An old Hindu/Arabic/secular/Jewish/Russian 
Proverb goes something like “I used to cry because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet.”
Yep, that’s right, a lot of cultures lay claim to that quote. I discovered this today as I tried to track down the source.
Why? Well, I was at my family doctor’s this morning, feeling a little low from not being able to move around like I used to, when, as I was leaving her office, I noticed UT’s LIFESTAR helicopter was sitting on the pad near the Harriman Hospital. The turbo engines were whining at idle speed, and the big blades rotated flatly, as it waited for the arrival of a patient to be taken to Knoxville for intensive care at the university hospital.
The ambulance arrived and the back doors swung open and a flurry of local and LIFESTAR paramedics swarmed around a gurney carrying a very large man. The medics hustled the man to and on board the aeromedical transport. Moments later the chopper, ran up its engines, tilted the rotators, lifted off, circled the hospital, and turned east.
No matter where I am, usually on my back porch on a Friday or Saturday evening, the familiar approaching thumping, which still brings Vietnam back to mind, causes me to pause and say a silent prayer for those on board and the family waiting anxiously for help. It is all we can do – it is out of our hands.
I left the doctor’s parking lot, saying my humble little prayer, and feeling quite blessed.
Proverb goes something like “I used to cry because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet.”Yep, that’s right, a lot of cultures lay claim to that quote. I discovered this today as I tried to track down the source.
Why? Well, I was at my family doctor’s this morning, feeling a little low from not being able to move around like I used to, when, as I was leaving her office, I noticed UT’s LIFESTAR helicopter was sitting on the pad near the Harriman Hospital. The turbo engines were whining at idle speed, and the big blades rotated flatly, as it waited for the arrival of a patient to be taken to Knoxville for intensive care at the university hospital.
The ambulance arrived and the back doors swung open and a flurry of local and LIFESTAR paramedics swarmed around a gurney carrying a very large man. The medics hustled the man to and on board the aeromedical transport. Moments later the chopper, ran up its engines, tilted the rotators, lifted off, circled the hospital, and turned east.
No matter where I am, usually on my back porch on a Friday or Saturday evening, the familiar approaching thumping, which still brings Vietnam back to mind, causes me to pause and say a silent prayer for those on board and the family waiting anxiously for help. It is all we can do – it is out of our hands.
I left the doctor’s parking lot, saying my humble little prayer, and feeling quite blessed.
9 comments:
Yes sir, I know what you mean! As they say, at our age any day above ground is a good day! *S*
It is indeed a sound one will never forget. And to this day, it still makes the hairs on my neck stand up in a chill when I hear it. But then, just like you, I realize that the sound of the medivac is "friendly", it might be said, in this situation!
I guess if one "good" thing came out of that war, it was that we learned how to transport critical victims in a more efficient, and safer way, than land transport. Wasn't invented in 'Nam, but it was honed to a fine art there, that's for certain...
Yep, they've got it down now where just about everyone makes it, but there's always someone on the short end. I always think about it when I see the care flight or an ambulance. When yer a kid, it's just a cool chopper. But I think when you get a bit older, these things take on a different meaning. There but for the grace of God...
xoxoxo
a vote 4 you!
Can't relate but I feel what you said. You are right, sometimes when we are feeling bad and we complain there are others that have it worst than we do and then what was troubling us doesn't seem that bad after all. That's why I'm just thankful for what I got.
My wife used to have the office right below where they land the Stanford LifeFlight 'copter on the roof of the Med Center, her office walls would shake quite a bit at takeoff and landing. Reminiscent of a 3.0 quake.
To me they sound quite different than the big, not-very muffled, Blackhawk helicopters from Moffet Field, or the sometimes seen really-big Chinooks.
My dear Mushy, it's been so long since I stopped by. We moved down to Georgia in Sep of last year, and then my mom passed away in November. I'm still struggling to find my way back into my life and into my stride. I hope you'll come check out my new blog at my own personal domain. I miss your smiling face in my comments. Your post here really spoke to me. I so often concentrate on the things I don't have, that I sometimes overlook the many blessings that I do have. Take care my friend. Ta for now dahling!
After a flood devestated our region years ago, I always HATED the sound of helicopters. They always seemed to signal bad news.
When my husband was in the hospital a few years ago, my daughter and I would sit and watch the MedStar arriving and departing from the helipad. It was more comforting than upsetting. I often wondered who they were bringing to the hospital and what their story was. Now the sound doesn't bother me so much since I've been able to put a positive face on helicopters.
I found it kinda comical the other day when I was coming home from work--I drive right past the hospital--and the MedStar was swooping down overtop my car to the hospital.
We all have many blessings in our life, we just seem to take them for granted until we are encountered with such reminders such as this.
Thank you for reminding me of mine...
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