Just by chance

Baker Lake from Noisy Creek campground, taken last year

Today eighteen Senior Trailblazers met at the Senior Center to head 75 miles south to hike on the Noisy Creek trail at Baker Lake, ten miles round trip. We had to figure out carpooling, and Al decided, just by chance, not to drive today. He rode with Steve, with Carol and me in the back seat. Just as we left the interstate on Cook Road, heading to Highway 20, Al had an episode of some sort. I thought he had dropped something and was trying to pick it up in the front seat, but instead he had fallen forward and Steve stopped Al's head from hitting the dashboard with his free hand. Al has no memory of what happened, but it was obvious that something had occurred out of the ordinary.

Although it only lasted a few seconds, no more than ten or so, and he came out of it without any obvious after effects, Carol said we needed to get him to a hospital and get it checked out. Just by chance, there was a Peacehealth hospital a few minutes away in Sedro Woolley, so off we went. Al was admitted and several tests were performed. The really nice woman at the desk was very helpful, and we were the only people there at the time. We chatted about what had happened and she mentioned that she is a writer. I gave her my card and I learned that she, Ruthie, is a published author. She writes books about, as she put it, "paranormal romance."

Ruthie and her most recent published novel

Well, it turns out that term refers to vampire love stories, and she's working on a sequel to this one. When I came out from visiting Al (we took turns), she was busy reading my blog. She's definitely a writer and was very interested in my writing. I think I have a new fan.

While Al was wired from head to toe and was waiting for the tests to be done, I was able to contact Diane in one of the other cars to tell them to continue on while the three of us would stay at the hospital with Al. We knew that they would soon be out of cellphone range, so once it was all squared away, we were sure they would have a good day anyway. Carol called Al's daughter Lisa, and in a very short while we learned that she and Al's wife Wanda were on their way.

As most of you know, Al drives most of the time, and it was just by chance that he didn't drive today. It was just by chance that Carol had noticed the hospital sign on another one of our outings, and that it was very close by. And not only that, when we got there, we learned that it is a Peacehealth hospital, just like the one we have in Bellingham where Al is registered. We were all really a little amazed at all the things that had to happen for this situation to turn out for the best.

After all the tests were done, nothing could be ascertained as having caused the episode, so he will follow up with his own doctor here in Bellingham. Although I don't know how the other fourteen people fared on the hike, the weather could not have been better, and several of the hikers are experienced enough to help get the group to the Noisy Creek campground and back.

Mt. Baker reflected in Baker Lake, last May 15

While we're all anxious to know that Al is all right, I know that the rest of the group saw the first and last pictures on the hike, because the weather was almost exactly the same last year as it was today. I'm sorry I didn't get to visit with the group, but there is always next year. Now you know why this post is called "Just by chance."
:-)