"...We're only immortal for a limited time."
We (the Tomaro clan) had a brunch at the Black-eyed Pea today, it was nice but unremarkable. On our way home, Mistletoe decided she wanted to visit the Half-Price Book Store and then the Tuesday Morning discount store next to it. I was like whatever about it, I have been feeling kind of rough the last few days and not much interested in doing anything, but I went along. We left and headed home, South on Beltline for those who know where that is. We were waiting at the red light at Conflans Dr. when two teenage boys on bicycles came cutting through the stopped traffic to cross the road. This is probably something they had done hundreds of times before. The left turn lane was not blocked up. In fact, it was empty. The lead boy rolled out into the turn lane and got nailed by a car going down that lane at about 20-25 mph. The driver didn't see him until he was in the air. Totally not his fault. I didn't see the mechanism of injury, his buddy said the bike's handlebars did all the damage but I can't be sure. It pretty much scalped him. De-gloved him from the temples, across his hairline, tearing back to behind his ears. Good thing he wore his hair so short, it was easier to see the trouble. I was out of the van and to the boy before he stopped falling. I called out to someone for 9-1-1 and that I needed something like a clean towel. Where the boy had landed, there was a green car that stopped short and just barely avoided running over what was left of his head. That driver jumped out and ran to the back of her car, popped open the trunk and pushed a bed sheet into my hands, saying it had just come from the laundry. Good enough! I wrapped the sheet around his head, pushing the bits of scalp approximately back into place, staunching the blood flow and spurt, and started talking to him, trying to keep him oriented. We got his name from him, his mother's name and phone number, but he couldn't remember where he was going or exactly where he was. He knew he was in Irving. In my periphery, I can see other things starting to happen around us. A Police car finally shows up and upgrades the call. I guess they don't believe bystanders when they say there is a guy in the street holding a kid's brain in his head. A second Police car arrives and starts trying to organize traffic a bit. Of course, I had left that big old van ass out in the middle of the road where everyone wanted to hit it. Mistletoe moved it. She was great too, she assured everyone including the cop that I was a retired medic and had some idea what I was doing, kept bystanders from walking out into the street to get a better look, or interfere with rescue efforts. Finally the Fire Department arrived. They took me seriously, listened to my directions, we moved together like a good team. They got his shirts stripped off, and a C-collar on him smoothly while I held traction and maintained pressure. They got ready with their sterile dressings while I moved the bed sheet. got the bleeders stopped and the rest stabilized, slid him onto a back board and were about to transport him, so I got up and gave my information to the officer in case they needed me for later, went to the Racetrac, washed my hands, got an energy drink, came home put my blood-stained jeans in to soak and decided today was blogworthy.