How I Met Sam Part 20

I accompanied Samuel to the Emergency Room and we sat for many hours while his tests came through and his injuries assessed. So it was suddenly very awkward.

I'm sitting next to a shirtless wounded man with gaping wounds - major stab wounds to the chest and side.


What do you say to your houseguest who gets beaten and stabbed his first night there? I didn’t know what to say. We were both stunned.
He was in shock - thus the irrationality of not feeling he 'needed' to go to the hospital. We started to talk while we waited for them to set up for the stitches. I say how sorry I am that all this has happened and Hong Kong is usually a very safe place with very little crime. He says that his Dad had died in '96 and he had been sure he was going to see him again that night! We talked through some of our impressions, initial shock about the whole thing.

Then they asked him to come to the cold metal table for the stitching part.

Now, when I had had my stitches a month before they had my Dad stay outside - so I had lain on the cold table alone while they shaved a part of my head and stuck the needle in for numbing (the worst part). I just assumed that Sam would go in alone, but they asked if I wanted to come too. I looked at Sam and he said, 'I'd like that.' Now, I'm not really good with blood and needles and such.

Sam, on the other hand, asked if there was a mirror so he could watch! Too bad there wasn't one.

I stood next to his shoulder while they prepped the chest wound - the biggest - an inch away from his heart. They took the needle and dug it right in the middle and twisted it around until the needle was actually bent at a right angle - just making sure it was all numb and everything. At this my colour began to fade and the Dr. grabbed me a chair and asked if I was alright.

I thought I was alright. I took a gulp and they proceeded to stitch Sam up. Only three of the wounds needed stitching. The other 68 cuts or so were minor little knicks that would just have to heal on their own.


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