This is a lengthy article. If you’re willing to take the time to read it, that would be appreciated. But you don’t have to, of course.

My injury

Monday, February 22nd was the last day of my college skiing P.E. class. It was also the last day for many other things. It was the last day I would go to class in over three weeks. It was the last day I would chew in five and a half weeks. It was the last day my teeth would fit together properly through the present. It was the day I broke my jaw.

It was about 6:45 pm and I was going down the slope, honestly I was going too fast, and I lost control. My skis did not turn when I tried to turn, and I was on a collision course. I went full speed ahead and was stopped by a metal railing bordering the slope that I hit with my chin. I broke my jaw on the left side and fractured it on the right side. It was the greatest pain I have every experienced, and I hope to never experience such pain in my life. I was salivating a lot, but it was incredible painful to attempt to swallow.

It took about an hour after my accident for me to get to the hospital so I could get some medicine for my pain to reside. All I could think about that time was repeating “Lord help me. Lord help me. Lord help me.” After about two hours in that hospital, I was driven to the much larger hospital in my hometown where they could better treat me. I was not allowed to drink anything until about 12 hours after my injury, which is a long time to go without water. But it was not the worst day of my life. That was yet to come.