Legends of the Fall, IV

And so for the first few days after the fall I was very sore, had a beauteous black and blue eye - the bump on my forehead had drained into my left eye - and it hurt when I rolled over in bed (I guess a bruised rib) and bruises up and down my left side from knee cap to shoulder. Still I didn't think much of it until I got to Jackson, WY, and noticed that I was still having headaches and was very tired. Even though I still didn't think I had a concussion my daughter, Erin, encouraged me to get it checked out while I was in town at her doctor's walk-in care clinic.... Long story short the FNP recommended I get a CT scan at the local hospital and when I did later that afternoon they discovered that I did have a small bleed on my brain - akin to a a black and blue on the brain tissue. The ER doc was fairly nonchalant about it and did say that it would most likely reabsorb into the tissue; however, he did recommend a repeat CT scan in 2 - 3 weeks with a consult with a neurosurgeon. All because of my addiction to coffee! Whew - I guess I have a propensity (up until now)to not get the message on the whisper but on the hammer. Yet another lesson on listening to my intuition and following angelic guidance. I've cut a deal now - only one medium iced coffee/day and no more - not even decaf...

Of course the other consequence is dealing with an out-of-network referral with my insurance company and primary care doctor for another CT scan - probably somewhere in Santa Fe or Alburquerque, New Mexico. I am tempted to not follow thru - as my headaches have lessened and my energy level is returning; however my intuition tells me to practice radical self care and take the necessary, if inconvenient, steps to follow through on the recommendation. All part of the bargain...