Monday 3rd to Friday

 When we left off Sunday we were preparing for another week. Monday night Tedy worked in his project and had it ready to take for Tuesday. You too can learn something about Sweden, as we did.

Tuesday he was not able to present it as he hurt his ankle before his turn and his mother had to pick him up. Meanwhile, I had been exploring all day. In the morning when I was walking the dog, I heard a church bell ring and decided to find it. It was up a side street and in a courtyard area.

 I walked around but didn't go in because I had the dog.

I came home after that but after lunch I felt like seeing more so I took off again. This time I headed toward CAP 3000

but through the streets. I followed signs for Les Plages and Office du tourisme and ended up on a long walk that never did yield a tourist bureau where I had hoped to get a map.

But, I did end up on the beach. There was a whole line of restaurants along a marina where I saw luxury yachts. Along most of this row of restaurants there was easy access to the beach. I walked down close and took me "feet in the water" pictures but didn't take my sneakers off as the rocks were hard on my feet and no where to sit.

The way there and back took my beside an interesting 'mosaic wall'.

When I got back to the street the school is on, I thought I would wait there for Karen to come and pick up the kids. I sat on a bench and did one of my phone crosswords. I waited and watched and waited and watched. Finally, at 4:35 I thought I'd better get the kids but everyone was gone. So, I headed home, stopping at the grocery store. As I was browsing I met Karen and learned that she had gone earlier for the kids. By the time we got home I had gone 7.2 km, so 10.45 km for the day.

Wednesday- again I walked the dog in the morning. The kids are off Wednesday and go to a morning recreation program so we were planning what we could do in the afternoon. Joanna needed new sneakers so we decided to pick them up and go on to the mall and get those. Then we were going to takes bikes and ride to something called La Promenade des Anglais.

We were headed into the huge mall here from the parking garage. Chatting away about sneakers for Joanna and next thing I knew I was on my face. Karen said it almost looked slow motion. I didn't notice a cement barricade made to keep traffic off the sidewalk. It was about 18 inches square,  so that I hit it and went over the top and onto my face. I rolled on my back with my hands over my face, glasses gone, until the blood began to run down everywhere. I just felt stupid but knew I couldn't get up. Karen was asking if she should call an ambulance, but wasn't sure how, when a lady came up and asked if she could help. She called ambulance and somehow security was there looking after me. 4 handsome guys in red shirts were all hovering over me swabbing the blood. He asked me to move my hand, took a look,  and put my hand back on my head for pressure. One guy took my picture and showed me.  With their limited English they were asking questions. Karen was trying her best but she said in the moments she lost all her French, and the kids were freaking out from all the blood. I was trying to comfort them, not knowing how bad I looked. After a bit the ambulance arrived

 and they took over. They checked vitals, etc., asked me what day it was. Then they asked if I could sit up. Did slowly, not dizzy. Then could I stand. At the best of times I

 can't get up from the ground so they helped me. Still no dizziness so I sat on the stretcher and they loaded me up. Charlie had walked to collect the kids, but then

 Karen drove them home and got my passport. They told her where they were taking me.

The ambulance attendant was nice and tried a little conversation. Got to  Arnault Tzanck hospital and put in emerge. They found a nurse with English who took my info, then they basically left me alone, waiting for a doctor to stitch me. I didn't realize I was still bleeding till I saw it on my mask. I lay there thinking that I had no idea of Karen's phone number or address as she's taken my phone when it fell out of my pocket. If she couldn't find me, I was lost. Finally, the doc came. Kind of rough on the clean up, then about 5 pokes of freezing, then stitches. He said a couple of things I responded to, but when he was finishing he said ca va, and I answered with "I'm ok but I have a headache". No one cleaned up my legs or offered any pain meds, or even checked for any other injuries. When they appeared to be finished I wondered what I would do if Karen didn't come. I was praying fervently for her to appear and that the bill would not be too high. Both prayers were answered. She had been there but not a allowed in. She asked them for some pain meds. The bill was only 87€. Now I'm home. She washed all the blood out of my hair. My wrist is hurting (it felt worse than anything else) so I must have landed on it too. 

You can see on the bottom of the bandage that it had not stopped bleeding. 

By bedtime I had gotten it to stop, but all I had to put on it was a gauze held with some duct tape. 

Thursday-I actually slept well with the help of pain pills. When I got up I told Karen I was going to get the other gauze off, that  they'd put on, so it wouldn't heal into the wound. It was saturated and lifted off quite easily and when I'd cleaned it up, this is what I found. 

Sorry if it is too much for some, but I never was a thing of beauty.

I relaxed for the day doing a lot of sleeping and reading. 

Friday- I did walk with Karen today when she took the dog and managed to do the usual distance.  Yesterday and today have been a little grey so not so enticing to be outside. I'm doing ok, so no need for concern, but appreciate any prayers for healing. I told Joanna when I went home I would say I had an eyebrow lift. The kids will soon be home and we will enjoy another weekend.