The Shiner

So everyone wants to know the story about the shiner that I've been sporting for a week since Tomáš and Annie's wedding.  Well, it really isn't that exciting.  I was leaving the restroom, I slipped, I fell, and my face scrapped the side of a concrete step.  Not very graceful but I was really lucky because I could have done some serious damage. 

So there wasn't a brawl at the wedding or anything.  I'm glad that it happened towards the end of the evening so it didn't detract from any of the festivities.  And while I wasn't falling down drunk, thank goodness I was buzzed enough that it didn't hurt as bad as it would have if I had been sober.  But it sure hurt like hell on Sunday evening.

Here's a photo that was taken the following morning, about 6 hours afterwards.  At least I was in good spirits and could laugh at the whole thing.  As bad as it looked in the photo, it was worse on Monday when the side of my face scabbed up.  But I was still a trooper and went in to the office Monday morning and then gave a presentation to 100 people on Tuesday.  Let's hope that it clears up soon though.  I've got less than three weeks before I visit the USA for the first time in three years. 

I did go to the ophthalmologist this morning just to make sure that everything was OK.  My vision was fine but as a precaution I was sent to the hospital for some x-rays, but not until after my eyes had been dilated.  That was fun.  Trying to find the radiology department, in Czech, and not being able to read the hospital directory because I could not focus on the letters.  With some help from a couple of nice orderlies, I eventually made it to where I needed to be and all is fine.  The best part was that the doctor's visit, 3 sets of tests and x-rays only cost me 30 Kč (~$1.50).  Got to love the Czech health care system.