August 6, 2004

I borrowed a river knife from James Roddick yesterday to auger a hole and when I opened it up it didn't lock into place, apparently. I was using both hands to make the hole and it suddenly folded shut on my hand. I didn't even have to look, it felt just like running a sharp knife through a raw chicken breast on a cutting board. I was in the middle of teaching my class on the Ottawa and was at the lunch spot in Quebec, so I had to paddle out. A doctor who was a student, got the bleeding stopped enough to get butterflies on it and a glove to keep the water out. I was at the hospital 2 hours later, with Kristine on rally racing duty, making some cool passes.

At the hospital I was given a choice of a doctor or medical student. I would not have to pay for the doctor fees using the student, so that was a no brainer. She did awesome. I severed my pinkey muscle and had to get three stitches to sew it back together, then 7 to close it up.

I am going to New York and will be doing a kids camp with Jessie Stone next on the Hudson River, very dirty. I hope it heals fast!

5 more days of no paddling, the OR, then team trials!!

EJ