Saturday's Adventures

Izzy and I had interesting, exhausting Saturdays. His was one that bears repeating sometime...

In pursuit of another Iron Butt Certification (cool pin included!), Izzy and three other guys set off in the very wee hours (3 something AM?) for a 1000 mile ride in SC. They covered all the Interstates and a few other roads. Back around 10:30 PM.

I started this blog just before Izzy went on his first IBA ride--the 50 CC (coast to coast in under 50 hours.) Whilst on that ride, he also earned recognition for passing 1500 miles in one day and 2000 miles in two days.

This ride was a bit more tiring than some of this other marathon riding days, since it was done in the middle of the semester. He looks like he's recovered. He has two big rides planned before we head to Italy: one to our annual Blue Ridge Parkway weekend (2006 trip here) and one to New Jersey for work and to visit old friends.

I went to a jewelry party Saturday. My youngest sister has decided to become a "Jewelry Lady" and I went to her first party on her own to be a support. S3's husband (S3H) and a friend took off in the mini-van with the kids (friend's sorta step-son, and S3's kids -- the boys S3S2 (age 12), S3S3 (age 5) and daughter S3D1 (age 3 1/2.)) They stopped for "Bug Juice" and headed to the computer store.

Back at the party: after intros and itty-bitty sandwiches, we had started a get-to-know-you game (it helps to relax people before asking them to part with $$), when the phone rang. A friend (strategically positioned to screen calls) answered and immediately handed the phone to S3. From the look on her face and words we could hear (hit, head-on, eye, hurt) we knew something really bad had happened.

S3 and two friends jumped up -- party's over folks (it seemed to take the official sponsor lady a bit to realize that nothing would be resuming -- but she got the point soon enough.) S3 was in no shape to drive, so a friend drove her to the accident site. Another friend, whose son and boyfriend were also in the van headed out, as well.

Mom and I were told to stay at the house and wait for any phone calls and to collect clothes to take wherever the family was going to go. We got directions once the ambulance crew made a decision, and headed up to an urgent care.

From what we could see when we passed the accident site, and what was described by S3H, the minivan was headed northbound on a narrow two-lane road, with no shoulder. A southbound vehicle was traveling slowly, preparing to turn right. An SUV with several teens decided to go around the slower vehicle, and they pulled into the northbound lane about one car length in front of the family minivan. S3H managed to swerve just a bit, so that the crash impact was driver to driver (versus full head-on.) The SUV went airborne, landing briefly upside down on the minivan, then upside down in the ditch in a bit of a crumple.

Everyone walked out of both vehicles; help was readily available since the accident occurred right in front of the new fire station. The most seriously injured were those on the driver's side which took the brunt of the impacts. On our way to the urgent care, Mom and I saw the minivan on a tow truck (crumpled front, lots of broken glass) and the SUV upside down in the ditch.

1st Moral of the Story: showing up at an urgent care center in an ambulance does not help you get care any faster.

Registration took 15-20 minutes per person, and could only be done consecutively, not concurrently. We had plenty of adults, so one of us stayed with each child for exams, tests, etc. I think S3S2 and I bonded in the ER, especially when I informed the MD of relevant bits of his medical history that he'd forgotten. I stuck with him for X-rays, watched Nickelodeon, and took him to Subway when we got to the next hospital.

S3D1's injuries were more severe and she was taken by ambulance from the urgent care to the local Peds ER for CAT scans and better exam of her eye, which could not be opened. We caravanned the other family members over, once all were discharged and given follow-up appointments. S3's friends ended up with scrapes, foot brace, and one guy will likely need chiropractic care for a while.

I stayed with Sis & Hubby & niece in the Peds ER until she was finally discharged, after lots of tests, lots of drama (hungry, tired three year olds with broken cheek bones and eyes swollen shut are still remarkably resistant to having IV's started!), and a final determination that her eye had sustained no permanent damage. Mom took S3S2 home to get ready for church in AM; another adult niece took home the five year old nephew; oldest sis left once things were more settled; her place was taken quickly by B3, back from Georgia. S3H's brother arranged to get the van to wherever totalled vans go and got a new van to the hospital.

Moral Number 2: It's great to have a large family in a crisis -- there's someone to take care of nearly everything.

Final tally for the MyFoos:

• Van: Totalled
• Pops: hand sprained, scads of cuts and bruises, facial burn from airbag (I was really surprised that the urgent care did not wound care whatsoever!)
• S3S2: Broken Right 2nd metacarpal bone (meaning he'll take end-of-grade tests orally), clavicle OK under major seat belt abrasion, more scrapes and bruises.
• S3S3: Seated on the passenger side in his car seat, he got a few bruises and was covered in "Bug Juice." Not bad.
• S3D1: Hand sprained & swollen, no breaks; right cheekbone fracture, right eye and all neuro testing OK (her eye finally opened this PM), scary bruising that frightened her today.
• S3: Long day, more trips in new minivan to more appointments...bite to lip sustained when daughter's IV started (the child had only one weapon, and she used it...)

Due to a requirement to have her first jewelry party (sales pitches and all) within 30 days of signing on with the company, S3 had to re-scheduled the party for tomorrow. Mom and S2 will be there--the kids will be safely in school and off of the roads.

Moral Number Three: Insert your own here. I'm thinking something about Guardian Angels (good), pettiness of some business models (bad), etc.