Helmet anyone?

It wasn't the first time for me to see it, but it sure had an impact on my family. We were on our 2866 mile car trip across America to see my son graduate from the Naval Academy. -more about that later. . . as it was ab fab!!!!

A Harley rider passed me on the freeway at about Texarkana going around 80 mph. He had his leathers on . . and true to form. . had on a dew rag. No helmet to protect his skull. Just a dew rag.
I made the comment, as I always do. . . ."Now there's a head injury just waiting to happen." My family probably rolled their eyes. . . as I see this all the time, get my dander up. . . and make the comments. Skulls when travelling at high rates of speed come to a smashing end when smacking the pavement.

The physics of it are called, deceleration. In deceleration injuries. . . when a hard object comes into contact with a non-moving surface. . .i.e. the pavement. . . the decelerating object (in this case the skull) strikes the non-moving object at twice the speed it was travelling. So, in this case if you were travelling 80 mph, like our Harley man. . .your skull would smack the pavement when you were ejected from your bike at 160 mph. An injury not really compatible with life. For inside your skull is your brain. . . which smacks the hard skull on impact and thus. . . .massive head trauma.

A few miles down the road on Interstate 30, nearing Hope, Arkansas, we hit a traffic jam. It seems there had been a wreck. As we approached, I was stunned. It was our Harley rider. He was lying on his side. . . . .body totally intact. Head. . .well you can imagine. He was dead.

Please wear your helmets - and throw a fit to those who don't!

Trauma irritants

So you are driving. . . .

Do the following things just irritate the bejeezus out of you?

I. Rubberneckers.

Approaching an accident scene on a freeway in the opposite lanes. All traffic is at a standstill . . . even the lanes you are in which are opposite in direction from the accident. Why????

RUBBERNECKERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HATE THEM!!!!!!!!!

Even in the worst accident. . . i.e. unrestrained passenger, ejected from a rollover. What is there to see? No spouting arterial blood. No severed head. Nada. . . .nothing. MOVE ALONG people. Nothing to see here. Let the EMTs do their jobs. And for GAWD's sake. . . .let the tow trucks in to get that crap outta there.

II. People who park in the crosswalks.

Hello people! Crosswalks are for pedestrians crossing. Especially wheelchair people. Get your car off the freaking crosswalk. When a wheelchair access vehicle parks to let out. . . we can't get through because your car and your precious children . . . . all of whom can WALK are being let out for school with your big fat SUV parked in a damned crosswalk.

Read your state highway department safety and driving guide! That is a ticketable offense. Where are the po po when I need them???? MOVE ALONG PEOPLE!!!!!

III. Bikers who hog the road and don't follow traffic laws.

Okay they are being green and all that. Taking up space in your lane. Indignant that they too have a place on the road made for cars. But for Christ sakes. . . .if you are going to act like a car. . then follow the traffic rules for cars. STOP at red lights. Signal with your arms if you are turning. YOU ARE NOT SPECIAL . . .you bikers you.

Alrighty then. Clear that trauma diva needs an appointment to her gyno to get some hormone therapy to reduce stress. But I am just saying. . . . .

Ex Dickwads

Okay...so yesterday I was all just sappy and pathetic at Mother's Day. Sorry, it just has that effect on me.

But, as Scarlett O'Hara so famously put it, "Tomorrow is another day."

Boy, I'll say. Today, after yesterday having sent my ex a sappy, oh-I-am-still-in-love with you (Yes, insert self-flagellation device here) . . . . email. . . . . he is acting like the royal JERK he is!!! And classic example of the reason I divorced him not just once, twice!

Gawd. . . what a dickwad DELUXE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Where is that montra? "Fool me once, shame on you. . . Fool me twice. . . shame on ME!!!!

GGGGAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

A Mother's Love

A mother's love is like no other.

It is the foundation of the soul.

It began with Mary, the Virgin mother of our Lord.

It is eternal.

It is selfless.

It is unflinching.

When the toughest gangster presents to trauma, for whom do they cry?

Mother.

When the most brave of our soldiers pulls into port, what is the tattoo most requested?

Mother.

When the gift of life is given to another it comes from non other than. . .

A Mother.

Today, celebrate the Mother's that you know. Those that have their children close. Those that gave life by giving their child to another. If you were born, you too have a Mother.

In your heart today, for better or for worse, remember your Mother.

Missing

Irene Blakey Missing since Jan 28, 2009 from Riverdale, IL
Alanni Arriola Missing since Feb 13, 2009 Las Vegas, NV
Brittannee Drexel Missing since May 2, 2009 Myrtle Beach, FL

Yet another young girl is missing. I don't know what it is about these cases, but they really bother me. As a crusty old trauma nurse, I just have a hard time accepting it. Maybe it is because I have a daughter, and if she doesn't call me at least once a week, I am sure she is missing too.

Above are the latest. They all fit the same profile. Young, pretty young thangs who dress like they are 25, lie and tell their parents they are with friends, go out and honky tonk and then. . . . never come home.

At 17, I too, thought I had full command and understanding of the world. And as we all know - God we were wrong. Try till, oh. . . 35? 45? Sometimes I am still learning. But these girls. These precious girls. They will never get that chance.

We see them come into the ER. Its never good. A classic I remember was the the young, pretty blonde who was dumped out on our tarmac from a limo. Dumped and left. She had vomit in her long hair and all over her white leather short skirt and bolero jacket. -probably an $800 Versace thing. She was unconscious. Smelled of alcohol. Tested positive for GHB. She wasn't breathing. Bought herself an ET tube. We looked into her purse for some ID. She was 16. We had to call her parents who told us "No, she was staying at a friend's house." They had spoken to her. They were sure we were wrong. -but we weren't.

Remember the slogan that came out that said, "It is 10:00 PM. Do you know where your children are?" Maybe there is some truth to that. Maybe I have watched too much Law and Order: SVU. But I wish it would stop. I wish the cops could find the bastards that are raping these girls and killing and then it WOULD JUST STOP!!!!!!!