Adventures in the ER I'd rather not have

Well it's about 9:15 or so here on the west coast of California and I just got home from the ER. I have had an ass kicking flu for about a week now, but that's not why I was there - I was there for Dante's nephew Gabe (go back a few blogs to catch up. I'm just too tired to fill you in right right now) Anyway, I'm still not quite sure how it happened, but all I know is this poor kids knee cap was up by his groin and sticking out in a direction that no bone should ever go. No shit.

Folks, when you end up at the ER, more than likely you are not there for pleasure. Your stressed, freaking out, upset and unsure. What do you want? Someone to tell you it's going to be ok, not to worry and to take you or your loved one to see a doctor. Now, trying to put myself in the other persons place, I know working at the ER can't be fun. Hurt, angry, sick, irrational, demanding, uninsured people in your face and usually, there is only one, maybe two of you at the counter to deal with the masses. Although I sympathize with your job those in the medical field, please try to remember that a little bedside manner goes a long way. But I digress...

I have to say that we were admitted pretty quick, which was nice, but that was also when things turned sorta south. So we get back in the in the initial nursing area and - lucky us - the NA is brand new. 1st day on the job new. Bless 'em, they gotta start somewhere. So this poor gal is trying to take a blood sample, pulls the needle out too soon - BLOOD EVERYWHERE. A little bit of blood goes a long way. No wonder crimes scenes look so horrendous. Anyway, so that is the time that Gabe's mom walks in and promptly passes out. Now Gabe (knee cap still up by groin) sees this and tries to get to his mom. Not good folks, not good at all. After we get mom sitting up and Gabe to an actual room after the screaming subsides, in comes the doctor who's jaw literally falls open. As the next 10 minutes pass, the doctor continues to walk from one side of Gabe to the other shaking his head and saying he's not sure what to do because he's never seen anything like it.

Really?

Just a thought here, but when I'm not sure how to do something, I usually ask someone else if they have ever seen a problem like mine or even if they might be willing to take a look at it so we could talk it over. Just a thought.

So finally the doctor calls for the nurse to bring him a shot of this stuff that looks like Milk of Magnesia the end result being it puts your out for about 15 minutes while the doctor puts your leg or whatever back into place. Gabe drinks it and looks like he's out about 10 minutes later, so the doc walks over and reaches out to touch him and suddenly his little eyes pop open and he slurs out "What the fuck do you think your doing?" Then promptly falls asleep.

Classic.

At least the doctor had a good sense of humor about it.

Three hours and a full leg brace later we are out the door. Whew. I don't like hospitals or ER's. Bad experiences, bad memories. So why do I go? Because whether I like it or not, this goes way past Dante. I've know these guys for almost 10 years; they are still and always will be family to me. The tight hugs and the teary eyes from the kids were more than enough to make me glad I came. They asked, wanted and needed me to be there and you know what? If the situation was reversed, I guarantee one of them would have been there telling me what an ass I made of myself to the doctor when I woke up.









P.S. For those of your bored enough to actually follow along from time to time, when I got home, I finally had a message from the firefighter. Sadly, I'm too tired of being sick and tired to even want to call back. On the upshot, it will probably make for a good blog later.