Icing

The first (of many) winter snowstorms in Frozen Tundra of NH always brings out the best and worst. The newly fallen snow covered treacherously hidden ice, causing many to go to ground. In the first 90 minutes of my shift in Tiny Satellite ER, local EMS delivered an ankle fracture and two shoulder fractures, a coccyx fracture, shoulder sprain, scalp lac and a variety of bumps and bruised egos. Naturally, it brings in someone for a med refill ("I know the pharmacy screwed up and didn't give me ALL the Ritalin I need, so now I've run out"), drug rash ("My three year old has had it for THREE DAYS, and it's much worse since our PCP saw it the last 2 days, what do you mean it's a two hour wait??"). It never fails to amuse and amaze that these people would take their lives (and their children's) in their hands, put on the galoshes and go out and drive around with the rest of the crazies here above the Arctic Circle.



The best was the Hover Mom: you know, standing in the doorway, asking for something every 5 minutes so you know she's concerned about her 9 year old who fell in the driveway and has a head bump. No LOC, but their PCP assured her that "a head injury would be a top priority and seen immediately" (um, your pediatrician is an idiot who lied to you, and he WAS seen immediately and appropriately triaged. I'm pretty sure he's not herniating). What posesses these PCP's to say make such blatently stupid statements and get everybody all riled up?



Anyway, after casting, splinting, slinging, stiching and icing all the boo-boos, it got very un-busy. I hesitate to use the Q word, because you never know when it will come back to bite you. And I have to work tomorrow, so I'll play it safe.