No, this isn't makeup...but if you want to use this as a template next Halloween, feel free.
I had that 10 a.m. appointment at Boulder Housing Partners to go over how my contact there had come up with the rent figure she had provided on Friday. The second story landing of the building in which they are housed is an open metal grid. It faces the west so was probably designed to allow rain and snow from the prevailing weather fronts to fall through. I've been to this office numerous times.
Today, after mounting the steps and as I walked toward the front door, the sole of my shoe caught in the grid, I pitched forward full out, hit my right brow bone and cheekbone on the steel that frames the glass entry door, partially caught myself with my right arm and hit my right knee. I've never been knocked out and wasn't today, but was momentarily stunned. I think I now know how those birds that fly into a glass window feel. In fact I kind of felt like I had those little birdies flying around my head like you see in the cartoons of people who are supposed to have been knocked silly.
I gathered myself together, got up and went into the offices. The flesh on my brow bone puffed up instantly. Everyone was very solicitous. The office manager provided me with an ice pack and took an incident report, someone else gave me a cup of water.
The woman I was supposed to meet with was running late. I think it was almost 11 a.m. by the time we conferred and I could tell the ice was having a positive effect on the swelling, but my eye was turning black at the same time and my right arm was really starting to hurt. They urged me to seek a medical opinion so, after discovering one of the most painful things I'd done so far was to insert my keys into the ignition and put my car in gear, I drove to my doctor's office. She was out and her receptionist recommended I go across the street to an urgent care facility. I did that at around noon, I think, and spent the rest of the afternoon there, filling out paperwork, waiting for two hours, meeting with the doctor and getting x-rays of head and shoulder.
Head is hard. No sign of a fracture anywhere, but I have a chip out of my shoulder bone and it's going to take about three weeks to heal. Great. I'm due at the apartment building tomorrow at noon to sign my lease for immediate occupancy and can't lift a darn thing with my right arm higher than my waist.
I was given a sling, but took it off almost immediately because it was pulling on and hurting my neck and was doing nothing to ease the pain when I tried to raise my arm. I think I must have done some damage to my neck...it was hurting badly when they had me in an extreme position taking one of the x-rays of my cheekbone...and will have to make an appointment with the chiropractor with the understanding that he not go anywhere near my right arm. Guess there's no doubt I've met my deductible after today!
In the meantime, I was given a prescription for some pain medication, which apparently makes one very sleepy, so I'll only be able to take that at night, and I'm supposed to keep ice on anything that hurts and here I am with no refrigerator. I'll have to see if anything is left of that chunk of ice in the cooler. Otherwise, I always find plenty of sleep is a good idea. I feel very fatigued right now.
I keep wondering if this was a sign from the gods. Because the rent, I discovered on Friday, is not just based on a percentage of my Social Security, but also includes an imaginary amount I might earn editing and a portion of my third of the value of this cabin I'm living in now! They consider this an asset, and even though it doesn't put money in my pocket that might help me pay the rent, HUD requires them to include it in calculating the rent. Well, that sounds like government. I'm sure it will do no good, but you know me...I will write to HUD about this stipulation because it makes no sense and it will make me feel better to point this out. In the meantime, as my brother, said it will be the ramen noodle diet.
If I can make it out of bed tomorrow, I'm at least going prepared with everything to take a hot shower in my new digs! More later, Teddee
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