Barb D
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 19, 1999
- Messages
- 4,684
My dad is currently at Shock Trauma in Baltimore, after being hit by a motorcycle while jogging. He's in critical condition, and still doesn't know what happened, where he is, or why we won't let him out of bed.
The night it happened he didn't return from jogging, and after waiting and looking for him we called the police non-emergency phone number. They came out and told us he had been in an accident. That's how we found out.
Lessons learned:
1. Make sure you have an emergency contact as the first phone number in your cell phone. Then have a second contact as the second number. The staff at Shock Trauma had just started looking for phone numbers to call when I got there, 5 hours after the accident. The first number was my mom's but she was out of town and not available by cell. They would have gotten to my 8yo daughter's phone before they got to mine.
2. If you have a medical condition that warrants it, get and wear a Med Alert bracelet. My dad couldn't tell them anything. They do take off all jewelry, so they will find a Med Alert bracelet or necklace.
3. Realize that no matter how careful you are, things happen. My dad was doing a healthy thing: jogging. He was wearing reflective clothing (even though it was still daylight.) A moment's inattentiveness on the part of the biker was all it took. A guy a few doors down from my dad at Shock Trauma was injured while chopping wood. The axe flew up and hit him on the head. Now he's in neuro intensive care. Another guy was riding his motorcycle when a kid cut him off. He's been there for 3 weeks already, and will be there much longer. Bottom line: make sure your family always knows you love them, be careful, but live life. And pay attention when you're driving!
The night it happened he didn't return from jogging, and after waiting and looking for him we called the police non-emergency phone number. They came out and told us he had been in an accident. That's how we found out.
Lessons learned:
1. Make sure you have an emergency contact as the first phone number in your cell phone. Then have a second contact as the second number. The staff at Shock Trauma had just started looking for phone numbers to call when I got there, 5 hours after the accident. The first number was my mom's but she was out of town and not available by cell. They would have gotten to my 8yo daughter's phone before they got to mine.
2. If you have a medical condition that warrants it, get and wear a Med Alert bracelet. My dad couldn't tell them anything. They do take off all jewelry, so they will find a Med Alert bracelet or necklace.
3. Realize that no matter how careful you are, things happen. My dad was doing a healthy thing: jogging. He was wearing reflective clothing (even though it was still daylight.) A moment's inattentiveness on the part of the biker was all it took. A guy a few doors down from my dad at Shock Trauma was injured while chopping wood. The axe flew up and hit him on the head. Now he's in neuro intensive care. Another guy was riding his motorcycle when a kid cut him off. He's been there for 3 weeks already, and will be there much longer. Bottom line: make sure your family always knows you love them, be careful, but live life. And pay attention when you're driving!
I wonder if that roadid sells gift certificates? It is really important!
