Last Updated on February 8, 2019 by Terry
The definition of emergency is relevant to what is happening in your life right now. If you are driving and someone runs you off the road and into a lake, that’s an emergency based on “Now”. Matter of fact, I think I read about such an emergency this week from kinfolks.
If you are late for work or school, and forget your lunch, that might be an emergency. If the same thing happens and you forget your pants, that might also fit the definition.
If you walk outside your front door and a rabid skunk bites you on the leg, that would probably meet the definition also.
Or, how bout getting bit by a snake and you’re an hour’s hike away from your truck? Then remembering you are another hour from a hospital!
These are emergencies for sure, and there are many more. Emergencies have different degrees of magnitude. Some people might think your or my emergencies are not that big of a deal, but they are still emergencies to us. On the same idea, other people’s emergencies might cause us to smile.
I had an emergency fairly recently. The second part of the emergency happened this week. I have been battling a bad cold for over a week. My training schedule had me leaving for Houston this past Tuesday. I decided I had better see a doctor to verify if I had the flu.
I went to the walk-in emergency clinic on Chenal near Sonic. The young lady at the check in counter recognized me and asked: “Are you able to fish”? It startled me as I did not know I was so easily recognized. Or, this may be one of those cases where she was mocking a previous emergency I had back in the fall of 2018.
On that date, I was fishing in one of my favorite oxbow lakes near the White River. I was attempting to continue my STREAK of lunker catches. My left elbow was sore due to catching so many fish. I had literally caused tendonitis from setting the hook so many times.
I had been fishing for about thirty minutes when a big one engulfed my spinnerbait as it crossed over a small log. As I set the hook, with the lunker fighting against me, a pain shot through my elbow that was beyond my level of pain tolerance. I screamed and let go the rod.
I quickly remembered what was at stake and heroically grabbed the pole with my right hand and fought the monster bass to my kayak and pulled him in. He weighed in at just over five pounds.
After measuring the trophy and releasing him, I realized I was in trouble and would not be able to continue fishing. I needed medical attention quick as Labor Day was coming up in a couple of days and I needed to be well enough to fish all day and continue the STREAK.
I painfully got my little boat back to the bank and loaded on the trailer and headed for home. It was near five pm and I began researching local doctors in the Hazen area that might still see me and give me one of those strong shots in the elbow to cure/camouflage my pain and allow me to fish. I had no luck. As I continued in the home direction, I knew I would not receive help until the next morning.
I arrived at the emergency clinic as they were opening. As their title and mission describes, the young lady asked, “What is your emergency?”
I informed her that I was unable to fish due to severe elbow pain. She smiled and began filling out my insurance information. They took me back to one of the rooms and a nurse asked me again to explain my emergency.
I described the intense pain in my elbow and how I had an important fishing trip on Monday. I told her all that I needed was one of those special shots right in my elbow joint. She informed me that she could only give hip injections. A joint injection would have to be done by my specific doctor.
I asked/begged her to reconsider but she refused to break the rules. I explained to her that there was a rumor floating around that rules were made to be broken. She seemed to not understand that old saying.
She gave me a shot in the lower hip and sent me on my way. It did not help. I was not able to fish Labor Day. I had to wait two weeks in order to be able to fish again and continue the STREAK.
After arriving home from the clinic, I looked over my medical release statement. I smiled as I understood that they understood what constitutes an emergency. Read it for yourself. This makes it official, inability to fish is a national emergency! (At least it is to me and my kind.)
Oh yeah, my tests were negative. I do not have the flu. Therefore, I was able to go to Houston for class.
I’m still wondering about their testing criteria. How far did that nurse poke that stick up my nose? I think it touched my brain. That was very uncomfortable…may have even been an emergency in itself.
Have a great weekend and share with someone.
