It’s always something. The most recent something started with my involvement in a motorcycle accident in Bogra. It started out as mechanical failure and ended with user error. I ended up with a few minor brush burns and a sprained hand. I thought I was fine and went about my week. However, about 5 days later I was persuaded by Daniel, my roommate, and his appeal to authority (his mother, Karin, who is a doctor) to actually visit a doctor. After a $3.01 x-ray I realized my 3rd metacarpal was broken. The doctor taped up my hand, charged me $4.41 and sent me on my way with a list of meds and instructions to be back in 2 weeks. Karin actually lives in Bogra, but she’s back in the states right now on the receiving end of a double hip replacement. Her surgeon was gracious enough to take a look at my x-ray and surprised me by recommending surgery to prevent foreshortening. Karin recommended either Bangkok or going south to Malumghat.

Two emails later I was on a night bus with Daniel down toward Cox’s Bazaar. The actual hospital name is Memorial Christian and has been located for many years just north of Cox’s Bazaar, but 10-13 hours by bus from Dhaka. Last year I went with Daniel up to LAMB hospital when he had a concussion and broken right wrist so it seemed very apropos that he would come with me. Upon arrival I was very quickly run through a consultation before gowning up and getting moved into surgery. I remember being wheeled into surgery. I remember being placed on an operating table. I remember a conversation with one of the surgeons. But I don’t remember anything else until waking up in my hospital bed about 3 hours later, hand in a half cast and slung up in the air.

There’s something odd about post injury. Life slows down very quickly. I spent the next 20 hours mostly sleeping, then resting in the guest house for a few days. We got to have some interesting conversations with hospital staff and even observe some surgeries. Now I’m back in Dhaka, healing, and struggling to type one handed. There’s a project I think I can work on here that doesn’t need too much right hand movement. Aro kerup hote parto – It could have been worse