1st Moments Following Traumatic Fall

(Surrounded by love and knowledge)

My right hand reached out to to catch my fall, not aware that it would be six inches too late as my head, nose and face took the full weight against a 30 year old 8” high ragged rock wall. At first I was unaware of just how at risk I was as I, dazed, began to push myself up into seated position as blood was gushing out from under my left eye and more frightening to me, from within my mouth, unsure of its origin.

Lorenzo, calmly assessing, asked me if he should call 911? Looking at his and Kensteve’s urgency and becoming aware that my shirt, legs were covered in blood, my mouth spitting out blood looking for breath I said, “yes. Get Jo“ and put my head back hoping to arrest or at least slow the flow, now pouring down my face. “Get Jo,” I repeated “and towels,” feeling helpless as the seconds wore on, unsure if I should stand, sit or lay back in the mud. I wondered for a moment if I might die, knowing the amount still coming out could not be sustained.

“Pastor, they’re on the way..” spoken in calm assurance, I assumed by Lorenzo, lifted my thoughts away from despair. Again i pleaded. “Get Jo and Kristen, if here.” She, Kristen, nurse and daughter in law could act and help me know if my growing fears were valid or if by cracking a joke about my over-reaction, as would likely ensue, signal me to wash up and get some anti-septic.

Kristen’s worried eyes for the flash of a second, followed by taking charge, giving orders to those around and in a compassionate yet professional attitude gave comfort and further awareness that just maybe I was at risk—who knew. “Get a cardboard and blanket” she commanded, as everyone sprung into action. Her eyes now full of only compassion and no fear calmed mine. “Let’s lay him down and take a look at what we got, kneeling over, applying pressure, revealing a degree of apparent control over the blood flowing. I spit, swallowed aware again that my nose seemed to be draining blood into my mouth, but I could breathe.

I looked up as my son held an umbrella over us. Medics were suddenly present. ‘That was fast,’ I thought. Apparently building on what Kristen had done he wrapped my head up in a bandage significantly slowing the exterior bleeding. I think it was Kristen, now stepping back that informed the technician that I was also experiencing blood in my mouth. He quickly assessed concluding, I think, that it was from the interior of my nose, now clotting in both nasal cavities, first the left and then the right.

At that moment I heard the sound of sirens, for the first time aware that these were fireman attending, asking the questions that would be repeated throughout the evening: “Did you faint or fall? Did you loose consciousness? What did you strike? What day was is it? Where are you? How do you feel?” My answers: “Fall. Was always conscious. My face took the full impact, my hand”—also hurting—“stopped nothing.” The rest of the questions assured them and me that I was fully cognoscente. I kept hoping they would ask me who was President so I could spin a sarcastic respons. Never came. I guess politics is now even too toxic medically.

As they moved me to the stretcher and into the ambulance my fear of potentially dying was replaced by a fear of not being able to breathe and the awareness it would be a long day without grabbing the McKD’s hamburger I had been running to get.

And so it began.

Later, observations on the incredible health care workers; each performing with skill and compassion.

Let me say for now, the Ambulance tech, a woman I would guess in her thirties, did two things, no three that created calm. She had evidently violated safety protocols to assess my bleeding and was reminded by a much younger tech that she needed to fully mask and goggle to protect herself. She responded. “Will do, too late now“ and in about two minutes did. Secondly, as she was asking questions and clearly listening to my own self-assessments she would touch my chest or arm like a mother, assuring me that other than the pain and wait, it was the McKD I would be deprived of. Apparently, I was going to live.

The third thing? Later..