First Cup April 9, 2006

So by now some of you have heard about my fall. For those who have not, the details:

Last Saturday night, I was out in Port Costa. I don't really expect anyone to know where that is, but let's just say that it's out in the middle of nowhere. But at this middle of nowhere destination is a bar and attached to the bar is a hotel. So for the second year in a row, my dear friend Nadja celebrated her birthday with several friends, most of whom had the plan to get drunk and then to fall asleep in the hotel so that they wouldn't have to drive.

This was my plan too.

Only sometime after I stumbled into my third story room early Sunday morning, I opened up a window, and fell out of it. As best we can put together, I fell almost thirty feet, bounced off of a metal planter box, and then onto a brick pathway.

I have no memory of this.

Luckily, someone saw me fall and called the paramedics. This is amazing considering it was dark and that where I fell is somewhat obscured from the parking lot. I was awoken by the paramedics telling me not to move, to hold still. I caught one of their names, a woman I think, and told her that they couldn't take me, that I couldn't afford to be taken to the hospital. They asked me questions and ignored my pleas. I was, by their estimations, too intoxicated to make these decisions for myself.

The ambulance whisked me away to someplace, where I was loaded onto a helicopter. In the helicopter, I kept shouting to the medic, "I can't afford this! I'm totally screwed!" He of course, ignored me.

Then to the emergency room where my clothes were cut off and I was looked at by doctors and technicians. I told them the same story, they gave me looks that said, "This is out of our hands."

After some scans and rays, I was told that my back was broken. I was scared. I knew I could wiggle my toes so i knew it wasn't my spinal cord, but still. They said that I shouldn't need surgery, only a brace. That I could live with.

In the hospital, in a bed, hours later, I started to make phone calls, informing all of my loved ones that I had fallen and injured myself, but that everything is ok. Everything wiggles. I'm alive, I'll walk, I'll still be able to drink coffee.

This photo was taken around 3:15 in th afternoon, less than twelve hours after the fall. Will was gracious enough to catch me and my first cup. I was hoping to leave the hospital, but they needed to run more tests.

Here's to not being dead. Cheers you guys.