A Visit to the ER

By Jesse

Some of you know the short of how I earned my crutches, but this the long firsthand version with 1351 words and 7 paragraph.  So after reading this you will know the long and short of the whole story.

We were on vacation last week 5/26-30 in Alabama, camping at Desoto State Park.  Monday we set up camp.  Tuesday we hiked and did some rock climbing (we use ropes and harnesses for safety).  Wednesday we went to Cherokee Rock Village and did some more rock climbing.  After that we went to Blue Hole, a very clear swimming hole along a river down there, and swam a while.  Thursday we went to Desoto Falls where we tried fishing and ate lunch; then we headed back to camp and dad and the three oldest went mountain biking; when we got back we went swimming at the pool.  Friday we went back to Cherokee Rock Village to do some more rock climbing, then it happened…

A little before one o’clock PM I had made it to the top of a 40’ to 50’ climb and was being let down by someone I’ll call “J” (because his/her name starts with J) at approx. 15’ from the ground J lost control and I dropped the remaining distance to the ground.  I don’t remember the fall but the next thing I remember is lying on the ground in excruciating pain gasping for air.  Dad and Mom ran over and helped me up, still gasping I asked for a chair which was immediately brought and with the help of Mom and Dad I sat down.  The pain level was 8 to 9 (on a scale of 0 to 10) my chest, hip, and ankle all hurt on my right side.  I sat in pain until everything was cleaned up, then Dad and Mom carried me to the van.  When we came to the first hospital we didn’t see an emergency room so we asked someone if it was a hospital, it was a mental hospital, OOPS!!!  The guy told us of a different hospital.

One hour after the accident we arrived at the Gadsden Regional Medical Center ER.  Dad went in and got a wheelchair for me and after helping me into it he brought me in.  We waited I don’t know how long until they called my name and we went back to a small room where they asked a few questions, then we went back to the waiting room.  Awhile later we went back to the small room where a nurse got me a gown then went out while I changed.  A little bit later she came back in to examine me, thankfully my ankle was just scraped, and my chest was just bruised.  After the examination another woman came in and asked about insurance for a little bit.  Then I went back to get x-rays after they got the x-rays they put me in a hospital bed and brought me back to the small room.  A little while later some nurses came in and told us the room we were in was a short time room and they were going to move me to hall F, where I was right across from a door that was labeled nourishment, my belly told me I was at the right place but the nurses said I couldn’t eat because I might need surgery.

I don’t know how many hour(s) later they took me upstairs for a C.A.T. scan.  They diagnosed me with a broken pelvis.  After the scan I was taken back to the hall where all was good until I had to use the restroom.  Two problems, one, I couldn’t get up (they weren’t going to let me get up either), and two I was in a hall where there were people constantly walking by.  I don’t think you’re supposed to improvise in a hospital but we did it anyway.  They put a curtain thingy at the side of my bed opposite the wall and two people held sheets at the head and foot of my bed while I did my business.  At about eleven o’clock PM they told us I needed to go to a different hospital where there was a doctor who could work on pelvises.  Then for the journey they gave me an IV.  A little after midnight the ambulance arrived to take me to the other hospital I was put in the back, and mom got to ride in the front by the driver (where I wanted to be).  After I got settled I prayed until I fell asleep.

We arrived at the University of Alabama Trauma center in Birmingham at one o’clock AM where they put me in a sterile looking room, on a sterile board that was supposed to be a bed.  Where they took blood samples, my watch, and my socks, and if that wasn’t bad enough they put this uncomfortable neck brace on me “just in case I had hurt my neck in the fall” (it was twelve hours after the fall).  They got more x-rays, then took me upstairs for more C.A.T. scans.  When we got back down stairs they gave me some medicine that would relax me.  Several hours later they finally got the results from the C.A.T. scans which proved I didn’t need the neck brace so they took the brace off and removed the board from underneath me which allowed me to settle down into a soft bed.  Then a nurse came over and asked me “what year is it?” I joked “2017” She said “guess again” I gave her the correct answer then she asked me what my name was, who the president was, etc. just to see if I was in my right mind.  A little while later they came in and told me they were going to take me upstairs to a private room where I would wait to find out if I needed surgery.

When we got up to the room the transport wished me good luck on getting a cute nurse (it didn’t happen).  When the nurse came in she asked me the usual questions (whether I have had drugs, or smoked etc.).  Somehow a rumor had gotten around that I had walked into the emergency room so several nurses came in asking whether I had really walked into the ER with a broken pelvic bone.  In a little bit mom came up and got settled on the window seat then took a nap while I watched TV shows like Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe.  The nurse came in after a while to tell me that I could finally eat and to give me a menu.  Several hours after I had breakfast a physical therapist came in with a walker to teach me how to walk.  I walked about fifty feet down the hall then turned around and walked back.  I did well with the walker so he told me he would get me crutches and they would be up in a half hour.  An hour or so later I was being taken to get x-rays when we met Alisa McCool (my mom’s cousin who lives in Birmingham) at the door.  I went to get the x-rays (to make sure everything was OK for me to get discharged).  When we got back Alisa said hi to me and gave me her condolences then Alisa and mom talked for several hours.  During that time the doctor came in and told us I was going to be discharged so we told them we haven’t got the crutches yet.  A little bit later they brought a pair of crutches in and set them by the wall.  I don’t know when Alisa left but a little while after she left I fell asleep.  When I woke up dad and the rest of my siblings were there making themselves at home.  In a little bit the physical therapist came in and taught me how to use the crutches with that done they were ready to evict me.  The nurse brought the eviction papers and gave me some pain killer for the trip home.  At four o’clock PM we were finally discharged so we high tailed it home.  Around midnight we stopped at a Walmart parking lot for a few hours then hit the road again to arrive home at seven o’clock.