Our good intentions to get our mid-week blog post done went off like smoke to the windy air. There was an incident including sharp edge of glass and a leg, hand wide cut on a thigh, fainting and stitches. Now back at home, we have been trying to relax after the traumatic incident.

There this idiom in Finnish that accidents don’t arrive with cowbells on their necks, meaning you don’t know when something bad is going to happen. We were visiting Janina’s family two hours drive away from home during this week. It was meant to be well-organized trip with definite meeting times and lots of coffee dates with grandparents and other family.

My father-in-law owns a glass business and we’re visiting his shop and garage to chat about a new website we have been planning to do for him. It was place were we have been visiting often enough that it was familiar but this time when Janina got down to take some pictures there was a sheet of glass too near and the edge cut the trousers and skin.

Just a nick… erm, not really

At first we really thought it was just a small scratch but after what must have been only a minute or so we realised that the cut was really long and would probably need stitches. It wasn’t pretty when it dawned, Janina turned white and fainted all along the garage door because of the pain without me being able to anything but slow the drop best I could.

ER took about two hours. We were checked immediately but as the surgeon was busy we had to wait some time before they could actually start with the wound. I was being able to be with Janina all the time and the good thing was that they marked me as the next of kin in their records. I’m always bit anxious when it comes to official organizations like hospitals, police etc. You can never truly know how the person behind the desk takes the LGBTIQ couples but this time I didn’t have to worry. Everything was professional and neutral.

Nearly fainting – two out of two

Only thing I am still bit ashamed of is that I almost fainted while the surgeon was stitching the wound. I haven’t ever realised how queasy I get around blood and tissue. I handled most of the operation well enough, not really paying that much attention and just petting Janina while the nurses cleaned the cut and the surgeon applied anesthetic.

Everything happened quite quickly when the wound was almost closed. I just broke into cold sweat, all the sounds faded and my ears started to ring. So my next stop was the closest sofa, sitting down away from the stench of disinfectants. Janina got off the table soon after that and was able to walk away from the hospital and drive us back home for the night.

Funny thing is, that one time our good friend who graduates soon as a nurse, showed us some medical pictures and I turned ill and had to be put onto the sofa to breath and rest. Sounds familiar? Yeah, it didn’t even pop into my mind that me being in the operation room wouldn’t be the best idea. Oh the shame…

Trauma doesn’t look at the size or fatality

Incidentally I had been reading about trauma the night before all this. With morbid curiosity I was able to identify symptoms of the accidental and unexpected situation which messed with our sense of security when the accident happened. It was good try to keep in mind that according to the article I had read the other night, all the strange stuff our bodies do and feel after the traumatic event are “are normal reactions to abnormal events”.

Afterwards we were both shaky and not feeling well, the need for sugar, carbs, fat and fluids was definite and we actually ate piece of smoked salmon right from the box. There was need for familiar and homey place which was the reason we wanted to drive two hours back home afterwards even though family wanted us to push the trip to the next day.

Self blame and shame are actual listed symptoms of trauma, so my feelings about getting ill are quite normal. I think we both will be all good soon and get over the scare. Janina will be stitched about 10 days but everything looks good in terms of getting better. The wound wasn’t very deep so it will probably heal nicely. I’m not going to look at it too closely in case I get all shaky again.

I have been feeling anxious and tired, there has been so much going on during last weeks. After both of us being sick, all the family visits and now the hospital run, we have been trying to take things easy. Normal everyday things are really nice right now, even doing the laundry. (Curiously not dishes though, can’t have everything it seems.)

Still, we are going at last post the next organization post during the weekend, either about wardrobe or bathroom. Stay tuned and stay safe!

Cheers,
Iida