The Ambulance Ride, a true story

In the late 1970's, my father was in failing health, and the physicians were searching for the right combination of medications to help him.

The family home was in Mahtomedi, Mn., a small town exactly the size of Evansville, about 30 minutes outside of St. Paul. My folks were living in a small cottage near White Bear Lake. It was the middle of winter that year. Now Mahtomedi was staffed with 1 full time police officer, and 1 gentleman who we shall call TC ( the grandkids still remember the story.) who worked half time driving the winter snow plow and also was the on call person as ambulance driver. Now TC was a former neighbor of ours, and we knew him well. Wonderful guy. The only slight draw back was the fact that he had lost one eye in an injury, his right eye, and this had certain drawbacks. He did wear a black patch over the eye----it did give him a certain Captain Hook effect.

About 3am one cold snowy winter night, I received a breathless call from my brother alerting me to head to St. Paul Ramsey Hospital. It seems that Dad had awoke in the middle of the night with severe breathing problems and mom had called the ambulance.

Upon arriving at the hospital in about an hour---it was snowing and slippery and the plows had not gone out yet----I headed to the emergency waiting area to look for my mom. Upon inquiring at the desk, I was told that my mom was in the emergency ward as well. Stunned, I went over to the chairs nearby to sit and wait.

Some of the fellow patient's relatives in the waiting room heard the name "Woulfe" and came over to talk to me.

It seems that TC was under some considerable pressure under the circumstances to get to the ER fast, being that yes my dad's condition was not good, and also because the plows were to be on the job at 4AM---and that was going to cut it close. You must understand that everybody in Mahtomedi was counting on him. No snowplowing and nobody went to work.

So, speeding down the left passing lane on 35E, TC was making good time in difficult conditions. Then, at the last minute, TC realized that dad was not going to St. John's Hospital on the East side, but going to St. Paul Ramsey which was a sharp right exit at downtown. That is where the right eye would have been helpful.

Making a bold, sharp, right lane change, the ambulance, one of those older Ford van types, lost precious traction and proceeded to do a complete 360 before TC regained control and while not making the exit, did manage to exit downtown--yes, well sliding sideways anyway, and circle back to the hospital. However, as the relatives in the ER recounted, many vehicles hit the ditch in panic in order to avoid that ambulance. Many folks were subsequently treated at Ramsey for high anxiety from the experience.

It appears from their explanation that my mom was admitted for heart irregularity and shortness of breath as well as my dad, who blissfully was dimly aware of the drama around him.

Over the years here in Evansville thus, I have had a great respect for the dedication of our ambulance crew, because I vividly realize how far ambulance training has come. However, if I see any eye patches, especially on the right eye, it would bring back some deja vu all over again.