the story of a tumble monkey

I took a little tumble, so to speak, last Friday and spent lots of fun hours in the Emergency Room. I honestly was not going to post about this, but after all the lolz that happened during my very short ER stay I decided that a pretty sweet story could be told out of that night and those happenings. 

Side note: one of the first things Russ Moore said to me when he got to the hospital? So, are you going to post something on Facebook or should I? ...Nah, just blog about it. 

Here ya are, Russell. A blog post. 

I won't say much about the fall. This isn't a woe is me post, this is a LOL post and the fall would just really bring it down (badda bing!). Just know that I did a headstand-y backflip off of Bhumi's back (by accident) and did the whole flip on the side of my neck. My back cracked from top of the neck to bottom of my butt. Thank ya very much. 

I realized a very important piece of life information this weekend. I live in a dance bubble. I do. People in my bubble speak my language and understand my life. People outside of my bubble like the fire department, ambulance drivers, nurses, and doctors do not speak my language. I spent Friday night feeling like I was speaking Greek. Here are words from my language you will need to know for this post:

Downward Dog (a well known yoga pose)

Marley floor (special sprung floor for dancing)

The first feeling after the fall was pure shock. Like, what just happened? Was that crack my back?  Why can't my back pop when I want it to pop?  OW. OW. OW. Once the tears and snot had stopped and graciously flowed down my face onto the floor, I was told not. to. move. under. any. circumstances. Long story short, I was taped down and rolled out of the dance studio on a gurney. Any feelings of Oh, I'm totally fine went out the window as soon as I was taped down and rushed to an ambulance. 

Scene 1: Inside the ambulance

EMS 1: So, what happened again? 

Bhumi: I was in a push-up position and Emily was sitting on me. I popped into downward dog and she was supposed to slide down my back--her stomach on my back. Instead, her legs flew over and she flipped on her neck. 

EMS 1: Hmm, I do know what a downward dog is. Are you impressed? 

EMS 2: I don't know what kind of music y'all like so I just put some on. 

::Enrique Iglesias heard in background::

EMS 1: I'll just say 'Dancer fell in practice and hurt back.' I need some information. Phone #? And when is the best time for me to call you...?

The rest of the ride included questions about injuries while dancing, questions about how long we have danced and what kind we prefer, questions about tattoos, and show and tell time for EMS man's tattoo. (p.s.--it was on his lip. Being taped down I saw nothing--only heard Bhumi's, "Oh...")

Scene 2: Inside the ER

High-pitched Voice Nurse: Here is our dancer. Hurt her back. How did you do it again? You know if you were a pole dancer you wouldn't get hurt like this.

Bhumi gives explanation again.

Blank looks seen from all nurses.

Bhumi throws down bags and purses, gets on the floor, and demonstrates. 

Everyone: Ohhhhhh, okay. (more confused looks)

From that moment on, I was known as backflip girl.

Next four hours:

Nurse: This happened on soft floor? Oh, dance floor? So floor like this linoleum?

Nurse: You flipped from four feet up in the air? No? Two feet?

Nurse to other nurse before shift change: She was on this other girl's back and the girl jumped and she flew off of her back and did a flip and then I think she landed on her neck? But there was definitely a flip.

Russ: I'm not sure what happened. Downward dog is a yoga position, right? 

Doctor: I was talking to my assistant about the logistics of this and we're still not really sure what happened, but the point is nothing is broken or fractured.

Second shift nurse: That's so great you stuck with gymnastics. My daughter started too early and lost interest. 

The moral of the story? 

Always have a candid video camera in dance studios for all those people who aren't native dance speakers.

Second moral of the story?

Always have clothes and shoes and jackets and blankets ready just in case you go to the hospital in the middle of rehearsal. I was the hooligan in the ER with no shoes and only sweaty dance clothes. In the 40 degree weather. 

Third moral of the story?

Have really great friends like Bhumi/SDT members who do things like grab my purse, contact my family, ride in ambulances, and sit in the ER for 5 hours on a Friday night. A great boyfriend who comes and sits with you and brings you gummy bears. And a great dad who comes and fills your prescription so you can hit up those pain meds.

Obviously, I am fine. Sore muscles and bones, but thankful that is all. (Okay, maybe I should say I will be more thankful after this current pain has subsided). By the time I was called a gymnast I just agreed. Agreeing and smiling and nodding was a lot easier than trying to explain the story for the fifty seventh time. It might turn into sixty seven times after this blog causes mass confusion of what happened to all of my loyal readers...

Y'all stay safe out there! It's a crazy world full of unexpected backflips and weekend adventures!