What a bad dream. The pain is unbearable. I want to scream and suddenly I hear myself screaming very loud. I wake up.
The pain is still there. In my head or in my jaws?
But where am I?!
My face is cold and wet. I find myself lying on the concrete floor down in our cellar screaming in pain.
I don't understand what's going on.

I manage to come upstairs. Maarten begins hysterically yelling, crying and running around.
One look in the mirror and I know why.
My face is covered with blood and dirt.

I don't want to describe the time spent in the Emergency Room.
Little by little I am able to reconstruct what could have happened down there in the cellar...
The CT scan shows several cheekbone, orbital and jaw fractures. All on the left side.

While the surgeon is busy with the cheek wound... the moment of sewing Maarten's forehead years ago comes up so clearly again.
My poor baby and what a chicken am I!

@@@

I'm even a more awful sight today. My face is bruised and very bad swollen showing all colors of the rainbow.
I hate the idea of Maarten seeing me like that.

You are not allowed to go down there anymore, mommy!


~~~
PS: "When Maarten saw your face a mess you should have told him you thought it was Halloween!
hope i make you smile !!!!! love Jim" ~ my dearest Uncle