Surreal

Just grimace and look into the camera!

Visions of Un Chien Andalou
It's been a long time since I returned home to the greeting, "Don't worry - we cleaned up the blood."  But that doesn't mean that there are no longer some days that go along blissfully, right up until someone shoots a reality arrow that let's all the air out of the fantasy balloon.

Last Thursday was another one of those days.  Bee and I had spent an afternoon of my vacation time out and about, talking about craft projects and just enjoying our time together.

We returned home to find Martha and a friend sitting on the front porch.  Before I could even ask how everyone was doing, Martha volunteered that Danielle had taken daughter #2 to the ER.  Because she had been "raked in the eye."  Actually, she had been hit in the eye with a falling rake while moving some things about in Danielle's garage.  Could have been worse.  It was a plastic fan rake - not a cast iron heavy duty rake.  The ophthamologist said that had the abrasion been a little deeper and tiny bit lower she may have permanently diminished, if not ruined, the vision in that eye.  So, except for the pain everything was good.  The eye was very painful and the numbing drops could not be continued because of them interfering with the healing of the cornea. And, boy was my back sore from where I a had to have a kidney removed to sell it on eBay to pay for the antibiotic eyedrops.  (If this were for a toe or finger or some sort of blister on a bum, I would have had the pharmacist call the ER doc and try to negotiate for a cheap, generic antibiotic.  But eyes are not something I would want to dicker over - and the pharmacist assured me this was a reasonable - albeit pricey - item.  She did her best to find a discount and was at least able to knock off 10% for frequent customers.  Not as good as the time she worked her way through various coupons and discounts and got Martha's asthma meds knocked down from $233 to $9, but I appreciate all the help we can get.)

I thought the picture that Danielle took under the black light in the ER had a very surreal quality to it. Dali-esque, even.  Which I thought would cheer up girl #2 since she is a great Dali fan.  I promised to try to make the picture into some sort of commemorative poster.

Another Dali thought came to me suddenly while driving a few days later.  "Un Chien Andalou" - Dali and Luis Bunuel's short silent film.  If you've seen it, you'll know what I mean.  If something like a suburban, plastic rake incident disturbs you....then this is not the movie for you. 

The eye is healed.  Within 24 hours the abrasion had already healed remarkably.  But there is remaining trauma - from the accident or the movie.  Say "Un Chien Andalou" and our patient immediately puts her hand to her eye and let's out a stifled scream.

No plastic garden implements were harmed in the making of this movie.