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Odd Ball Injuries

While many are more then prepared for the “normal” emergencies, few can anticipate unusual incidents

By Maddi Bourgerie
<mbourgerie@hilite.org>

For junior Brandt Cotherman there was nothing that could have protected him from when his curiosity took the best of him. “During Kindergarten we always had nap time, but I don’t think I enjoyed it much because I always became bored,” he said “There was one time I decided to stick my finger in this hole that was directly above my head. When I tried to pull my finger back it was stuck. The worst part was I couldn’t get it unstuck.”

Cotherman’s heart was pounding and he became anxious so, he screamed for his teacher who immediately got the nurse. Tugging on the lodged finger just wouldn’t do the trick. “They tried everything, gel, ice and even soap and my finger just wouldn’t slide,” Cotherman said. “As a kindergartner I was scared that it would never come out.”

When school nurse Carol Gelatt heard of Cotherman’s tragic kindergarten story she referred to it as a “licking-a-frozen-flag-pole case.” While the odd predicament Cotherman found himself in was unlike anything she had seen before, Gelatt said she has seen other circumstances. Nurses like Gelatt must be prepared for any situation. Gelatt said, “To cause fewer traumas, we nurses have to be creative in our rescue techniques and think outside the box.”

But, the school ended up having to resort to calling the fire department to report that a student’s finger was jammed in a hole and would not budge. Cotherman said that the fire department came marching in dressed in full uniform ready to take on Cotherman’s desk.

“It was the most embarrassing moment of my life. They pulled out a mini chain saw. They then sawed the desk in half freeing my finger,” Cotherman said.

Senior Eric Ardaiolo said, “For many people they don’t think about the outcome of what they are doing no matter how stupid it may have been in the first place,” he said.

In the situation like Cotherman’s the fire fighters or ambulances have to step in. This does become a problem, for all emergency calls because the preventable mistakes could potentially become a waste of time according to Phoenix.gov.

“Each year false alarms or non emergencies cost all of us millions of dollars and thousand of wasted man hours. The Phoenix police department is speaking for all fire departments; time and money need to be spent on significant emergencies and calls. A false alarm is caused by human error, equipment problems, or false crime.”

Ardaiolo also had an embarrassing moment that landed him in the emergency room. “An incident in pre-school happened to me that was very embarrassing. I was sitting on the floor when I found a bean lying there that fell out of my beanie baby. I was just playing with the bean in my hands when I wondered if it would fit up my nose. So, I put it up there then inhaled, causing the bean to jam up higher.”

“Who knew that I would stick a bean from a beanie baby up my nose,” Ardaiolo said, “Personally, I think there should be a warning label on beanie babies saying ‘keep the beans away from children’s noses.”

“People do things everyday to protect themselves, making the right choices, staying out of bad situations, but one careless thought puts you in an odd situation that could be hazardous,” Ardaiolo said. “People just don’t always think before they act that is why little stupid mistakes turn into hazardous situations.”

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