embarked and disembarked a zillion times to/from boats and docks, betwixt and between. Down I went, into the drink, between the hull and the dock. Needless to say, that is a rather scary place to be.

At first, I couldn't breath because the water was cold, and I was a bit in a panic. However, as soon as I gathered my senses, a few seconds later, I realized that the bottom was reachable, so I could just stand. Then, another panic set in. My camera!!! Oh shit, my camera was completely submerged. Only after I handed it up to my co-worker who was on the dock, did I then begin the joyous effort of figuring out how to get out of the water. There wasn't a ladder to be seen, neither on the dock or the boat. My boss, who was in the boat, also panicked. He threw me a line, bless his heart. So, I stood there in water up to my chin, holding both ends of the line. "Mike?????? Thanks a freakin' bundle", I said. He then tried to haul me over the gunnel, but that wasn't gonna happen. I told him to stop, so I could climb up the horizontal structures of the dock, which I succeeded in doing. I think we all need to work on our rescue protocols.

By the time I got out, needless to say, I was akin to a drowned rat. I have some of the most severe bruising I've ever had in my life on both upper arms, my right hip and right knee, and my left lower arm. But, the worst is what is possibly a cracked rib on my right side. That hurts. Alot. It hurts to cough, to laugh, to sneeze (oh miggod) and to just breath. I had x-rays done yesterday, because my doctor wants to be sure I don't have a pneumo or hemothorax. "Wouldn't I know that already?", I asked. She said, not necessarily. And, of course, I get to file all the workers compensation bureaucratic crap, which is necessary to recover lost work time, and most importantly, to replace my camera. My camera!!! Waaaaaaaa...........................

So, I'm back in business, rather sore and the biggest bruise, I think, is to my ego. Fallin' in the drink is rather hard to live down here at work. It's kind of funny, actually, and when I tell it, which I have numerous times, I always include the part about how my boss tossed in an entire unattached rope to me. He's a great guy, and there's nothing to really do now, but laugh. But, it still hurts to laugh.

posted by Dusty Dog at 6/10/2006