Friday, November 14, 2008

Ambulances and Ankles

I was sitting in the Cayuco Club drinking my coffee and starting to think about what I was going to do for the rest of the day.  Plenty of cleaning on the boat for sure and how about the laundry.

All of a sudden Jim appeared at the top of the walk and without saying a word motioned for me to follow him.  He was now running in the opposite direction.  As I ran to follow him, I lost him.  He has really long legs and I am really out of shape.  What waited for me on the dock was Jo from Mystic Adventure.  Jo was wet and in some pain.  She had fallen over board and it looked like she had broken her ankle.

Once she was assessed we were ready to move her to Morales first via launcha and then by van or ambulance.  No litter on the property so one was made with 2 tree branches and a sheet.  Six of us were able to move her from the dock into a covered launcha, up river, off the launcha onto another dock, a short stop while we decided who would take her....Marco in the marina van, or Bob and Trish in their car, or wait for the ambulance.  In the end the ambulance won out and Jack (Jo's husband) and I climbed in the back of the ambulance with Marco following in the marina van.

We traveled at about 110 KMph.  It was one fast trip.  We had excellent care at Bethesda Hospital in Morales.  After her eval and X-rays we had good news.  No fracture just a bad sprain!  Pain meds on board and ankle care instructions in hand we had a very slow return to the river.  Thank you Marco for that.

I can't tell you how fast everyone responded at the marina, staff and cruisers working together to get the job done.  A community I am proud to be a member of.

Remember Jo...he said 3 weeks off your foot.

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