Guess it was time for a slowdown (forced).

Well, as usual I have been running around crazy these last few weeks... That however, has changed a little this week. Although things have still been hectic, they are slower. This is how they got that way...

Saturday July 31, began with me and nine of my close friends setting out to float the Lower Illinois River. Things were awesome, sitting in the country-side of Talequah, Oklahoma, about to relax and just bask in the sun for a few hours.

We started our float trip slightly before ten that morning. At about ten after ten, I was about to begin telling everyone to watch out for all the unseen debris in the water (as I was wearing polarized sunglasses and could see the bottom quite well). 'About', because I never started voicing this warning. See at the same time I thought "I ought address this.", I also spotted a very nice sized channel cat in a deep pool.
Upon seeing this catfish, I imagined a picture with me broad-smiling and holding this beast! So, of course I dove in after him.
A split-second after my feet left the raft, my left hair line met the sharp edge of a thrown away tinhorn. :(

While still beneath the surface, I lifted my hand to feel the cut. My immediate thought and those that followed went like this, "That's four inches...I am going to the ER...well maybe not...maybe it's just a scrape." So I open my eyes, and as I see the clear water in the far corners of my vision growing steadily dark red, I realize my initial analysis was spot on.

So, I rose at the bank of the water and begin to relay my new found reality to the others; who scammer and squirm to help me back in the raft. Then, they quickly throw shirts to me...which even though I never placed them on my wound still became soaked in my vital liquid.

Once situated squarely in the raft...perched on the bow, I ask for the gauze and first aid kit. Then, I proceeded to bandage the two lacerations (which I am proud only took about ninety seconds, and stood not only the test of stopping the faucet, but also received complements from the Talequah ER staff).

So, after all this excitement we continued to float down till we were able to see vehicles. Where,  I exited our vessel and allowed the others to continue on the adventure of our remaining five and half miles of float trip.

Upon walking toward a group, I found, a gentleman willing to drive me to my vehicle downstream!!! Thank you, Chris Raines!
 Then we drove to town and to the ER, where greater treatment was administered.

All in all. The trip was good! The injury was eye opening. The story is a good one to tell...
God was looking after me!

19 stitches total...at least the swelling is now reducing.
(If you want photos of the original doctoring or the covered t-shirts, let me know...but for the sake of the others, I am refraining from placing those photos up.)

Readers: Do you have any stories of injury, whether to your body, pride, or both? If so please share!