Twice in 12 hours

My mother was back in the Emergency Room yesterday evening. Dad asked me to drive them. It's barely 1/2 mile. After 5 hours in the ER she was released. It was 10pm before I got home. This morning she couldn't remember why she went to the ER. I ask for any prayers you can spare for her. I'm accompanying them to the doctor's office tomorrow morning. It will likely be another visit with no answers.


This morning I was up before 6 for a City-Wide, Multi-Agency Full Scale Disaster Drill at the new Cowboy Stadium in Arlington. I've never seen more police, fire, emergency vehichles, personnel, EMT's and Paramedics in one place in my life. I was one of more than 40 "victims." We were instructed to play it for real, but not to over-dramatize. A paramedic finally asked if I were really OK. :] I can't say enough about their kindness and caring just as if we had been really injured. In my scenario a truck had plowed through the crowd outside, severely injuring many and killing others. I was dreading the make-up, but instead was assigned to walk away from the scene having difficulty breathing & very dizzy. All "victims" were removed from the scene to local hospitals via small school bus or ambulance. One "victim" even got a 60-second helicopter ride. I ended up in an ambulance back to the same hospital to be assigned the room next to the ER holding room where my mother had been 12 hours earlier. The nurse walked in. He looked at me. Me at him, and he said: weren't you ....? Yep. He kindly asked about mother. I took his picture. Very interesting experience. The biggest disappointment is that we all thought we'd be INSIDE the stadium. I'll be writing more about it and hopefully uploading some photos to my EMVolunteer blog (link at right) in the next few days.