Lagoon... the Place Where "Fun" Is

Justin and I were invited to go to Lagoon with some of his friends this past Saturday. We quickly found a babysitter for Harvey - I mean, who is going to pass up tickets to Lagoon for $27.50 and a day without kids?!

 (Aren't self-portraits with cell phone cameras fabulous??)

We headed up there around 11 and rode all the roller-coasters we could in the shortest amount of time possible. And then we started feeling old. Justin had a headache after riding the Colossus 3 times in a row, and I was starting to feel kind of dizzy. (Really??)

It started to get pretty hot in the late afternoon so our group decided that we would head over to Laguna Beach to cool off a bit. After getting our swimming gear out of the car, changing, and shoving too much into one of Lagoon's lockers, we were ready to go. We started off with some of the smaller twisting slides, and then we headed over to the Drop Slides - or the ones that are pretty high, and require you to assume the position: arms folded across your chest, and legs crossed at the ankle. After walking up the stairs to these slides.. I got a little scared and I stayed down a ledge to get in line for a calmer slide while the boys went up top.

After coming down my slide and waiting for the guys to get to the bottom of theirs (while watching 20 other people do just fine on them) they talked me into trying it out. I really didn't feel good about it, but I figured it would be like going on a roller-coaster... when you're pretty nervous before, but after you can't say enough about how fun it was. So, I got in line. And I bit my nails. And I told the lifeguard I was scared. And she told me there had never been an incident on that slide. And then I read the sign: "If you don't stay in the assumed position... you could suffer serious personal injury." And I decided that I would stay in that position until I was laying perfectly still at the bottom of the exit pool.

It was my turn. So I sat in the slide, assumed the position and closed my eyes. I flew through the twisting tunnel, then off the straight drop to the exit pool. It was over before I knew it... and for some reason, instead of gliding straight into the exit pool, my body slid up a little on the side of the slide and when I landed in the pool - I torpedoed at a right angle straight into the pool wall. My second toe is longer than my big one... and it took all of the impact.

I didn't even know what happened until I got out of the pool. I knew I hit my foot on something, so I looked down and saw a gash with white inside - what I thought was my bone. I started feeling a little queasy so I sat down with my head in my hands on some steps nearby while Justin went to fetch first aid. I remember telling our friends that I felt fine, but then I woke up to find myself laying on the ground with my head and knee throbbing. Apparently, I passed out and toppled forward right onto my head! Justin came back with a medical "person" and a wheelchair, and with everyone staring I was assisted in and wheeled away.

They told me I had probably broken the little thing, and that stitches were recommended. So after my lips turned from blue to their beautiful pinkish hue thanks to the oxygen tube, and my wound was cleaned and wrapped up we headed for the Instacare.

It turned out my faithful toe held it's own and wasn't broken after all, and I didn't even see bone when glancing down. It was tendon instead, and to fix the pretty decent gash, I needed several stitches. I have to say... it is kind of an art form to x-ray a toe. My nurse had to tape the single toe forward, and the remaining toes back to keep it separate for the side view. I would have thoroughly enjoyed the experience had the taping process not hurt like... umm.. crazy.

I chose not to watch the whole sewing process, but was harassed and distracted by the facetious, old, male nurse with comments about amputation and the use of a bone saw.

So here's my sad, summer life for the next 12 days (isn't that incredible that your body can heal a gash down to the tendon in twelve days?): no swimming but lots of hobbling. I'm just grateful it won't put a damper on my Bear Lake vacation. Bless you my faithful little toe.

IF you're interested... click HERE, and you can see my toe in all its glory: sans band-aid. That is... if you promise not to judge my desperate need of a pedicure and paint job.