Thursday, April 10, 2008

A Whirlwind....literally

So, as most of you know, I work into the wee hours of the morning for my shift at work. Last night, my awesome shiftlead let me off an hour early so I could sleep (did I say awesome already?). I happily left early, leaving her my cell number...just in case. Well...like the moron I am, I stayed awake, finishing up a scrapbook for my sister-in-law. And good thing I did!
All night we had KNOWN there was a huge weather system heading our way. I had watched earlier in the afternoon as they called for tornado warnings in cities to our west, and when I tracked this system into the night on weather.com, it was obvious where it was heading.
So....at about 3:30am, I hear the rain and hail pick-up tremendously, the lights flicker and go out, I lose my computer and TV...but no big deal cause the lights flip right back on, even though they do remain flickering here and there. Ten minutes later I get a call from my service coordinator from work....telling me that more than half the girls had to take cover and that if I could pretty please come back and work, it would be much appreciated.
This was almost immediately after my power had come back on, so I got my computer started again and rejoined my coworkers. We had 3 people answering calls, and 2 people with me behind the scenes making sure the information could get to the radiologists. Then those 2 people had to take cover and it was just me and my shaking hands trying to assure everyone that they would be ok, making sure the radiologists were taken care of and trying not to interrupt the Patient care that we are in charge of. My job is not a glamourous one, I'm not a nurse or doctor on the frontlines...but I feel in a way responsible for patients in these hospitals across the country that we read for.....my job is a stepping stone in the path that some patients have to take to find out what is causing their pain, if they need surgery, or if they are well.
The storm moved very fast, the winds blew at the windows...but no sirens were heard! I feel blessed to live in the area we chose....sometimes James and I jokingly call it a "black hole" b/c the tempests seem to rage all round us, but we never get the worst of it. I remember a line of storms last year that stretched from north of the Metroplex, down thru the south.....and it bowed and cleared as that line crossed our city.
2 hours later, at 5:30am, everyone was back to work, unharmed...going about business as usual. I was able to blow out the candle I had lit for precaution and slip soundlessly into my bed, husband and children still sleeping dreamily, unharmed in their beds.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

OHHH!! I know that feeling. At this very moment, I think your storms are hitting just north of us!!! All the tv programs are being interrupted by the tornado warnings!!! We appear to be unscathed once again!!! That's kinda how it is here too where the storms hit all around you!!! Which I'm not complaining about for one second!!! God Bless us all as we enter the prime tornado season here in tornado alley!!!

Krista said...

Oh my!! I'm glad you are ok. I guess I will stop complaining about all of our stupid wind;) You have a lucky husband. I would have woken mine up!!

Anonymous said...

She probably should have woken me up, so I could reset my alarm clock and wake up on time.

Big G said...

I'm glad you guys didn't get hit too hard then. Tornado's are SCARY, but comes with the territory of spring the the mid-west. ONE thing I liked about Vegas, NO earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, there is the occasional flood, but we were up so high, that never effected us.

Simply Sarah *K* said...

Yes, Vegas was VERY good for that! I have been terrified of tornado's my whole life, especially growing up in Missouri...and it was a relief to never have to worry about anything other than the wicked heat!

Shannon said...

That is just crazy! I can't imagine how work was! I hope it wasn't too busy so that you were fearing for your life AND trying not to drown at work...i kid, i kid! Isn't it wild though how the storms seem to pass us right by? I have no idea what it is but this strip of town never seems to gat anything! We didn't even know there were tornado warning till we started getting calls from family this mornign to see if we were ok!

Kelli said...

It does get scary, but oh, how I love those storms. It's a good scary. At least until you actually have to take cover.