Triage

This is a continuation of the previous post actually.

I have the ability to go into what I call triage mode - when something bad happens, I can compartmentalize my feelings and focus on the things I think need to be done. I did that the night I got attacked. The thoughts I recall going through my mind up until they put me under in OR.

1) you can't panic. you need to stay calm.
2) you're going to have to go to the hospital. someone needs to gather all the stuff and make sure that it and my car get home that night.
3) you need a ride to the hospital
4) take slow deep breaths. keep your heart rate normal.
5) get in the car
6) get someone to open a door into the ER
7) stay calm when the nurse confronts you and tells you that you need to register at the front desk
8) stay calm when the receptionist tells me to go back to trauma room one and they'll get my info later
9) remember to call kyle and let him know i'm ok while police officer is telling me they caught the person and the person said they heard voices saying to attack a church group whose teachings were sodomizing religion
10) make joke when surgical intern says "whoa" when blood spurts out of my wound
11) make another joke when intern jams his finger into my wound trying to staunch the blood flow
12) make another joke about my jeans being new as they cut them off my body.
13) stay calm until they finally put you under

I woke up to the sound of an alarm going off as I choked around my chest tube. A nurse came in and ran suction to clear away the accumulated mucus. I assumed it was Wednesday morning and my first thought was that i had to notify someone that I would be missing an appointment that afternoon, and I needed to call to cancel. But first they had to remove my chest tube. Then when they hand me my phone, the battery low message immediately starts flashing. I call someone trying to locate my car keys so that person can go get my cell charger. That person starts to spazz and refuses to listen to my request. I hang up. I call someone else who hopefully has my keys,, get his voicemail, and leave a message that my cell is about to die  and that my charger is in the upper left drawer of my desk when my cell dies. I finally leave triage mode as I now have nothing to do but lie there and hope my message is received. Of course, I neglect to mention that I am registered as Gustavo Perez.

So for the next forty seven minutes, I envision scenarios of being discharged naked and having to walk home because I have no means with which to contact the outside world and I leave triage mode and feel pretty much helpless - until Michael shows up with my cell charger. I never did find out how he convinced them to let him see me without knowing my alias. I have to ask him about that.