Bobcat Bites

I'm sure you're all worried about my health right now. I did NOT get bitten by a bobcat so your heart can go back to its regular rhythm- unless you have a-fib...

More to the bobcats in a minute.

The town of Bland is the county seat for Bland County so the majority of the traffic in town appears to be from the courthouse. Sheriff's office is also in the building. Mom suggested I bring them donuts... because every police officer likes donuts. Maybe they're on a diet and I should give them a fruit basket? Grits?

We've had a lot of rain today and last night. It was lovely sitting by the fire last night and in my bed listening to the pitter-patter of the rain. This creek here in town looks about to spill over. It was a bitch driving to and from work today through the mountains on a 2-lane highway with semis, whom apparently don't care about the "4-wheelers" on the road (per a co-worker). I drive through the Big Walker Mountain Tunnel on the way to work and anywhere south of Bland.

So I started work on Tuesday. I am the only OTR and I have two full-time COTA's who are hilarious. Everyone there is really nice and welcoming. The gym is big, a lovely sight to see. But there are also less therapists than I am used to in one space. There is even a rehab tech! I don't know what to do with myself- I'm not used to anyone help me take patients back or help with transfers. It is a 120 bed facility, fairly new (3 years), and the majority are long-term care patients. There are about 15 patients on OT caseload right now, the majority of them who are LTC residents... which leads me to my story.

I am about to go into a patient's room for a sup/10-day visit and mind you, I don't know any of these patients and their backstories, but I can see crazy just as much as the next fella. This patient has a new diagnosis that requires contact isolation. So when I go in with my gown and gloves, I ask this patient what happened to her to get this infection. She told me a bobcat came into her house and attacked her in bed. I didn't put it together at that moment that she lived in in this facility and what the hell do I know about wildlife in this area? But as things continue and I'm helping her in the bathroom I've figured out that she does not have all of her mental capacities but I'm just rolling with it. If she wants to think a bobcat came into this facility and attacked her (19 times) then by all means think that. But it makes for a good story.

I am learning things about Virginians and learned some local terms. So 'rescue squad' does not mean heroic wild life-saving efforts, but is basically their ambulance and fire department. If you're dying on the edge of a mountain or perhaps attacked by a bobcat in the wilderness, the game warden will find your lifeless body, NOT the rescue squad.  Rescue squad makes me think of Paw Patrol.

GOODNIGHT AND GOD BLESS

This was last night but I look the same tonight.