Have you ever been really scared?

[Marcus Aurelius]

Sorry for this long post......

The stories are indeed very interesting.
I've had the misfortune of riding in a life flight helicopter at night.
Holding my teenage son's hand. He's strapped on a full body board.
His eyes are wide with fear. His eyes dart at mine. He searches my face for answers. I swallow hard and choke back any emotions. He's already had one x-ray and one scan. The doctors on ER duty have already told me the news. They show me the vertebra that are broken. They tell me about the swelling, the damage to his cord. The ER nurses that have seen it all. Tragedy in all it's forms. They try to comfort me with their eyes. One of them looks down and away. She wipes her eyes with her arm. His mother arrives along with his step father. I verbally lash out at them with a tirade. I grip my fist and shake it at them, defiantly challenging either one of them to say even one word. Yes I blame them. Her.


Of course it's night. It's raining. I meet the flight crew. We're on our way to the helicopter. This hospital doesn't have the resources. He can't feel his legs. He can't move his arms, his hands. My mind swirls with the thought of a life so young facing such hardship. Thank God my tears can't be seen in all of this rain. I'll be here for him. I tell myself. “Everything is going to be OK son. I'm right here with you.” The ride is rough. And seems to take forever. Then it's over in a flash. We rush to the ER. The machines are there. It's 2 AM but there are no less than 15 doctors around the equipment. WTF? Someone usher’s me to a waiting area.

I pace. I pace. I pace. I go outside. Someone have a cigarette?
No one's here anyway. I go back in. He's being taken to a private room. He's still strapped to the board. He's still whimpering ever so slightly. They don't have a bed for me. They give me some towels for the floor next to him to sleep on. Who can sleep. His mother has work tomorrow so she can't be here tonight. Unbelievable. Are you fucking kidding me???? At 5 AM he cries. He sobs. I hold his hand and I try to comfort him. The nurses change shifts. The morning crew has been briefed. They offer him ice chips and water. They tell me that not one but two neurosurgeons will be here shortly. My boy's eyes look my way.
I've been praying all night. I'm exhausted but I don't feel it.
He says he's thirsty. I hold the cup to his lips. I kiss his forehead.

The doctors arrive. Here we go. I Judge them by their appearance. One is way too young. “I could have done what you do if I had chose to.” I think to myself. Where the fuck did that come from I wonder. They act like I'm not in the room. They address my son directly. They study the reports. The scans. The young one bites his lip. The older surgeon
produces a needle. I lower my head. I feel like I'm a thousand pounds. I can do this I tell myself again.

The surgeon stabs my son's foot. His foot twitches. He says he feels it. They remove his head and neck brace. He moves his head to and fro and at the the doctors request he sits up. I fall to my knees.
He gets out of bed and stands upright. My mouth is wide open and the doctors shrug and say.....”Well, good news for you I guess.” My knees are weak. The day is bright and sunny. My son says. “I'm hungry dad.” WTF!

[lil_michelle]

WOW Marcus, you had me crying! LOL..I am so glad he is ok!!!

[Marcus Aurelius]

Thank you.

[Rakhir]

My father and I were on a DC9 in Columbia flying into a small strip where the plane was going to be used later as spare parts for another. The pilot missed the strip by about 100 yards and cracked the plane up into a tall stand of trees. Walked away from it but I still think my shorts are there somewhere!

[Guest083011]

Originally Posted by Rakhir

I still think my shorts are there somewhere!

Not that you wanted them after that landing.

Old joke:

Pilot makes a hard landing.

On the Buh-byes an old woman looks up to the pilot and asks:

"Was that a landing or were we shot down?"