You all tell me how much you like me. So why won't just ONE of you shoot me?

[Redstone]

Just once, is all I'm asking. Mrs R won't do it, even though she tells me she loves me all the time.

Last night, I was bringing my MacBookPro downstairs, being very careful, holding the rail with my left hand as usual.

But of course, my left foot slipped. I, naturally, held the MacBook high in my right hand so it wouldn't get damaged (the damn thing cost $3400), thereby inviting my left forearm to acquire a four-inch gash from the front edge of one of the stairs.

I didn't want to wake Mrs R up for yet another trip to the ER, so I threw seven stitches into the cut (try that one-handed sometime) (and yes, I have several sterile suture kits around the house; don't ask) and everything seems OK. (I did clean up the blood, too.)

When the Visiting Nurse came this morning, she complimented me on my technique, dressed the cut up nicely, and hollered at me about walking around the house in sock feet. I guess I'll have to do the Old Man thing and buy a pair of slippers.

So. Someone just shoot me, okay, and keep me from having to post these embarrassing wreckages here in the Lounge?

Or maybe I should just start drinking again. My balance seemed to be better when I did.

And hey, thanks for all your kind words from when I smashed my jaw. It's getting better, and the wires will come out in a week and a half or so.

Redstone

[Bunny]

1. Dude, you gotta start wearing something like this around the house:

Be careful! (I'm glad you're okay.)

[Redstone]

7. Where do I buy one, and how much? I have my credit card ready.

Redstone

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. My dear Redstone!

Omigod!

We will NOT shoot you, at any time, you hear me?

Jeez.

You are too important a person, too valuable a voice, for that.

So stop, already!

Slippers are good, provided they aren't slippery! I always wear mine in the house since they are so comfortable. In fact, if I ever get to visit, you'll see them. I won't leave home without them, lol!

Take care of yourself, my dear Redstone...

:hug:

[Rosie1223]

3. Wow, you da man!

Next time my husband gashes his arm, I'm telling him to stitch himself up and save us the $$ for the ER!

(Glad you're ok, btw)

:hi:

[Redstone]

4. But remind him to use the hemostats to tighten the stitches, not

his teeth (teeth aren't sterile). That makes it a bit more difficult to do one-handed, but it's safer.

Redstone

[Rosie1223]

5. Well, when we were in the ER in October

(after waiting 2+ hours) the doctor used one of those nifty staple guns to fix the gash in *his* left arm. You need one of those.

[Redstone]

6. Oh, yeah, I need one of those. Suppose they're in stock at Lowe's?

Redstone

[pinboy3niner]

18. Try the Medical Supplies aisle at True Value :)

[WinkyDink]

8. 'Cuz you ain't Lennie, and I ain't George.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

9. I'd be happy to shoot you ...

but then you'd start a thread griping about having to patch your bullet holes with Bondo and Shoe-Goo, while explaining to the wife No, Dear, those weren't gunshots, I just dropped something.

Congratulations on the one-handed stitching. That's not an easy feat. And, good save on the MacBook.

:hi:

[Redstone]

10. Bondo, hell, I'd be using Plastic Wood. It finishes better, without wet-sanding.

Redstone

[Haole Girl]

11. You should not have a house with stairs!

j/k

:silly:

Hey, get some no skid socks! :hug:

link: http://www.activeforever.com/p-1533-care-steps-non-slip-socks.aspx

[Redstone]

14. I have some bright-red ones from the hospital (they're having a "red-slipper"

anti-fall promotion). But, of course I didn't have them on.

Redstone

[kimi]

12. Very impressive!!

Saving the MacBook and then stitching yourself up one-handed - I am in awe. And the wipe-out sounds pretty spectacular too!

Have you always been this accident-prone? Just curious.

Hope you feel better soon, and please be careful! :hi:

[Redstone]

13. Well, I've always had lots of accidents, but until recently they

were the result of stupidity ("Hey, let's go climb up that cliff, even though there's a perfectly good road to the top of the mountain on the other side!")

These days, though, they're more the result of balance problems from the MS and blackouts from the postural hypotension.

It's no fun at all getting old, but it sure beats the hell out of the only alternative, which is dying young.

(PS: The amount that it impresses the hell out of people when you do your own sutures is by far and away worth the pain. Though it'd be almost impossible without the aid of locking hemostats, which to me are one of the greatest inventions, ever.)

Redstone

[orleans]

15. just keep in mind slippers can be a hazard too

that's why they call them "SLIPpers"

[Lasher]

16. If somebody shoots you, can I have the MacBook?

Now I feel like a wimp for having gone to the hospital with just a flesh wound. I shoulda cauterized it like a man, with a hot branding iron.

[Redstone]

20. Be my guest. There's no porn or anything to scrub off it, and there are clean,

paid, licenced versions of all the Adobe CS2 applications.

Have fun.

Redstone

[pitohui]

17. a less drastic solution

frankly i would consider moving to a one story abode but i realize the housing market is poor so maybe it isn't possible

i guess i would next consider just closing off the upstairs so that "stuff i need" would stop walking up and down and always being on the wrong floor

i know people who have taken both those options, i bought a one story house in the first place assuming i might end up retired here

it's all well and good to say "i'll just wear slippers," etc. but it is just not practical, we all think we'll always have our reading glasses around our necks too, yet somehow they are always on the other side of the house whenever something needs to be seen

we're slow enough with time, and now before we can even do ANYTHING we're supposed to hunt up slippers, glasses, etc. yeah like that's gonna happen...

good luck and get well

[Redstone]

21. Hey, you, I always value your advice. I don't use reading glasses, so that's not

a concern, but the stairs? You made the right decision right there.

Good to hear from you again.

Redstone

[Iggo]

19. I'll be your friend, in the Chico Marx fashion.

"I no kill you for money. You my friend. I kill you for free."