The Saga of the Could-Be Fractured Nose

Okay, so here's the full story- with pictures- about my nose...

Friday night, Jung Min and I went out for what was going to be a couple beers after I got off work. After that, she decided that she wanted to really go out. I told her that I would go along with it. So we went off to one of our favorite bars near Seolleung Station. We went in, ordered a bottle and settled in. We ended up staying for about four hours. It got late, and we decided it was time to head home. I had to get up for a wedding on Saturday evening on top of all the Halloween party preparations.

So, we get up to leave. A couple of the bartenders were going to walk us out to catch taxis. One of them was a bit drunk and wanted to give me a piggyback ride. This did not seem like a good idea to me because we were in the basement of the building and there were only two ways upstairs: a.) the elevator (which Jung Min was waiting on) and b.) the stairs. So I said no. He said it again. I said no. He said it a third time and I gave in, thinking he would get me up, decide I was too heavy and I would hop down.

He was already bent down, so I hopped on his back. But instead of standing up, he pitched forward and threw me into a door. I lay on the floor for a bit, dazed. My ears were ringing and I felt lightheaded. Then the blood came. I had a giant cut on my nose and it was bleeding from within. Jung Min got me up and rushed me to the bathroom. We cleaned up my face, but I was still lightheaded. I dropped to the floor, because I knew I was going to pass out. After putting my head between my legs for a bit, I felt better and my ears stopped ringing. Jung Min got me up and with the help of a different bartender, I got back inside and laid down in one of the seats. They got me a blanket and some ice.

I'm not sure how long I laid there, but people kept looking at my forehead, which was already starting to swell, and my nose. They sat me up and the bartender responsible started cleaning some of the blood that was leftover on my face and sticking paper towel up my noise. He poked my nose a few times and declared it wasn't broken. Jung Min and the other bartender wanted to take me to the hospital, but I said I was okay. I was just incredibly embarrassed and wanted to get out of there. Fortunately or unfortunately, the bartender responsible was just as eager to get me out of the bar. I think he literally pushed us out because he was worried Bartender 2 would finally convince me to go to the hospital in which case he would have to pay. (Jerk.) Jung Min looked like she wanted to break his nose after the whole ordeal.

Anyway, Jung Min and Bartender 2 got me home. Though, again, looking back it was kind of stupid of me to insist that I go home and not the hospital... definitely could have had a concussion...

And here's how my nose progressed...

This is what I looked like on Sunday. Still swelling... but no bruising... that came on Monday...

Here's a nice shot of the swelling. A light bruise started on my forehead and those actually aren't dark circles under the eyes... those are bruises...

As you can see... it looks better today. The swelling is down, but it still hurts. Bleh.

I went to the doctor on Tuesday and was told that it wasn't broken (but then was later informed that Korean doctors don't believe in hairline fractures. We didn't do a CT scan, so there is a possibility that it is fractured slightly) and there were some lacerations inside my noise as well as some inflammation. They gave me a shot and a day's worth of antibiotics. The swelling is pretty much gone, however I'm still congested because I have a cold on top of dealing with my nose. Yeesh... can't catch a break...

Oh... and still never got an apology from the bartender...