Mayhem in Memphis

So, here's the saga:

Nancy is giving Bill a break, and taking the wheel of the Montaj as we drive through Memphis, TN on our way to Florida. As she makes a right onto US 78, a fellow in a black Chevy Impala waves to her and points back towards the tow car like there is something wrong. 

She pulls over into an empty parking lot, and the car follows us in, stopping in front of the coach. He gets out and walks over to the door. I get up and open the door. A clean cut young black man says there's something wrong with our tow car, and we should come look. Nancy and I pile out of the RV, and walk towards the Honda. 

As we walk around the back, I notice that the "good samaritan" is not following us. I glance back, and see him disappear into the coach. OhOh. I holler at Nancy, and dash back to the coach door. I can't think of what to do exactly, so impulsively I slam the door shut, thinking maybe I can contain him inside while Nancy calls 911. 

That must have spooked him, because in a moment he came crashing into the door, opening it and shoving me out of the way. He has Nancy's green Paddy's Market bag from the front seat under one arm, and is holding his other arm next to his body like he has something under it. He dashes to his car, jumps in and tries to shut the door. I am in pursuit, and grab the door to try to prevent him from leaving. Nancy heads for the car's back door, and opens it to lean over and retrieve his stolen items. 

He is obviously not expecting two retirees to counter-attack! He jams the car into reverse, to back up and make his escape. Alas, Nancy is trapped behind the open rear door, and as he backs up, she is thrown to the ground, cracking the back of her head on the asphalt with a sickening thud. He continues backing, raking both doors over Nancy as she lays prostrate on the ground, then puts it in gear and drives away. 

I see Nancy laying on the ground, and shout "Don't move!" I turn to look at the disappearing car, and manage to get the first 3 digits of the license, then return to Nancy. She is dazed, but conscious. I repeat that she must not move, and dial 911 on my cell, to be greeted by "...all our operators are busy, please hold for the next available operator!"

I look down at Nancy. Blood is starting to pool from the wound on her head. This is not good. I have visions of her bleeding out as I am on hold...

Two REAL good samaritans stop to help. One also calls 911, the other asks what he can do. Mean time, the operator finally comes on. I tell her my wife has been assaulted, and is bleeding profusely from the head. She asks where I am, and I don't know! 

I tell her we just turned on 78, and we're next to a chicken restaurant. I ask one of the samaritans to go to the restaurant and please get the address! At the same time, I'm holding Nancy's hand, trying to reassure her, and talking to the 911 operator. The operator tells me to get a clean cloth and apply pressure. 

I ask the other samaritan to please ask the chicken place for some clean kitchen towels, and he does. I apply them to the back of Nancy's head. They almost immediately become saturated, and the puddle under her head continues to spread and starts to coagulate like jello. I tell the operator to hurry the EMTs and the police! Please!

 In a couple of minutes I hear sirens. The EMTs arrive first. Soon the cops. I am relieved to have the pros take over. They prepare Nancy for transport, neck brace and backboard and all, and tell me they're taking her to the emergency room. I am concerned that she may pass out, and nobody will know who she is or how to get in touch with me, so I give my name and cell to the EMT. A policeman offers to lead me in the coach over to the hospital. 

When we arrive, Nancy is already in the ER, and a Physician's Assistance is checking her out. She is lucid, though woosy, and they clean up her head a bit and send her for a CT scan of her head, face, and neck. Fortunately, she didn't suffer a skull fracture. However, the head wound continues to bleed through their gauze pads and wrap. 

The PA attempts to close with staples, but it's too swollen. He decides to stitch up with interior dissolving stitches, then laces her up outside with black thread like the laces on a football! 

By the time all is done and the radiologist says she doesn't have a fracture or a brain bleed, it's been 6 hours. Amazingly, they sign her out without keeping her for observation overnite, and even let her walk out of the hospital on her own 2 feet! That would never have happened in St Louis or California... they give you a ride to the car in a wheel chair if you have a hang nail. 

So, we get the wound care instructions, load Nancy into the RV, and resume. Now we're half a day behind, 'cause we have to be in Sarasota in time to meet the St Louis kids' airplane, and we're down one driver. Wow.