ER

I spent five hours yesterday in the ER waiting while my mother-in-law was checked over and given some kind of "rocket" enema that caused her to finally become unconstipated.  No shit!

Waiting around the ER is interesting.  I am glad that I haven't had to spend too much time in them.  The times that I have spent there have been difficult, some more than others. This was the ER that they brought my mother to after she collapsed.  She died on the way there.  The doctors and clergy took me back to the enclosed area where she was lying.  I stayed with her there for a while--those private moments of raw emotions.  My father-in-law arrived, and he cried when he saw my mother.

I have been to ER several times for both my father-in-law and my mother-in-law during their various health crises over the past year.  And my wife was brought here after being bitten by a copperhead and having a stingray spine go through her leg.  It's not a place that I want to hang out in for long though.

Yesterday things were pretty quiet until we were leaving the ER. One of the nurses said that there were multiple GSW's coming in.  There were over six ambulances coming in.  I later heard on the news that multiple people in a family were involved in a domestic situation with two people in critical condition.

It feels odd to be standing in the midst of all of this.  Surreal really.  It is like being in a movie.  I wanted to get out of there but had to wait until the ambulances were unloaded and the wounded taken inside.  This morning the paper had a small article about the shootings, noting that Christmas lights were still up at the house. A hand-painted sign at one home near the shooting scene read: "Jesus is the Reason ... Be thankful God is Good."

I'm glad to be back home.  I'm glad to be away from hospitals.  It feels far removed to be here, sitting on the couch at home, with a couple of cats curled up next to me and sleeping dogs nearby.  This hospital visit had a good outcome. I hope that the shooting victims have a good outcome.  We are a violent society, becoming more so all the time.

Today, I'm loading up a few things for the drive to Florida.  It will take about 10 hours to get to the destination.  I hope to be heading back home on Wednesday. It's a quick trip to help out a friend.  Happy New Year to you. Ya'll be safe, okay?