a not so lucky day

Yesterday, after the storm, two "minor" accidents happened in our family, independently from each other, at different times of the day and at different sights.

In the morning, my mother-in-law tried to cut bread for breakfast. Italian bred, especially if it's older than a day, can be very hard. Very. It was a tiny rest of bread she wanted to cut, and the knife slipped, and she cut her finger, deep. In the afternoon, she decided to show the wound to a doctor. He send her for stitching to the hospital in Vibo Valentia. It was late evening when she was waiting to get three stitches.

About the same time, CC played football with our son, between the dining table and the kitchen, where I was cleaning dishes. I had given up to stop them kicking a tiny ball and using a wall as goal. All in a sudden son was screaming and crying on the floor. When I turned around, in the same second, there was a power failure, and we were in the dark. Son still crying, screaming. CC asking for candles, an alarm was ringing, and I tried to find my way to somewhere... As the laundry was drying inside (it was raining all day), I had to go the other way around the table - and stumbled over son, who was still lying on the floor.

What we did not know at that time, and only learned the day after, is that his tiny toe was broken! CC kept asking for a candle, and I was surprised how unprepared we were. No torches or candles... And then something funny happened. Our nine year old, injured and crying, on the floor, advised: "take the iPad, switch it on for light!"

I am still impressed, how he was able to have such a clear mind in all that chaos, and helping his disoriented patents out of the dark.

After CC had switched on the iPad, that was on the table, I grabed my iphone (sorry, it sounds like product placement) and used the app "flashlight" (very useful indeed!). I then managed to find a candle and even a lighter. After we had candles burning, the power came back. And the alarm stopped ringing. But son was still on the floor.

As it was already very late, I carried the patient, who was not able to walk by himself, upstairs. I gave him some paracetamol (I am always traveling with a little pharmacy), red him good-night stories, and around 11 pm we switched off the lights.

About the same time my mother-in-law left the hospital, her finger stitched.

And this is were we went first in the morning, today. To the "Ospedale di Vibo Valentia", where some decades ago, the patient's father, CC was born.

I have to say, our run through emergency, x-ray to the orthopedic doc (with patient on wheel chair) was quiet efficient. It seems kids have priority. Unfortunately in front of the door of the orthopedic there were a lot of kids and teenagers waiting with all kind of injuries.

When it was our turn, the friendly doctor pulled the tiny toe in the right position (the patient's screaming scared others waiting in queue outside), and applied a bandage.

We have to come back for check-up next week, we were told. And we need to get wooden shoe(s?) for the patient. Since it was lunch time, and shops are closing, and we were getting hungry, we went to "la nonna" of the patient, the one with the three stitches, as spaghetti vongole were in the making.

I am curious to see these wooden shoes. I have a bet running with CC whether the patient needs one shoe or one pair.