The Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend, while in Tallin Estonia, to screen my documentary Bomb It (www.bombit-themovie.com), at the Black Nights Film Festival, I broke my leg and dislocated my ankle. I did this while visiting a well known Soviet monument, Linnahall, that doubles for a free graffiti wall.I slipped on the newly formed ice and SNAP. I looked down and saw my foot shooting off at a 90 degree angle from where it should be pointed.
Fortunately I was with one of the first graff writers in Estonia, Jan, who had taken me there and he called an ambulance.
It wasn’t that fun for the paramedics or Jan who had to help carry me off the monument. Nor was it that fun having my ankle forced back into place without anesthetics by the Soviet style doctor that I encountered in the emergency room. She just took my foot and started twisting it to fit in the splint. (I guess they sometimes do this in the States in order to get an xray – but usually they tell you what they are doing before). Based on the x rays the doctor informed me that they didn’t have to operate – but they would put me under to finish setting the leg. The last I remember is the anesthesiologist asking if I was allergic to eggs.
I got to spend a few days in my hotel room in Tallin – the festival staff, Elen, Elina and Martina were all great. I hobbled my way to my second screening though and had a nice chat with the audience. I even met a 10 year old would be graf writer who informed me that he was going on his first bombing raid the next night. He proudly handed me his tag on a piece of paper.
Unfortunately, I had to cancel the final leg of my trip to Europe, Amsterdam, where I was supposed to attend the Black Soil Hip Hop Festival and IDFA.
Upon returning to LA an orthopedist noticed that I didn’t just break my leg but shattered parts of it. He suggested I have surgery and get a plate and 2 screws put in.
However, when they cut me open they found bones all over the place – some so out of place they didn’t show up on the x-ray. (and they didn’t find a couple of pieces that are still floating around somewhere). So now I have 7 screws and a plate in my bionic leg.
Still deciding on the life lesson in all this – although I
have some pretty good ideas.
Jon
