https://www.radiomuseum.org/museum/usa/mount-rainier-scenic-railroad-and-logging-museum-elbe-to-mineral/images/usa_wa_rainier_rr_crossing.jpg
What happened is this.
I had three separate doctor's appointments a few days ago. Dr.s Appointment #1 went well and uneventfully. I got some good advice about some physical therapy for an old injury. Then I got a snack. The next appointment was the dentist and I, to counter the stress and prevent getting hypoglycemic, during the no eating period afterwards, got some crackers and a dip I like for a carb and protein stamina snack. Then the dentist. When I got there there was a Husky/Akita puppy leaving so that was cool.
THEN, suring the visit the dentist had to give me some extra numbing agent to keep me from feeling the drill. Well it wore off anyway so she sent for the extra quick acting numbing agent that she normally uses when I burn through the normal stuff. Then Marley, the office dog came and laid there with me until the visit was over so that was cool. Marley always makes a comforting distraction. Also I learned that not only did he remember me but he classed me as a special favorite so he didn't bother waiting for an invitation to jump up.
However when I got up out of the chair I was woozy. Not unusual for the angle I had been at but it just lasted a little too long but I didn't think about it at the time. I drove to the bank to get cash for the cash discount they offer at dentists and I started to feel weak by the time I reached the bank (three blocks away). By the time I reached the counter to withdraw the cash I was having to hold onto things to stand up and having trouble breathing through my right nostril. Mouth and left nostril were fine. Then the anxiety attacks started, which was fun because the Sheriff was standing right there chatting with some lady and I was wearing a bandana over my face and praying I didn't pass out in this getup in front of the sheriff of all people.
I got the money and asked the teller if I could leave my car there. She noted "Green Subaru" and said she'd take care of it if it came up. I got out to the car and took my emergency benadryl, then I staggered back to the dentist on foot and we figured out I was reacting to the atricine, the fast acting secondary numbing agent which I had had multiple times before with no problem. So they got me water, offered me benadryl because I hadn't told them I'd already, then they talked to me until I was feeling well enough to walk back to my car.
I still had my last Dr.s appointment coming up which was fortunate. But I was afraid I was going to miss it because driving still wasn't an option. It turns out my mom was shopping in town so she came and drove me to the final Dr.'s and by the time that appointment was done I was solid enough to drive back to my car.
However my dad was supposed to bring me the cats (I'd left them at home because I didn't want to leave them in the car all morning while I did the Dr.s appointments) after my mom got back. But she was delayed by driving me to the Dr.s and so Dad was delayed in bringing me the cats. Then I had to direct his shopping for me because after a reaction like that going into a large box store full of people wearing scented products I was allergic to wasn't an option at all, and then I really had to go to the bathroom but I couldn't go back to the dentists or doctors because they have a tight schedule and only let in one patient at once and I didn't want to back track so I thought about doubling all the way back to a local friend's but then I remember that I'd have to pass by a local private campground owned by my Alma Mater where I had spent many a happy research hour and I knew I could find a chemical free place to go there (yay for trees).
I got there, took care of business, and drove on.
Then I almost ran over a person.
Some guy was just laying in the middle of my lane at the train crossing between one tiny town and another tiny town in the middle of a massive forest. The only reason I didn't run over him was the years of lectures on deer safety at night I had recieved from my dad. I had just spotted a lone elk calf crossing the road in front of me.
As you may or may not know elk almost never cross the road alone, at least not in the tiny Pacific Northwest towns around my place. Around here they cross in herds of twenty at least, and calves that young are almost never alone at all. The calves are kept in the middle of the herd for safety. So I was expecting to have to dodge the entire tail end of the herd. But no, it was just the one tiny (a mere 200 lbs at best), lonely elk. It was so weird that I was going slow and keeping alert, when I thought a saw another elk calf lying in my lane.
Nope, it was a big old human lying across the road. I called 911, they told me officers were already on the way. I got to where I could see he was alive and not obviously injured. Then I locked all my doors. Backed up so that I was far enough away I could book it if it was some weird sort of trap (the like of which I had been warned about) but in the lane where there was danger of him getting run over so any cars would see me and stop before hitting him. I put my emergency blinkers on and waited. The sheriffs showed up about two minutes later and the dude got up on his own just looking drunk and irritated. The Sheriff indicated I should scoot so I scooted.
So, that is the story of my very eventful day. I spent the rest of the night and the wee hours of the next morning trying to burn off the adrenaline and caffeine.
The video below was not taken that night but was taken within a mile or so of the place this happened.
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