life's poker game ...

life's poker game... 

                                                       

  I woke up several weeks ago with an enlarged right index finger that was very painful.  It was Memorial Day, so, I waited 24 hours to seek medical attention. 

  The next day, my Primary Care Physician referred me to Kleinert Kutz Hand Center, one of the nation's premier group of hand surgeons.  Fortunately, they are located right here in Louisville and she got me an appointment for that afternoon.

  The specialist took one look at my finger and pronounced me a victim of Gout Tophi.  He  said surgery would be required to determine the amount of damage the crystals had done to the joint in my finger.  

  The doctor spelled out the chance of the joint being saved, but, he wouldn't know what he would find...until I get in there.  A more ominous possibility of losing a portion of my finger loomed over the rest of his instructions.  Surgery was to be in two weeks. 

  The pain level was constant with the intensity mired between six and seven.  A phrase I used often during this time of discomfort was...A lesser man would have been down.  Sometimes, just saying those words made me feel stronger.

  The big day finally came.  Wednesday, June 19th.  Regina and I reported for duty as instructed at 7:30 in the morning.  I was wheeled into the operating room three hours later.  I do not know what I was given intravenously prior to surgery to calm my jangling nerves, but, I was as relaxed as a broken banjo string.    

  One hour later,  the operation was over and I was being taken to the Recovery Room. The surgeon informed us my finger had been saved and all I had to do was bide my time for the wounds to heal that were caused by the procedure.  Our daughter, Sara, was in the room with us. 

  I was grateful when I heard the outcome.  My problem didn't compare to cancer or other more serious issues, but, still, I was grateful.

  The next night, Regina and I went out to dinner to celebrate this small victory.

  Two days after surgery (Friday, June 21st) I felt well enough to drive to Indianapolis to meet with my brother, Dave, and, play poker with him and a few of his friends. I left home at 2 o'clock in the afternoon.  The poker game started at 6 o'clock.

   I had been on the road for about an hour when I took the Seymour, Indiana exit off I-65 to walk around and stretch my legs in a Circle K Convenience Store .  A few minutes later, I was ready to hit the road.  

  Red Rover (2017 Ford Fusion Hybrid) was headed back to northbound I-65 via Highway 50 East, a divided four lane road, when I heard a car horn behind me blaring in the key of F4 followed by the sounds and feel of a major rear end collision.  The next noise I heard was my iPhone alerting me of an emergency and asking me if I had been in an accident.  

  I followed all the commands the phone was barking at me while authorities were being notified by my cell phone of a collision.  My phone also sent the exact location to the authorities. 

  A police officer called me and asked if I was injured.  We briefly talked about the other drivers involved and we disconnected.  It was less than five minutes before fire, police and EMT units were on the scene.  

   A Seymour, Indiana police officer came to the driver's side of my car to tell me to turn off the ignition and stay in the vehicle for a few minutes.  Perfect instructions because I needed to collect myself.  I looked down and saw my hands were shaking.  

  I am not sure about the sequence of events that led to the accident, but, the same officer explained what happened.

  An SUV had gotten away from its driver when a Croc shoe she was wearing fell off her foot.  She told police she bent down to retrieve the shoe and put it back on her foot.  She was moving at 60 mph at the time.  She said she looked up in time to see she was about to plow into the back of an SUV in front of her.  

  The force of the impact propelled that vehicle onto the right shoulder of the road and stopped three or four car lengths ahead of me.

  Once that obstacle was removed, the only thing between my car and the offending vehicle behind me was space, and, it wasn't enough to prevent her from ramming into the rear of my sedan.  

  Red Rover was destroyed upon impact and the offending vehicle was also totaled.  The SUV that veered to the right suffered front and rear end damage.  

  I was grateful.  One of the other drivers suffered a minor shoulder injury, no other injuries to any one else.  No bystander was struck by me or any other car.  No other vehicle turning into my lane was involved.   A merging lane of traffic from I-65 North stopped in time to avoid any collisions.  No cars from the oncoming two lanes were involved, and, no one was in front of me.  

  This was one of those moments when I reflected on the fragility of life and it required a one on one with God.  I was shaken up, but, I wasn't broken.  

  I am grateful to the Seymour Police, Fire, and, EMT First Responders.  They were all kind, courteous and above all, professional.  

  An EMT worker came over to the side of the highway and asked me if I wanted to sit in the cool of the ambulance.  I had gotten out of my car and had been standing on the pavement for about 30 minutes while the scene was being sorted out, so, I took her up on her offer.  I was grateful to get out of the 98 degree heat. 

  Patrolman Couch told me he would take me to the TA Truck Plaza just down the road as soon as he got traffic moving and I could wait for Regina there.  I was grateful for his support and kindness.  

  A Seymour firefighter who was standing about 20 yards from me on the other side of the highway walked my way and asked if I was having a heart situation.  

  I explained to him I was supposed to hold my surgically repaired finger above my waist.  I could see where he thought I either had my hand over my heart because of a potential problem, or, I was ready to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.  I am grateful he asked me. 

  An hour after the accident, I was sitting in the TA Truck Stop.  Regina arrived 45 minutes later and we started home. 

  I was grateful to see her. 

  I experienced a wild roller coaster ride of emotions in just a few days concerning my finger, the surgery, losing my car, and, the shock and trauma of the accident, but, to sum it all up, I am most grateful to be here to write this story. 

  The poker game?  Well, a perfect example of how life goes on. It started promptly at 6 o'clock without me.  

  Coming up:  another POS; a conversation with a motorcycle outlaw turned evangelist; lunch with the George Brothers, and; another oddities, observations, & ?'s.  

  And, finally.  I am meticulous about certain things, but, I am not overly paranoid about anything.  Keeping my auto insurance card in my car is one of my more diligent endeavors.  

  But, in my time of need, I could not find it.  I searched the only two places it would have been kept in the car, and, nada.  

  Officer Couch of the Seymour Police came back to my car three or four times and asked if I had found the piece of paper.  He finally said, It's okay. Just give me anything that has your insurance ID number on it.  

  I came up with an insurance card from last year that satisfied him.  

  It is funny how my mind worked moments after this major incident in my life.   

  My car is immovable in the middle of a highway, torn metal parts from three vehicles littered the road, at least 9 or 10 Police, Fire, and, EMT First Responders were within earshot, two fire trucks and an ambulance with red lights flashing are parked in the middle of the road, an untold number of cars were trapped and couldn't move on the long and winding interstate exit ramp just 25 feet from where I was standing, and, my chief concern? 

  Is he going to give me a ticket for not having my insurance card available?

  HUH?  What's up with that?

  I was grateful he didn't.