Wiggle your fingers for me
Whilst doing an MSc in Loughborough I did myself a mischief on the way to hand in a bit of coursework. A combination of wet trainers from the never ending rain and 1 hours sleep the previous night resulted in my feet sliding out from beneath me on the top step to my department's reception and then me landing with my left elbow connecting first with the metal edge of the 6th step down.

I went crossed eyed, said some very naughty words, dusted myself down and went off to lectures. After about half an hour of trying to concentrate the throbbing (in my arm) wasn't stopping and I started to feel a bit queasy. I went to the student medical bay and the nurse made me wiggle my fingers and thus deduced it was only bruised and nothing was broken. Thank god for the wonders of modern diagnostics. She recommended I got it X-rayed just in case I'd chipped a bone and told me to piss off in the direction of Loogabarooga's walk-in NHS hospital. Despite having fleeced us of £10 a head at the start of term and this being only the 4th week in, there wasn't a sling in the place. So off I pissed to said walk-in centre, slingless.

Shortly after arrival I was sent to the radiographer who also deduced that the ability to wiggle fingers was a classic sign of bruised student and nothing more. Still, pictures must be taken, so she placed the xray under my elbow and asked me to straighten my arm. I couldn't. So, she grabbed my wrist and pulled sharply to straighten it for me. I've never known pain like it. With my eyes streaming and my mouth painting the air blue she told me to stop being a baby and proceeded to take her happy snaps.

Turns out I had broken my elbow in four places.

Guess which two fingers I wiggled at her next?
( Draconacticus Reject shampoo. Demand real poo!, Thu 11 Mar 2010, 14:18, 1 reply)

were they
on the other hand?
(whiskas loved by 8 out of 10 cats, Sun 14 Mar 2010, 0:15, closed)