The workshop kicked my butt...well, not really, it was totally awesome but let me explain...

The workshop here in Laie went so great (that is another post)! On Thursday after the workshop ended, Grant, Camille, Leilani, Brion, Catie and I all headed over to Waimea Bay for some great swimming in waves ranging anywhere from 12-17 feet. The waves break REALLY close to the shore and I was feeling on top of the world having just completed my second workshop in Hawaii in 1 year with the confidence of success. Everyone was having a great time and it was time to pack up. But I wanted to do one more wave, just one more, which means, a couple seconds before the wave hits the shore, I dive straight into it. I would say it is safe to say one of the top 10 feelings in the WORLD. As you can see in this next picture (much credit to Kati Patrone who was documenting all of this), this is LITERALLY the wave I am talking about.



Looks like a ridiculous amount of fun right? It is! But wait, do you notice something in the water ahead of me? Like that yellow thing to my right (a boogie board) and the dark thing directly in front of me (a 105lbs 17 year old local boy being thrashed by the wave)? I noticed it too but I noticed it literally after I had plunged my body into the water with all my strength.

I dove HEAD FIRST into this kid's cranium. I never played football in high school but I will safely assume this is what it feels like to take that 'hit of your life'. I got up and was not really dazed, just numb. Head to toe. I could feel I hit my head but I was not sure on what. The other guy (Cole as I found out later) was completely delirious as he rightly should be. A close to 300lbs guy just jumped head first into him. Everyone was standing on the shore in complete shock as they just saw us collide.



I finally get to my feet and run over to the guy to make sure he is ok. I know I would not be in the best condition if someone my size did a flying head butt right into my head. Though he did not admit it, he totally had a concussion and a HUGE, HUGE, HUGE (did I mention it was huge?) knot on the side of his head that was split open and bleeding. I felt SOOOO BAD. This poor little guy. I kept asking him if there was anything I could do and if he was alright. He, and EVERYONE around me, just kept looking at me like I was crazy. I could not figure it out for the life of me. Then I got up to the shore and they said "WHOA, YOU'RE BLEEDING!!!"

THOSE FAINT OF HEART, DO NOT SCROLL DOWN TO THE NEXT PHOTO!!!




This is zoomed in so you don't see my awesomely hairy chest and 'doobs' (man boobs). I was bleeding HORRIBLY and had a HUGE gash right above my right eye. This is the eye I use for my profession. I was freaking out. Things were blurry, I could not really see due to all the blood in my eye. Now mind you, this is about 20 minutes before I and everyone else from the workshop were supposed to meet up at Kua Aina for the closing social.

We run up to the lifeguard station and they wrap me up nicely. Seriously, they were so nice. I think they were more excited to see the wound than actually wrap it up.



We then proceeded to take the photos anyone group of friends would do in this situation, ones where everyone was posed as if they beat the living snot out of me.




We then packed up headed straight to Kua Aina to meet everyone and saw Cole, the other victim (and I do mean victim). I waved him down and he agreed to take a photo with me. Check the KNOT on his upper left forehead. From the looks of this photo, he was still WAY out of it...WAY.



We made sure he had people there to help him and asked if he was going to the hospital. I am not sure what happened after he got in the car with his friends...so if you are reading this Cole, I hope everything is ok. And again, I AM SO SORRY!!!

After Kua Aina and popping a couple Ibuprofen and Tylenol, the adrenaline started to wear off so I headed over to Kahuku hospital to get it all checked out. No stiches (YESSSS!!!), got a tetanus shot (which hurt like hell and that shoulder still hurts like hell) and they then proceeded to glue my cut shut and then tape it shut.




I don't even want to think about how bad it could have been. If the hit had been just an inch lower, I would have totally lost the eye I use. Thank you Kahuku hospital for stitching me up. Even though it cost $585 for a 25 minute trip to the emergency room. Nice.

So in conclusion, the Film is Not Dead Workshop kicks butt, not literally, but you get the general idea. My friends kick butt too...thanks guys, especially Kati for having the camera at the right time.

Priceless.