Yesterday was gorgeous as opposed to dark, sprinkly Saturday. I got a bit of burn on my arms. I got there before Phyllis and Olivia as O had a softball scrimmage to play first. I knew all her sports were going to collide one day. They were also scheduled to attend the cheerleaders end-of-season banquet but that didn't happen. It was over about the time O's first game was. She didn't want to go anyway as she wanted to play in the 2nd game.
So, I was picking up bits and pieces of the whys and wherefores of rugby before they got there. It's only their 2nd year of organization, so other folks were almost as clueless as we were. However, I was hooked on the game pretty quickly. A very fast-paced and exciting game. The play doesn't get stopped endlessly as it does in football. Someone gets tackled while carrying the ball? Ball isn't dead. They have to lay in on the field so either side can pick it up and run. Mercy. You never know who's got the ball as they pass it back and forth a lot. Can't throw forward. Only behind the player.
Olivia played the 2nd half of the first game. Then, she and Phyllis were supposed to leave for the banquet. Turned out the banquet was ending. Phyllis ran up the road to return Olivia's uniform and to get the meals that she had paid for. When she came back, the 2nd game had already started and I had been trying to video it with her cam. It's hard to see the play in the view finder when the sun is shining brightly.
When Phyllis came, there was a time out (I thought) and we were chatting. I noticed there was some activity across the field. Someone was down and guys were kneeling all around the girl. About that time, Phyllis couldn't find Olivia anywhere she looked. That was because Olivia was the girl down!It was scary. I didn't get it on camera and Olivia can't remember.
Apparently, she had the ball and was tackled. Her head hit the ground hard when she went down. Knocked her out. Phyllis went over. O was a bit disoriented. At first, she didn't know where she was, why or even the day of the week. Her pupils were fixed and she had a headache. Some people from both teams went across the field who were paramedics. Soon, the first responders came roaring up. TG, they were only 1/2 mile down the road. After awhile, an ambulance came to take her to the hospital.
All in all, I'd say she was lying on the field about 15 minutes. I couldn't see as there were people all around her. Different girls from her team would come back with reports for me. The paramedics felt she had a concussion. So, off we went to the ER. Phyllis left her car at the field and I drove. She was in no shape to. Since Olivia went in as a trauma alert, they went right to work on her. Just like on tv, they cut her clothes off her. Only her jersey and her sports bra. They cut one side of her team shorts and the spandex ones she had on underneath that. I guess someone must have said forget it as they didn't cut all the way to/thru the waist. After first assessments, they carted her off for x-rays and a cat scan. We didn't see her for the first 30 minutes we were there. She was taken to Lancaster General as it's a regional trauma center. That's the hospital where I had my knee surgery last summer. I was glad she went there. Their ER is huge and top notch.
The rugby coach came down after the game and stayed with us till we walked out after she was released. The diagnosis was a mild concussion. The prescription they gave was for oxycontin. We had to stop by the only drug store that's open after 5pm on Sunday. While Phyllis went in to get it filled, O and I drove down the street to Burger King. She was a bit hungry and I hadn't eaten since 6am. I had planned to get an Isaac's portobello sandwich after the game but that didn't happen. Phyllis got me some crackers and iced tea when she went off to get coffee at the hospital.
There was some talk of keeping her overnight but the Dr agreed that she could go home if there was someone to wake her every 4 hours and be sure she was OK. TG Phyllis didn't have to work today. Neither she nor Olivia wanted the overnight thing. I talked to Phyllis this morning and she said everything went fine thru the night even tho she didn't sleep too well. Olivia only took the one pain pill when we were in the car coming home. She had a vile headache, of course.
Phyllis was upset about the cut up jersey. The coach said not to worry about it. Since Olivia didn't have another top to wear home, he went to his car and brought her back another team jersey. He was very nice and I was glad I had a chance to chat with him. I did pick his brain with a few questions about rugby. He said that Olivia kept saying she was OK when she was still down on the field and wanted to get back in the game. That's Big O. He's not the first coach to run up against that with her.
Phyllis kept saying rugby is too dangerous. I pointed out that, last time, it was a cheerleading tumble gone wrong that made for an ER trip. Unless you're playing shuffleboard, just about any sport is dangerous. There were several other sports injured people in the ER yesterday. You get one of the first really decent spring days and you start getting sports and home/yard work injuries. It was crowded in there yesterday and it's an enormous ER.
One terrible thing was going on about the same time. Just as Olivia was brought in, the paramedics were bringing in multiple members of a family who's boat had gone over an 80 ft dam yesterday afternoon. My first reaction was they must not have noticed the billboard sized signs and alarms they have at both the big dams here. Turned out they had picnicked on a river island. When they left, the boat motor died and they were drifting toward the dam. The anchor wouldn't hold. Most of them jumped out and swam for shore but a 16 year old girl is still missing. So sad. My heart goes out to them all.
Olivia seems to be OK this morning. I've seen her on-line a time or two in the last hour. I imagine she has a headache and a bit of nausea. That goes with a concussion. I hope this is her last head-type sports injury. Those are so scary. Broken bones can mend, but head things are more uncertain.
I did quite a bit of walking yesterday. Phyllis had asked me if I needed her to drive me over to the field. I said no as it was right there. Maybe 50 yards from where I parked. At the hospital, I let her out at the ER entrance and went to park the car nearby. The garage is right there and the first 2 aisles are for ER parking only. I got a good spot. When I went in, I asked the receptionist about Olivia. They said someone would come to get me. That woman, a sort of guest facilitator, came out looking all concerned and asked me if I needed a wheelchair. Um. No. She said is was a long walk and my daughter wasn't sure I could do it.
I think the year or so before my surgery was harder on them than I realized. That was when I couldn't walk 3 ft without pain and Phyllis was always having to drive me closer to some field or other. I haven't been able to break her of that yet. It was a long walk but I had no problem and no pain. It's so good to be able to walk and stand w/o hurting.
That was my weekend. I need a few days to recuperate from all the excitement. I am glad I have this blog where I can write things down. Writing always seems to help me get things in order in my mind.
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