Knife fight with a biker gang by Laura N. '09
Best blog entry EVER. If you think I'm kidding, let me just say: Gory photos (of me) inside! (Not directly visible for the benefit of the squeamish among you...)
I had all these entries planned for the next few days, but all of that is going to have to take a back seat in order for me to document to the entire world Laura Nicholson’s Funtime Adventure to the Emergency Room.
So there I was, walking down the street, minding my own business, when I saw this mean old biker gang beating up some poor elementary school kid for his lunch money. Well, I couldn’t stand for that, so I jumped in to the kid’s defense and started roundhouse kicking those bikers to a bloody pulp with my awesome newfound kickboxing skills. I’d almost finished them off when the second to last one snuck up behind me and pulled a razor blade! I had just finished off his buddy and turned around to face him when he sliced me in the face! Then I beat him up and kicked him once while he was on the ground, just for good measure.
I saved that poor little kid’s life, you know?
Wanna see pictures?!
OK, so maybe you want to know what actually happened first. *sigh* I hate having to go into this, because the actual story is way less cool. In fact, it’s pretty freaking lame. And maybe even a little pathetic. It’s one of those accident stories of the “who does that?” variety.
ETA:Arkajit said:
P.S. When I first read the title of your post, I thought you were going to make a reference to the scene in Veronica Mars where Logan was attacked by the PCHers on the Coronado Bridge.
That’s actually exactly where the reference came from. When I got back from the hospital I was telling the freshmen in my suite about how the story behind my accident is really lame and how I needed to come up with something cooler to tell people. Laura ’10 (yeah, my next door neighbor is named Laura. And there are also two Laurens on the floor as well. Yeah, it’s confusing), who is also a huge Veronica Mars fan, said, “Ooh! Tell people it was a knife fight with a biker gang!”
Anyway, one part is true- I did save a life. At least, I hope I saved a life. That would make the story a whole lot better…
At 12:30 PM on Thursday I made my way from 2.007 lecture to the second floor of the student center, where the American Red Cross was holding a blood drive. I’ve proudly donated blood several times in the past, after which I hopped up off the table and went about my daily life without even the slightest dizzy spell. But Thursday was just not my day.
I gave my donation and as soon as I had finished I was directed over to the recovery table they’ve set up where they make you sit and drink lemonade and eat cookies for 15 minutes under supervision before they let you go back out into the world. I sat down in the chair and felt my vision go a little fuzzy. The friendly student volunteer was asking me what t-shirt size I wanted, but I could barely answer, since it was taking all of my mental capacities to open my bag of chocolate chip cookies and stay conscious at the same time.
The next thing I remember is lying on the floor with one of the red cross nurses leaning over me, telling me that I had just donated blood and passed out. Oh, and that by the way, in case you taste blood in your mouth, it’s because you bit your lip.
I was still all disoriented and whatnot, but I could definitely taste the blood. As more of my mental capacities came back, I slowly began to notice that not only did I taste blood, but that I sensed what seemed like a big chunk missing from my inner lip. “Oh no,” I groaned, as one of the nurses babbled into a cell phone that she needed an ambulance at the MIT student center. I vaguely wondered if she’d dialed 911 or the MIT Campus Police, but I had more important things to worry about. Like the way I’d scraped up the inside of my lip. One of the nurses came over with a mirror to show me what had happened. There was only a thin red line just below my lower lip. But wait. If I’d scraped the inside of my lip, and there was also blood on the outside of my lip…
As it turns out, this month’s blood drive is actually a blood battle between MIT and Caltech. If anyone running this event is reading, I petition that MIT should totally get an automatic win because I BIT ALL THE WAY THROUGH MY LOWER LIP for the sake of donating blood on Thursday. How’s that for school spirit? Blood on concrete and all that.
My free blood drive t-shirt. I shall treasure this forever.
I guess I had my lower lip between my teeth…for some reason (hey, I don’t remember, I was unconscious, okay? it doesn’t really make sense to me either…) and when I fainted I smacked my chin on the floor, which drove my teeth….well, you get the idea.
Anyway, several minutes later, no ambulance had shown up. “Doesn’t this campus have their own ambulance?” someone asked. (I think that because the blood drive was sponsored by the Red Cross, they called their supervising facility and perhaps didn’t dial 911 directly, which would explain the problem.) Of course, being a member of MIT-EMS, the student-run campus ambulance, I knew all about how that worked. For all my joking about how if I was ever sick or injured, I’d check to see who was on shift before calling for an ambulance…”Did you call 911 or the campus police?” I asked. Someone told me that they called 911, so I explained, “Well if you call 911 you get the state police, who redirect it to Cambridge, who dispatches from who only knows where. You need to call the MIT PD to get the campus ambulance, which, ironically, I am a member of.” [Yeah, this is a stupid system. We’re working on it, I promise.] The nurse with the cell phone called the MIT Police, who notified the crew on shift, who happened to be eating lunch 100 feet away in the student center dining hall the ENTIRE TIME. Seconds later, my two best friends in the service strolled into the room.
All together now, everyone say “aww!”
The look on their faces when they recognized me were pretty priceless, but it was a lot of fun. I started rambling off the answers to their questions without waiting for them to actually ask them before one of them told me to shut up already and let him handle it. We have a close and loving relationship that way. =)
They packed me up and took me out to the ambulance on the stretcher. It was possibly the most surreal experience ever. You’d think that getting a lights and sirens ambulance ride to the hospital would be somehow exciting, but it was actually really anitclimatic for me. The whole ride there I joked with my friends about not dropping the stretcher or screwing up my vital signs.
The third rider on the shift was one of the new (not yet certified) EMTs from the class JKim just took. They ironically asked me if I minded if she took some vitals for practice. Of course I said I didn’t mind. As the other EMTs started writing up the form they’re required to make every call, I gave the new third rider tips on how to hold the stethoscope while taking blood pressure and explained to her how to use to the pulse oximeter with a patient wearing dark nail polish like I was.
All in all, it was a rather enjoyable experience. It didn’t feel like an emergency at all. I was just taking a ride with some friends in the ambulance we drive around in all the time. No big deal.
Oh, except for the thirty (!) stitches they gave me at the hospital.
I called my mom to tell her what happened, and of course she wanted me to take some pictures with my camera phone and message them to her. What did people do before cell phones, really? Well, I’ve uploaded some of the pictures I took in the ER and will provide them to you all for your entertainment.
Some of them aren’t that bad, just me with some blood on my chin. Others are um…kind of gross. Actually, some of them are really gross. So by clicking the link below you agree to not hold me accountable if you pass out because you decided to be an idiot and look at the pictures even though you know you hate the sight of blood, ok? (For the record, I personally don’t find the pictures that gross at all. In fact, I think they’re kinda cool. There’s totally nastier stuff in my EMT book. But you probably understand that I want to be cautious and not make anyone sick. Actually, when I showed Ben Jones the photos, he was like “Um, put some big disclaimers in, ok?”)
***WARNING***
Click here for really gross/bloody/gory pictures of the hole I bit through my lip! They are gross! See above! You have been warned!!!
***END WARNING***
Here’s what I looked like after the stitches:
First, there was the hole they prick in your finger to take a blood sample before you donate. Then of course there’s the hole from where I donated blood. Then there’s the hole from when they pricked my finger at the hospital to check my blood sugar. Oh, and then they drew more blood at the hospital (in my other arm, of course). Plus the tetanus shot they gave me, and the novacine before the stitches, and oh yeah, the big ?&^*&>@?! hole in my lip that landed me there in the first place.
Here’s what I looked like when I got back from the hospital:
That’s what I thought.
I’m sorry to hear about your accident, but it’s good that you’re starting to feel better now. Hopefully, you’ll have a speedy recovery.
P.S. When I first read the title of your post, I thought you were going to make a reference to the scene in Veronica Mars where Logan was attacked by the PCHers on the Coronado Bridge.
I LIKKED TEH PICTURAS OF YUOR DAMEGE AND YOU LOOK LIKKE A SWEET GIRL MAYBE WE CAN MEET I HAVE CARAVAN WE CAN SNUGGLE IN!
I’m with Timur. Really, Saman. You have no idea who you’re talking to.
Laura – ow. Really. That’s all I can think to say, even though that can’t quite sum it up. Are you closer to okay now, at least?
Also, WTF is up with the comment above mine?
hope you’re feeling better laura!! :D.. I’m just wondering do the stitches make it hard to eat or talk, and so on? In any case feel better! :D
yeah, I agree w/ Keri – what is up with that?
Ouch… that’s a big hole, Laura. :|
I had a root canal a few years ago, and really it wasn’t too bad….They gave me Valium and nitrous oxide because I was freaking out so badly, but once the drugs kicked in I didn’t remember a thing.
What a bad accident. You should be more careful and not donate blood if you are somehow weak. I saw those gross pictures. So awful, kind of cover-your-eyes-and-watch.
But It was a very impressing story.
I and also I think others like to have some MIT-life pictures from all facets of MIT guys.
If you bloggers can send more pictories [ stories with pictures ], it will be very … .
Thank you.
Be more careful about yourself.
Oh man. I’m so sorry that had to happen to you, Laura. You’re a total trooper!
Did… did someone just call Laura weak?
I am glad I live on east campus.
Because it’s probably further away from you, Saman.
Because I will be able to hear your screams from here.
Don’t mess with a Jersey girl.
OH, by the way, fun fact: I was born in the same hospital as Laura. Heck yeah.
I feel really bad about what happened to you. :(
Such an incident in this Blood Battle contest ought to place the MIT team as a battle scarred winner
Definite devotion to a stiff upper lip during transport to the hospital and proctoring a new crew member is beyond the call of duty. The status of the dental complications need a bit more concern as many root canals can result in unfortunate results. You may want to investigate Environmental dentistry, also known as, holistic or biological dentistry.
I wish you well.
Jack
FDNY-AEMT-P
I really enjoyed those pictures. Could you upload more?
I am sorry Timur and Keri. Maybe I shouldn’t have used WEAK. Ok, Let’s say whatever you both like. Are STRONG and BRAVE better words?
But I think you are agree that she should be more careful. right?
I must say…
Isn’t this contest just a LITTLE bit unfair to Caltech, seeing as how MIT has like 5x as many students as Caltech?
Somehow, though, I can see Caltech students giving 5x as much blood just to win it, though.
Insane Gnom how can you enjoy someone in a position like this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well! I must say very impressive, and very well done.Hats off to you.
I felt of proud of what you did. I am saying this because I have myself been in this position. I tried to tell somebody that it is not possible to be at MIT this September because the deadline has already passed. he replied me with an extremely rude email. But nonetheless, we should continue our good job.
Laura, donating blood is a love act! MIT and Caltech seem to be great competitors, but the big winners are the anonymous patients, in hospitals, who desperately need this blood to live. Congratulations.
Kudos for donating blood! I’ve never been able to donate blood because I have always been sick (or I have been out of the country too recently)when we have the drives at school…
That was a good story though. The real story. Not lame at all. Hope you get better soon.
Laura I just began to believe your first story but I decided it couldn’t be true. I have never donated blood before and I am scared by the thought. Any way get well soon since you are reportedly very TOUGH.
Woot! I’m not the only one who passed out when she gave blood this year! (I didn’t bite a hole in my lip. That looks rather nasty. I hope it heals well.)
Neat-o! I actually just donated blood last week for the 4th time. I’m a “Universal HerO” (even though I’m O+ and therefore, technically, not universal).
Anyway, glad you came out OK =)
MIT > CalTech
Wow, that’s… hardcore? Feel better! I haven’t yet given blood since I turned 17, but I’m hoping to sometime. Hm…
To Lauri,
You are entering the subconscious minds of people who have lost some control over some parts of their brain. As the sovereign emperor of the empire, I pay my sincerest regards to you. Will you be the queen of the empire of madness?
***********Statutory Warning : Not meant to hurt anybody!
You know, that’s really touching. And the wound looked bad, but I’ve seen worse personally. Enjoy the healing
If I just had a girlfriend so nice like you…..
Yikes! I’m glad you’re feeling better.
I agree that you (luckily) don’t make the cut for the EMT books. I’m taking that class right now, and for some horrible reason, whenever I flip open my textbook, it opens to the page where a woman has a FORK stuck in her eye. How does that even happen? Fork fight with a biker gang??
Dear Laura, I know that hurts getting all of those needles.I hope you feel better soon!!!
Love Allison
Yea..it will be my endeavour to find a gorgeous girl like you once I get into MIT;)
And keep it up…hope you feel better soon
Yea..it will be my endeavour to find a gorgeous girl like you once I get into MIT!
And keep it up…hope you feel better soon.
Heyy laura, that looks like it hurt, just remember next time you give blood try not to faint! Ha ha I’m just joking, I can’t wait to see you when you come back, I hope your better by then!
Jonathan: the contest winner is actually the school that donates the most blood per capita. In other words, it’s readjusted based on the size of the school.
This is a pretty nice contest!! At my school, we hold blood drives too, and students go around town recruiting people for it… We get A LOT of people, and now students 16 or older can donate blood, so a lot of students donate too :D and it’s such a cool thing. Anyway. I hope you’ll remain a blood donor :D
I did not know that nail polish color can affect pulse oximeter saturation. After reading in your blog, I read somewhere else that black, blue, and green significantly lower the readings. I guess (from the last picture) you were wearing black?
and I hope you get well soon!
Dear Laura, I hope you feel better soon, because I thought that kinda of hurt! I hope your lip feels better now and your teeth!
Dear Laura, I hope you feel better soon, because I thought that kinda of hurt! I hope your lip feels better now and your teeth!
We’ll get you next time.
Laura – I feel kinda bad for you…not as much for the incident as for the creepy people flirting with you on this blogspot…
Greetings, and Saludos O queen! What else can I say as the most humble citizen (madizen ?)of the empire!!!
vishal
same with me i just asked for a contact number to discuss some MIT but i got a “humiliating” reply
I think that scar adds a touch of drama to your face.
To be honest, I was hoping to be able to see through the hole and into your mouth on the ‘gross’ pictures… well, I’m sure I wasn’t the only one.
@ the madman who makes people fly
the time is now…i am going to ruin you…
@the wandering albatross
ur endeavoour shall bear no fruits…laura is mine………screaaaaaaammmmmmmm…….
OMG, Laura! That’s another fine mess you’ve gotten yourself into. We know which side of the family you take after. Some people will do just about anything for attention, medical attention that is. Well, at least your dentist is lovin’ you. First, the wisdom teeth and now this. He’s counting his days to Disney World. Here’s some words of wisdom for the root canal visit: make sure you go to an Endodontist and not a general dentist (the S side of the family have roots that curve and squiggle and the general dentists don’t have the appropriate instruments to do the job and usually break 1-3 drill bits before they give up and send you to the Endo anyway). Been there, done that, more than once.
Well, chin up old girl (no pun intended). Hope you heal fast like a Jersey girl should. :0
Laura stay away from those bikers. Even Jersey girls aren’t that tough. How are things going otherwise? Uncle Al