U.S. Navy photo, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
By Bill Stokes
Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper and Phyllis are attempting to recover the day/night they lost while waiting at the UW Hospital Emergency Center, having been directed there by another UW Health outlet.
Admittedly neither one of them was in danger of bleeding to death when they arrived at UW Emergency at 9 p.m., the problem being one of escalating pain from a previous medical procedure. And while it was not a life-threatening issue, waiting eleven hours for it to be addressed under “emergency” circumstance seems excessive.
The time, however, was educational in witnessing the UW “emergency” flow–from the volunteer fire fighter with the burned leg to the couple reporting that a bat had been in their house and may have bitten one of their little daughters.
The keeper and Phyllis are appreciative of the many wonderful facets of UW Health, and how “Emergency” must operate under “life-saving” tenants, but they will henceforth be more circumspect in following advice about just what constitutes an emergency.
Losing a total night’s sleep is a mighty shock to old systems, especially one as old as the keeper’s: It is not an emergency by any stretch but is reason enough for him to stretch naptime beyond all reason.
“Goodnight!”
