Not all band-aids and ice packs: untold stories from behind clinic doors
The many accidents and incidents that nurse Fikera Gerald undergoes each week would surprise many.“Gosh, there are so many things that have happened at North Cobb and in my experience in general. Let’s just say I’ve seen a lot,” Gerald said.
November 17, 2014
In her three short years of serving North Cobb, Fikera Gerald, registered nurse for 19+ years, has witnessed both our school’s most gruesome emergencies and bizarre, near comical predicaments. Now, Gerald tells all, unleashing the untold stories of North Cobb’s Clinic.
Story 1:
“I had one man come in… He told me, ‘I hurt my finger.’ At the time, I was a little preoccupied; I was typing and putting information into my computer. I figured it would be a minor injury, something a Band-Aid could fix. I looked up to see what he was talking about. What I saw was not band-aid fixable. His ring finger was perpendicular to his pinky finger—completely dislocated! Surprisingly, he was in good spirits. He was talking and laughing with his friends. His friends, taking pictures and putting them on Instagram. Apparently, he was a basketball player and coincidentally, Ms. Angie [school athletic trainer] walked by. She asked, ‘Do you need me to pop that back in place for you?’ The whole time I was thinking, ‘Please don’t do that…’ but she did and everything turned out fine. She conversed with him the whole time. ‘So do you like playing basketball…what grade are you in…what’s your favorite class…’ Before you know it, she popped it back in place. He didn’t even react. I believe this young man had the pain tolerance of the Hulk. It didn’t hurt him at all. But, it hurt me to witness it!”
Let’s say I’ve seen a lot.
— Fikera Gerald
Story 2:
“I had one young man come to me from the weight room–of course, most accidents are earned in gym class. He was lifting weights and somehow, as he was attempting to put the weight on the rail, it pinned his hand. He came running, saying ‘My hand, my hand! I can see my bone!’ With me being who I am, I thought ‘there’s no way he’s seeing his bone. It’s probably the flesh of his hand.’ I went over to observe and sure enough, it was an exposed bone! I wrapped it up and called his mother. He needed emergency care.”
Story 3:
“A group of young men, one of them had to have worked at a grocery store somewhere, decided to do the pepper challenge, in class. One of the guys brought habanero peppers and divided them amongst them all, thinking they could handle the heat. Well, needless to say, all four of them came running to the clinic with runny noses and watering eyes, panting, ‘We’re on fire! Water! Water!’ Once I got to the bottom of the story, I said, ‘Nope. I’m not calling mom and dad.’ Then I thought, it would be a better idea to make them call home and tell their parents what they did. Mom and dad did not like their bright pepper challenge idea.”
