A Note on Extended Absence

Dear Readers,

You may note that it's been rather a long time since my last ducky blog post.  Ironically enough, on July 23rd, 2011, the very day that I picked up the blog after an absence, I had an accident that derailed my plans and until now I have not gotten back on course, duckwise.  On that summer Saturday I posted about false herrings, sat down with my roommate and watched the movie 28 Days Later, and then set out on a bike ride which went horribly awry.

There weren't many cars on the road but I wanted to do things properly, so about a block away from my apartment I signalled a left turn.  Leaning into the turn with my left arm still outstretched and pointing, I had only one hand on the handlebars.  Whether I hit an oil slick on the road, my new rear tire was still slippery and not yet worn in, or I just became overconfident I'll never be sure, but WOOSH! the bike whipped out from under me and WHAM! slammed me into the ground.  With my right hand on the bars and my left still in the air, I had no way to catch myself and landed chin-first on the decidedly unforgiving pavement.

Fortunately, I had my cell phone with me and my roommate was at home, only a minute from where I pulled myself from the asphalt.  He drove me to the hospital emergency room because my jaw felt weird and hurt a lot, and I was bleeding somewhat profusely from the chin.  It turned out I had fractured my mandible on the left side.  The broken piece was tipped almost 90 degrees to the inside and the bone was out of the socket.  I got stitches for my chin and had my jaw wired shut for a few weeks while the bone healed.  During that time I ate all my meals through straws, indulged in milkshakes pretty much every day, and learned a lot about patience and accepting help from others.

When the wires were removed, my tongue was stained black from this mouthwash they gave me to help prevent cavities, and I could barely open my mouth.  I had rubber bands for several more weeks before being freed entirely.  Then it took a little while before things felt more or less normal.  The doctors did an excellent job of setting the bone, but my bite is slightly different than it was before the accident, and it took a while to get used to how it felt to chew.  Now things are pretty much hunky-dory.  My jaw clicks a bit on the left side if I move it around, and it's not as mobile as it was, but it works fine and looks normal.  I got back on the bike, but I confess I don't ride as much as I did before the accident.

I'm deeply grateful for the support of my Lady Duck Friend and my family during the broken-jaw ordeal, and for the encouraging words of friends near and far.  It meant a lot to me, and I firmly believe it helped me heal more quickly.  I hope to resume the duck blog, but will not be posting every day.  I'll try to do at least one or two each week.  Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy the ducks to come!