Slow Down, Kids Around

We were already busy that night-  every bed had a sick or injured child in it.   The waiting room was also full, full of families clamoring to be seen too.  Then, when it always seems the time is wrong, the ambulance phone rang.  They were bringing in a six year-old child who was hit by a car.  His head and belly were bruised up and his left leg was broken. When they arrived, our patient was semi-conscious and his left shin was crooked just below the knee, the bone broken.  His  brain and lungs were bruised on the CT scan.   His leg needed surgery, so off to the operating room he went. The part that had us really loving the boy was when he woke up just before surgery he told us, "I'm okay, just gimme some crutches and I can walk home."  Why is it that often the most sick and hurt are the least trouble, and the family with the kid with the runny nose are the biggest complainers about waiting times and not getting antibiotics?   After surgery, our favorite patient went to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU).    Our PICU doctors at Lafayette General are teaming up with the Lafayette Parish Health Department to start a new campaign to prevent the kind of injury like our wonderful boy.  It is called Slow Down, Kids Around.  Slow Down, Kids Around is our own take on a very successful program from Indianapolis called Drive Smart, Kids Dart.  Both programs were actually started by our PICU specialist, Dr. Rey DelaRosa.  It involves giving away signs to post in your yard reminding motorists to, you guessed it, SLOW DOWN. The first event will be this June 5, Saturday, from 10 am to 1 pm at the Academy sports store on Ambassador Caffery.  Show up to get your own yard sign for your neighborhood!  And again, Slow Down, Kids Around.