With the list of ‘Health Office Handy phone numbers’ in hand, I zipped up to the office. I found Fr. Brian up there sitting at one of the desks.
“OK if I use the phone?”
“Absolutely!”
I sat down at the other desk and tried Dr. Holmes’ home number and no one answered. I left a message on the answering machine.
“Hi Dr. Holmes. My name is Anne. I am the camp nurse at Acorn this session. I have an assortment of walking wounded I wondered if you wouldn’t mind looking at today, if possible. The camp van will be going into town this morning, so they are going to hitch a ride into town. I will send them into the emergency room to be seen. I am not sure if you are working today or if you would be able to rendezvous with the group there. Please call me back at the camp if you have any questions. Thank you.”
I hung up and tried the other number that was labeled ‘cottage’. No answer there either, so I left the same message on that number. After I hung up I sat back in the chair. Now what? Maybe I would try the ER number that was on the handy-dandy list. I called the hospital and had them connect me to the emergency room triage nurse who turned out to be really friendly and helpful. I explained that I was the camp nurse at Camp Acorn this session and that Dr. Holmes was the camp doctor. I wondered if he was on today.
“Oh, no, honey. He’s on vacation and is up at his cottage this week with his family. I doubt he would be able to make it in to see the campers. Dr. Murray is on today though, so he will see the kids. How many are you sending?”
“Ummm, five.” I said feeling the every so slightly incompetent. OK, that was a lie. I felt completely incompetent and like a total loser.
“Five!” the nurse chuckled. “Rough times at camp, eh?”
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“You’re not kidding. Let’s just say I really hate the game ‘Capture the flag’. So how much of a wait do you think it will be?” I asked changing the subject.
“Well it is about 45 minutes at this point, but by the time they get here, who knows? You know how it is, hon. All we need is a chain saw mishap or a camp fire accident and the day goes to hell in a hand basket!” she laughed. “Oh and I should let you know that we suspect that we have the beginnings of the Norovirus going on in the hospital.”
Oh geez! Now I felt sick.
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Memoirs of a Camp Nurse 