being prepared

Yesterday was a taste of summer, and I found myself riding my trainer. At least my trainer is pretty much outside. Believe me I would have rather biked on the roads..... the sun beating down on me, the wind through the vents in my helmet, I would have even welcomed the crosswinds.

Friday evening was one of those nights as a Pediatric Emergency Nurse that doesn't just send chills through your spine and make your hair stand on end..... it was one of those days that will remain with me forever. So much passed through the walls of our Pediatric Emergency department. Life changing events for so many people. And at the same time people's lives are being changed forever.... for the worse..... we get angry parents screaming at us because they took an ambulance in for diaper rash..... and they've had to wait for 20 minutes.

Yes. That really does happen.

Because of what we went through on Friday night I couldn't get on the roads on Saturday afternoon. Fear? Absolutely. And no one died on Friday because their bike was hit by a car or anything like that.

You are frequently taught about the fragility of life on days like those. When my gut instinct tells me to stay on the computrainer.... then I stay on the computrainer.

The first real day of spring is almost as dangerous as the first day of winter. People are out driving like maniacs, especially the teenagers.... senior year is a dangerous year. Everyone drives faster, more dangerously, the later in the day the worse it is.

After a week or so it calms down. I have learned the hard way the days to be careful of.... no matter what part of the town you live in...... are the first day of Spring, Memorial Day Weekend, and always always know when proms and graduations are.

It's a hazard of doing what I do. It's in my nature to assess the danger of a situation the moment I walk through the door. I subconsciously find the AED in every single public place I enter. I unknowingly look around in every situation I am in, and assess the danger. I'm not the mother who disinfects the shopping cart or makes Luc wear a helmet on the playground. It's more of a subtle awareness.Because someday you will be in an emergency with me and you'd better hope I know where the emergency stuff is.

When you watch life and death pass before your eyes, when your gut instinct tells you to ride the computrainer when the sun is shining..... then you ride the Computrainer. I don't know why I did, I just did.

A day or two..... and it passes. But you never forget what you see.

When you are out riding, be safe. Get a Road ID. Around Western New York the ambulance corps are partnering with Road ID, this is our single best way of knowing who you are. When I am out riding I always carry a photocopy of my license, my insurance card, and a list of emergency contacts.

Why?

If you are out running or biking alone, you get hit and are knocked unconscious..... we do not know who you are. When you are brought into the Trauma Bay you are named "Trauma AA"..... or whatever Trauma you are that day. We don't know who you are, who your emergency contacts are, etc.

You will remain Trauma AA until someone decides you are missing. Therefore, when you are riding, you always tell someone where you will be going, your route and when to expect you back. I once knew of someone who passed away after being hit by a car. 12 hours passed before anyone realized he was missing.

Without an insurance card you can't be registered into the system, While that seems minute.... even if we have your name the chances of you receiving a medical bill for the million dollar care you received is less. That seems trivial but when you are fighting insurance companies and your credit rating a year later, you will be glad that you just had a copy of that stupid insurance card on you.

Without a name we can't call your next of kin. Who again won't know you are in the hospital until they realize you are missing. Would you rather them call the police and every hospital looking for their spouse who is not identified, but listed as Trauma AA, and when you call you can't get information because of patient privacy laws.......

Getting a call from the hospital is so much less stressful than them trying to find you.

See how much easier you can make things by just carrying a few things?

Make a photocopy of the license, insurance card, and any pertinent medical info. If you are in a big bike crash you will be given an antibiotic. In most cases Cefazolin. It's kid of a standard. Vancomycin if it's a big dirty crash.

You are allergic? Trauma AA didn't come with ID or anything else...... in about 5 minutes we'll also be dealing with an allergic reaction to an antibiotic we didn't know Trauma AA was allergic to.

See how messy not carrying anything can be?

Put these items in a snack sized Ziploc. Carry with you at all times. No exceptions.

Yeah....... a lot of doom and gloom to think about. It's reality. It's life. Something as simple as carrying identification can mean the difference between your loved ones getting the chance to say goodbye to you..... and identifying you in the morgue. You might have died doing something you loved..... but think about them.

With all that being said, be careful out there. We have a right to the road but we are smaller than cars. Be proactive. Be smart.

And please get your road ID. And then hopefully you will never need it.

PS: Best place to carry the copies of your license and insurance card and emergency contacts..... pin to the pocket of your bike jersey. Your clothes will be searched for that reason. Do not put on your bike, likely if you get hit you will not be in the same place......... bike won't be checked! Keep on your person!