I have been in Kalispell Montana on business this past week. My flight out was scheduled for Friday morning at 07:00 mountain time departure flying to Denver and then a 9:55 mountain time departure from Denver to Austin. 03:45 was the alarm I set in my iPhone. Alarm went off, I showered, shaved, and made myself ready to go to the airport. I got to the airport by 05:15 and made my way to the gate. The flight left on time and we got into Denver 8 minutes early... but found out that there was still a plane at our gate and had to wait. We were 15 minutes late getting to the gate leaving me only 29 minutes before the departure time of my next flight. In my hurry to get to the gate, I hear my insulin pump alarm that I am out of insulin. I disregard and get to the gate as quickly as possible. I got to the gate to find I was 5th in line to go down the jet way and they were making the final boarding announcement. I initiated the rewind on my pump and replaced the cartridge. I initiated the "load" command as the gate attendant scanned my boarding pass. I proceeded down the jet way and found my seat not paying attention to the pump. I sat down in my seat ready to do the final step of the cartridge change, "Fill Cannula" and lock the screen. I look at the screen and it shows 40 units of insulin left in the cartridge. I realize that my pump has just malfunctioned and gave me 160 units of insulin when it should have given nothing. I alerted the flight attendant of my medical emergency. She said that the door had already been closed and there was nothing she could do. My statement to her was "I will be in insulin shock within 45 minutes. I will be dead before this plane makes Austin. I am calling my wife to inform her of your inability to open the door and tomorrow, United Airlines will belong to Cindy McCord." Amazingly, she found a way to get that door open. United summoned airport paramedics who watched after me until the ambulance arrived to take me to the nearest ER. I was in the ER for 5 hours with them pumping in Dextrose at the highest rate they could. for the first 4 hours. At the 4 hour mark (4 hours and 45 minutes after the incident started) my blood glucose level had reached its lowest value and was starting to climb back up. Once it climbed to 100, they turned off the Dextrose IV and watched for another 30 minutes to make sure it did not drop below 100. They discharged me and gave me the number to Yellow cab. A $60 cab ride and I was back to Denver airport. I get to the ticket counter to find out that the flight I was on when this happened, was cancelled. Seems that Austin Airport received severe flooding to the point that the tower was evacuated. There had been delays before that due to tornadic activity in the area. Austin had no air traffic control. It was being run from Houston and all remaining flights to Austin were in danger of serious delays and/or cancellation. They found me a flight to Houston, booked me on that flight and initiated transfer of my luggage. I had checked one bag at the Kalispell ticket counter. My carry on (a roll around computer bag) was too large to fit in the Canadair puddle jumper overhead so they checked it all the way to my destination at the gate. I called Cindy and she agreed to drive to Houston to pick me up with my plane landing at 10pm if there were no delays. Cindy had a friend take her to the Austin airport to get our little Dodge Dart from long term parking so she did not have to drive one of our club cars in storms. It was pretty good timing in that she was delayed at least an hour by flooded roads and accidents in Austin close to the airport. She got to Houston International about 15 minutes after me getting my "bag", singular, from baggage claim. One bag was transferred. The other, the more important computer bag, was still on the plane headed for Austin after the Houston Air Traffic Control took over. After a heated discussion with the baggage claim office in Houston, I found out that if we could get to Austin by 01:30, there would still be someone there to allow me to get my second bag. We got back to Austin airport at 01:38 and there were still people there. I got my second bag. Now relieved, we start the 25 minute trip home. We are traveling at 80 mph (the posted speed limit) on 130 toll road headed North. When we get off at the US 79 exit, there is a Dodge truck in front of us going very slow. Once through the TxTag tool booth, the truck moves into the left lane. We were going to turn right on 79 so we took the right lane and sped up to the speed limit, 45 mph. The truck starts to veer into our lane. I lay on the horn and the truck jerks back to the left. After we pass them, they get behind us. I do a right on red after stop onto the ramp to get onto 79. A dog, coyote, or wolf (not sure which) darts across the road in our path and I hit the brakes in less than 50 feet from the light. The idiot in the truck slams us in the rear end. The driver backs up and floors it to go around us and run. I am still able to drive the Dart so I give chase to get their license plate number while Cindy is dialing 911. After several turns to try to elude, they give up and pull into the back parking lot of a drug store and park the truck. The FEMALE driver jumps out of the driver's door and a 6'5" 350 pound male lumbers out of the passenger door. They both head toward the Dart parked 50 feet behind the truck. I roll my window down just enough to yell out "Get back in your vehicle, the police are on the way." The male continues to move closer with the female exclaiming that she was also on the phone to the police. I backed up out of the parking lot all the way into the street with my emergency flashers on. About that time, the police and EMS rolled up. After asking us a few questions, we went to the ER at Seton Williamson (nearest ER) to be checked out. The following information was given to us about an hour later in the ER by the officer making the report: The female driver was taken into custody being charged with Felony hit and run, Felony DUI, Felony assault with a deadly weapon, and driving without insurance. She was uncooperative during the whole scene investigation so "obstruction" was added to her charges. We asked if we would be called to testify at her trial. His response was "Her public defender will advise her to take whatever plea bargain the prosecution is willing to give to keep it from going to trail. In Williamson county, he is sure that she will be behind bars for the next 10 years minimum. Her male passenger was charged with terroristic threats and public intoxication. We finally get home just before daylight to crawl our aching bodies into bed. We will keep Tylenol profits high for the next week or two. :wink:
Wow! That is a very "interesting" travelogue. Glad the stew let you off the plane and glad you didn't have to defend yourself against the two idiots. All in all, a happy ending to a very harrowing day. Happy because you and Cindy are home......finally.
No, but since we are going to need to use uninsured motorist on our insurance, we are going to own a 2006 Dodge 4wd truck when it is all said and done... maybe every minimum wage dollar that drunk slut will make for the rest of her life. The truck may be more valuable than United Airlines profitability or her lifetime gross earnings potential.
you win Tom we have never had an adventure like that one... Thank God. Glad you are home safe and sound.
Tom that was a great after action report, I felt like I was there with you guys. I know that you and Cindy are believers in the second amendment and I was thinking oh no this gorilla is going to mess with the wrong couple. Two questions: What caused the malfunction to the insulin pump and what exactly is classified as a terroristic threat?
I will not use my firearms unless there is no other choice. Everyone here knows that I did use a firearm (without pulling the trigger) to subdue a criminal and hold him until the police arrived almost 7 years ago. When Shrek was getting closer and closer with me backing up, he was very close to meeting his maker. Whether he knows it or not, the police coming on scene as fast as they did causing him to back off, probably saved his life. The officers witnessed his charge toward me yelling with clenched fists. The officer responsible for the report used the phrase terroristic threat. I got a copy of the report and inquired at city hall and found out that he was actually charged with Assault because it was easier to prove with the officers witnessing his actions. Sec. 22.01. ASSAULT. (a) A person commits an offense if the person: (1) intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causes bodily injury to another, including the person's spouse; (2) intentionally or knowingly threatens another with imminent bodily injury, including the person's spouse; or (3) intentionally or knowingly causes physical contact with another when the person knows or should reasonably believe that the other will regard the contact as offensive or provocative.
With regards to his health emergency. Knowing Tom, he's always going to be in the top 1% of those understanding their disease and all the issues surrounding it. I have to wonder how many people who have an insulin pump would have been as aware as Tom was of the problem and the consequences of not doing something right away. The rest of the story we'll have to make into a made for TV movie!!