Work Hangover Wednesday: Time to Scramble

Another two crazy days at work. We're so busy, we don't even have enough chairs for all the patients. We're bursting at the seams.

It makes the long day go by fast, and there are plenty of interesting stories, sometimes sad. But the personalities and the attitudes of so many of the patients are what amaze me, their resilience and willingness to do what they need to do even when they feel like they are living in the pit of hell at the moment.

It always helps me appreciate that what's bugging me on any particular day is not so terrible. When you just got done working with a sick, sick patient all day and as they are leaving they want to give you a hug, that is really cool.

I have nothing to complain about, really. Then why do I feel like one big itch, I don't know how to describe it but maybe the ashes I've been breathing are affecting my brain.

Perhaps my general irritation and annoyance is just an extension of my hormonal state of the past week or so. I feel like everything and everybody is getting under my skin. It's nothing and no one in particular, and everything and everyone. My conclusion is that it must be me.

If I were a dog, I would snarl and bite. If I were a Buffalo, I would pout, put my nose to the floor between my paws, and pretend to be ignoring my people.

If I were President, I'd be

Baberaham Lincoln.

NOT!

I do need to get out of town. I probably need a real vacation, the kind where you don't go with a run as the main event. Imagine that. A week at the beach?

Unfortunately for many people around here, getting out of town is not really possible, or they are stuck. This High Park fire, while the growth rate slowed over the past 24 hours or so, could flare up again if the winds and temperatures pick up. It's 44,000 acres and only 5-10% contained. Lots of structures destroyed or damaged, lots of people evacuated or being prepared for it. Visibility is not good in town and it's been raining soot. Ashes everywhere, in the windowsills, doorways, and on every flat surface there's a gritty texture.

I'm also concerned about some friends who have not been evacuated but potentially are the next ones in the path of the fire, depending on which way it moves. It's hard to be away and not being in contact, or knowing what's going on.

And that is the situation for our buddy Dale, who was going to crew for us in the Black Hills, but he lives in an area near here that is vulnerable to fire, and two years ago he and his wife had to evacuate, and they have animals.

Dale has decided it's best for him to stick around given the fire danger and the threat of the High Park fire moving south toward him. It's unfortunate but understandable and we know Dale feels bad about having to back out, but he's doing the right thing because right now anything can happen, and it can happen fast.

Which leaves Ed and I with decisions to make. This is where our creativity will be put to the test. We have the Rocket and we have the weather on our side, it's been cool and even raining in South Dakota. Car drops, out & backs, and piecing the trail together might all be necessary. We'll have to be on our toes and use our brains.

So that's the challenge. We'll be on the phone this evening discussing the plan. I'll post updates to the blog as we go. I'm not sure what this will look like, but we'll make the best of it.