stitches!

An interesting day: I had planned to go on an outing to Checkpoint Alpha with evanatg and friends (bringing the little dog along too) but during my rush to the tram, I tripped and fell, colliding with the sidewalk. There was a rather impressive gushing of blood, which is still splattered on the sidewalk, and ultimately I got three stitches.

I did catch the next tram after the bleeding seemed under control, thinking I could just clean up at the train station and still go on the outing. But the instant I saw the wound in the mirror it was clear I'd need stitches. It was a clean, deep (5mm) cut slightly on the underside of my chin. There happened to be a fire truck parked outside of the train station, so I asked where I could find first-aid. They called an ambulance, which was totally overkill but certainly convenient. (In the U.S. that would be an immediate $5000 but hopefully it's more reasonable here!)

One funny exchange, between the two ambulance guys:
#1: "He's afraid." (Er hat Angst.)
#2: Really?? (After all, it's a relatively minor injury.)
#1: Nein, der Hund hat Angst. (No, the dog is afraid.)
#2: Ach, so!

I called Kate and she met us at the hospital to take Bella home.

The emergency department was extremely quiet (8 am on a holiday morning), and in fact I think I was the only one there. The actual treatment felt a bit cinematic: me with my relatively minor injury lying in the Schockraum under bright lights while the very cute and delightfully professional assistant doctor wearing plain clothes sewed the wound back together. It only took a few minutes. A nurse gave me a tetanus shot in the butt and then I was sent on my way.

Edit: The total bill was €421.64, of which insurance paid €171.66 (they deemed the ambulance unnecessary, understandably...).