Remember Those Relationships?

So as a follow up to my inaugural post about relationships being the key to...well....anything, I offer you this:

Saturday night after the Crunch game I had just gotten home and was enjoying a post-game couch session watching NHL highlights when my phone rang.  It was my mother.

My father had gotten home shortly before and had gotten out of his car when he inexplicably passed out.  In the ensuing fall he landed hard on his right knee and hit his head.

My wife and I raced to his house to pick he and my mother up and drove to the hospital's emergency room.  We arrived around 11 p.m. and they immediately brought him in, asked the gauntlet of questions and began a myriad of testing (blood, CT-scan, EKG, etc.) 

By the time 3AM rolled around initial tests had come back OK so, not knowing the root cause, they admitted him to run more testing the next day. (I say 3AM but with daylight savings time in effect that night, we watched with moderate amusement as their clocks went from 2AM to 3AM to 1AM back to 3AM and then alternated between 1AM and 3AM for quite some time)

As Sunday rolled around, I went to visit him in the afternoon to learn that the only test remaining was an echo-cardiogram.  Sunday afternoon turned into Sunday evening which turned into Monday morning which turned into Monday afternoon.

Turns out, echo technicians are on call Sunday and only generally called in for emergencies.  Seeing as how his vitals were normal, Monday morning would be the soonest he could go in for his exam.  Also seeing as how Monday morning tends to get backed up with weekend requested echoes...he sat in his room. And waited.

Anyone who knows my father knows he does not take to doing nothing well.  I had brought him some Sudoko and Crossword puzzle books but adventures in mind games only last so long with him.  They are usually reserved for early morning coffee on the back porch (weather permitting).

Someone I met with the Crunch (he works security) has worked at that hospital for awhile.  I texted him letting him know my dad was there and to make sure they take good care of him and told him I'd be stopping by in the afternoon.  It was shortly after noon when I arrived and he met me not too long after in my dad's room.

When we informed him of the still-to-be-administered echo, he said he would make an inquiry on our behalf.

By the time I got to my car to go back to work I received this text from my father:  "John just said echo picking me up any minute."  (6 minutes later)  "On the stretcher now."

WIN!

My exchange with John:

"I (expletive) owe you big time, thanks buddy!"

"No big deal, just told him it was a friend and they need to make things happen quickly."

"Well it's a big deal to me.  My pops has always taken care of me.  You helped me do the same for him."

I couldn't help but think afterwards of my post about relationships.  They drive the world.  They make sales.  They extend connections.  And they get your dad (who is going stir crazy sitting in a room) the medical attention he needs.

Relationship Post Validation Complete.