So the ambulance arrives last night (Monday)… after the fire department’s rescue unit…and at least a couple of pickup trucks. Firemen like pickup trucks.
At a minimum there were seven guys in the house. At least five firemen - might have been six. Last night I tried to picture each one of them, where they were standing and I keep thinking there had to be one more in the bedroom to be that crowded. What the heck???
I called 911 around midnight. Told them that Jack was in a sugar low, he wasn’t coherent enough to drink milk or even sit up, so driving him isn’t an option. Not sure if just an IV is all he needs. Don’t come roaring into the subdivision with sirens and lights going. No need to wake the entire neighborhood.
Five minutes go by and I’m standing in the spare room that we use as an office, nice night so the window is somewhat open, and I hear the sirens - multiple sirens. What? Sirens come into the subdivision. They kill the sirens a few blocks away, but the lights are flashing and reflecting off the surrounding houses. First to arrive is the fire department’s rescue truck and two firemen.
I take them to the bedroom, start explaining that Jack is diabetic when the third fireman comes in. One of the first two takes out a tube of red gel and tries to get Jack to swallow it. By this time the fourth fireman comes in with a clip board and starts asking me the usual questions name, age, meds he takes, etc.
Jack wants no part of that gel. Gets a little feisty so I said I would try. No luck and by that time I turn around and the fifth fireman is in the hallway with fireman #4 and his clipboard.
Not even ten minutes pass, everything is happening so fast, and the paramedics arrive. She starts with the same questions, his name, age, meds, last time ate, what did he eat? The fireman says that he couldn’t get Jack to swallow any of the glucose. The other paramedic says it’s no wonder ‘cause the stuff tastes terrible. Smirks and chuckles all around.
They start the IV. It takes no more than three to five minutes and Jack starts to come around. Now, I’m in the second row behind these big firemen because they had said I should get stuff together to take to the hospital. Jack is none too happy to have unknown people in the house. Paramedics and a fireman do restraining. They try to tell him not to move because of the IV. I sneak down and under two guys and told Jack I’m here and to lie back. HE DOES. I’m smiling. My ego swells. He actually did as I asked immediately. Wow. Smirks and chuckles all around.
Jack completely comes out of it. Firemen leave. I make Jack a sandwich. Paramedics said he was down to blood sugar level of 30. With the IV he was up to 177, but it would be temporary so that is why he was having the sandwich and milk.
We all agreed he didn’t need to go to the hospital. Protocol is for them to check in with the doctor on call at Bronson ER for the okay to not transport. They gave her the statistic and she agreed it wasn’t necessary.
So it’s close to 1am. Everyone is gone. I get back into bed; Jack asks a few questions; we relate this to his episode in Prague when we had to call an ambulance. He says he’s tired, rolls over, and goes to sleep. Me, I’m not ready to sleep. I read for awhile, then laid in the dark for awhile going over who, why all these people, read again - definitely a tad tired tonight.
Fun and games in the Hubbell house.
Tonight, he’s fine and reading right now. He did have a bout of the trots, he’s cursing that, thus we cancelled Tuesday night date night. Life is back to normal.
