Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Lessons Learned

Erik had a crazy night the other night. It all started when he went to his regular Monday hockey game at 7 pm. Apparently about half-way through the game a guy from the opposing team high-sticked him in the chin. He started bleeding like crazy right away but figured he could keep playing. He would just rub some ice on his chin every few minutes but he said there was blood all over him. I think he thought he looked pretty tough or something...
After the game he quickly came home to see me and then planned to head out to a walk-in clinic for stitches. By this time it was 9 pm and he tried 3 different clinics that were all closed. So, that meant going to emergency. He said the place was packed as soon as he got there and the nurse warned him that it would be a few hours. Well a few hours turned into EIGHT hours! He didn't climb into bed until 5:30 am! The doctor who stitched him up said he hadn't ever seen the ER that busy in all of his 20 years.
The second problem was that Erik hadn't worn his mouth-guard. He usually wears it, but just didn't feel like it on Monday night, I guess... So, when the stick hit his chin he chomped his teeth together so hard that he cracked his front tooth. Yesterday morning after sleeping for a few hours he went to see the dentist who braced his tooth in the back with a tiny metal wire. There's a 50/50 chance that this will save the tooth, but if not, he will have to get a root canal. We have no extended health benefits now so the little wire cost us $430 and the root canal could be another $500. So, we're praying that the wire will work!

So, Erik admits that he's learned his lesson. Two lessons actually. The first: Don't try to be a man and play the rest of the game with a bleeding injury. If he would've left right when it happened, he would've been able to go to a walk-in clinic and be stitched up and at home by 9 pm. The second: Always wear the mouth-guard (and, in my opinion, a face mask, too)!

9 comments:

Summer said...

WOW!! That is insane to wait in the waiting room for 8hrs.The longest I have waited was 2hrs, they the children and I get so fed up we go home then to the walk-in Clinic in the morning. There should be a few doctors working when it busy like that. Anyways hope Erik feels better soon and that the wire works.

Lindsay said...

I bet he looks like a real Canadian boy now! Praying that the wire works!

The Keowns said...

wow!! that is a long time to wait in the ER. We try and avoid it in all circumstances. There are so many people that go there for every single thing! I remember when Aidan cracked his head open and we waiting there for over and hour and that felt like forever.
YIKES about the dentist bill!! Before we had coverage I remember avoiding the dentist as well, I also remember forking over $200 for a root canal for Aidan (thankgoodness we have the coverage now!) I am sure Erik has learned his lesson. I also think dentists are crooks.

KDees said...

Wow! Those are some tough lessons learned. Dan also suffered a hockey injury last week. He plays in goal and went down in a funny way (thinking he was some hot shot NHL goalie, I'm sure) and pulled his MCL on his left knee. He's not allowed to play hockey for at least 2 weeks and after that, brace his knee. Our silly hockey husbands....they aren't NHL calliber, why do they play that way??

Anonymous said...

That's an expensive lesson to learn! :0) Oh why to guys try to be so tough? When Trev was young he had a skate run over his finger and all his guts in his finger pushed out. He kept his glove on and played till the end before he got stitches. Yuck! Hope you can find the $ to foot the bill-Rebekah Friesen

Anonymous said...

Ah the life of a hockey player! My brother's mouth looked awful before he got his teeth fixed. And his nuckles are all mush from all the fighting. What a wonderful life!

kelly ens said...

OWWWWWWWWWWWW!

Bonnie said...

I heard he'd had a run-in with someone's stick. Nate had told Jon at work and he said he had only got home at 5:30am...that's crazy!! I sure hope that the wire works for his tooth...root canals are not only expensive but quite painful too (so i'm told). I'll be praying for you guys! And I agree...EVERY hockey player should wear a face mask!!! I used to HATE when Craig would only wear half a mask :)

Ej said...

Ouch! That's gotta hurt - I hope the wire works as dental work is pricey!