ER

The day had been exhausting

More running around

Catering than I’d care to recall

I was angry at something-or-other

There were two people prior

Taking no notice of the mangled pulp

Offering little in the way of actual help

He knocked on my door

After one look I said

You. Car. Now.

Suddenly oblivious to any remnants of the hours prior

Time. Slowed.

Brain at warp speed. Go go go now now now no time no time

My concern was TBI, or worse

Clotting and stroke

An unknown combination to which no outward symptoms would present

Minutes matter – we’re several hours in at this point.

We drove eleven miles

I kept him talking,

(that part was easy)

Getting him to sit still was a bit of a challenge

(commands are short, simple, easy to process)

You. Sit. Chair.

Stay.

“I’m not a dog” he grumbled

Then laughing “I’m a mutt!”

[You will not die today sir

Not on my watch.]

No

No.

do not get up. (Sigh)

Again-

Chair. Sit. Stay.

There’s a reason for this (I would tell him later)

I bring him paperwork,

Warm hand off; I rattle off the synopsis, timeline, and provide my contact info

I speak quietly before I go

Be nice.
These folks are here to help

(and more qualified for the task at hand)

They saved his eye with four stitches,

And he will have a crooked tooth and some mild scarring

(it’s hardly noticeable)

From that point onwards

Two years seizure free, and another year wiser