It hurts ether way

on avoiding pain

I’m flat on my back.

I want to get up.

When I roll to the right?

I can feel my ribs mushing around. It’s odd feeling movement where normally there isn’t any.

When I roll to my left? More of the same, with the addition of the kind of startling pain that would normally cause me to gasp. Right now, gasping isn’t an option. Nor is coughing, burping or sneezing.

I slept on the three and a half hour drive back to Dartmouth from my adventures shooting the television show. That was a mistake. Well. I slept so I wouldn’t throw up. It all went well until Mr. Martin, hit the bump in the road.

When that happened, something in my chest went ‘crunch’. That woke me up really quickly.

So. I’m here, flat on my back. I need to get to the toilet. I need to act.

Roll to the left. Pain.

Roll to the right. Pain.

Stay where I am. Discomfort and more pain.

So what do I do? Sometimes I brace myself a certain way. I hold my weight with one arm while grabbing my breath, gritting my teeth and getting up. I find ways t…