Twister

It was a typical tuesday evening. AJ was catching up on news and sports. I was getting everything ready for work the next day. All of a sudden we heard the tornado siren going off. We checked the weather. We were very relived to find out that the tornado was not coming towards us. Then we heard several of our neighbors talking outside. We went out and joined our neighbors. One of our neighbor said there was a tornado touch down in Lone Grove (approx 5 miles from us).  While we were standing outside the wind started picking up and got to the point where we felt like we were going to get blown away.  Then it started raining heavily. So we came inside and started our bedtime rituals. Then my phone started ringing. AJ answered phone.  I heard him say "yes ma'm, we'll be there." and  hung up. AJ told me that the tornado hit so many homes in Lone Grove and several people were dead and so many were critically injured. They declared disaster at the hospital and we needed to report to ER. 

We got dressed very quickly and got to the hospital. When we got to the ER entrance, there were so many people standing outside crying. Some of them had cuts and bruises. Some people had dirt all over them. As we walked into the Lobby of ER, I was so shocked to see the amount of people. The first person I saw was a young lady sitting in a wheel chair. She had a cell phone in her hand and was talking very loudly and crying. All I heard her say was " There was a tornado and Mom and Dad are DEAD!!!" and then  she started crying hysterically. One of our coworker was by her side by then and was trying to comfort her. I walked in through the triage into the ER nurses station. Every single one of  the ER rooms were full. I saw so many of my coworkers in several rooms working on several patients. I found a house supervisor and asked her what she wanted me to do.  She asked me to triage the patients in the lobby. when I went to the triage, there were already two RNs in on the triage rooms and there was no one working the next triage room.  So I figured I would have to work on my own. Once I opened up the triage door, people started coming in.  Every one had a story and I couldn't believe a storm could do so much damage to lives. There were several injured children brought in by random strangers and asked me " Do you have anyone else with that las name here? I don't know where the parents are." Those kid were so scared. They had a blank stare on their faces. Not sure of what was going to happen or where to go. Fortunately, I was able to located families for some of those children.  While I was walking around to find families, I saw nurses, doctors, radiology staff, lab staff, and more and my husband at their best doing what they do on a daily basis! I was so impressed by the dedication and love of  my coworkers. Somehow we managed to triage everyone in a timely manner. The next challenge was to have everyone seen by a physician. How do you prioritize between a head trauma and bleeding and another head trauma and bleeding?  Some how that was also sorted out. Once everyone was see by a physician,  I decided to go up to the ICU and help out. I met with my manager and a few coworkers and we sorted things out so that we had room for those critically ill patients. Once again, I don't remember how but  somehow we got enough room for everyone! Then my manager wanted everyone who was scheduled to work the next morning to go home and get some rest. AJ brought me home and he had to go back. I tossed and turned and could not sleep.  So many thoughts were racing through my mind. I didn't how to turn it off.  I talked to my sister and then online to one my friends. I still couldn't sleep. Finally AJ came back. He was so worn out and ready to sleep and here I was wide awake wanted to talk. Finally I was able to sleep around 3:30. Two hrs later, it was time to wake up and deal with more trauma! 

The next day was another emotional day. There were several friends and families of our patients came in having just found out their loved one was alive! Once again I heard several stories and I am still amazed how these people survived! 

I am so humbled by this experience and the opportunity to be here of all places and  to be a part of the trauma team. Once again, I'm reminded how fragile life is.