Okiecruffler
Member
First I would like to state my credentials, lest someone think me to be a nut on a rant. I have been a PICU nurse for 3 years, mostly at the Children's Hospital in OKC. We are the only true PICU in Oklahoma, and we are on the same campus, and under the came hospital system as the only level 1 trauma center in the state. I've also done time in Ft Worth, Texas at Cook Children's hospital, also a high volume unit. The 9 months I've spent out of the PICU were spent in the ER of Gainesville Memorial Hospital. So while I'm not Dr. Spock, I have some knowledge of the subject.
I continue to hear reports and read studies, even in highly regarded medical journals, that firearms are a major cause of childhood injury and death. And yet in my 3+ years, I have seen only 3 firearm related injuries in the pediatric population. That's less than one per year if my math is correct. One was a 10 y/o who shot himself in the eye with a pellet gun, sending the pellet thru the nasal sinus and into the skull. One was a 12 y/o shot by his friend who had an "unloaded" 22 rifle. The other was a toddler shot by his father while showing a friend how to tell if a gun was loaded or not. Now I have no doubt that I don't see every gunshot in the state, but I'd be willing to bet I see a large percentage of them. Now I did leave out two GSW's, both were teen gangbangers that I don't count as pediatric injuries. But that's the rub now ain't it? The anti's depend on those very punks to keep their numbers up.
So where are all the pediatric GSW's? Are Okies just that much more careful with their guns than the rest of the country? Maybe it's our low number of guns per capita?
I'll tell you what I do get. I keep sending little packages to the morgue that wandered into the pool while no one was looking. And yet there is no background check to buy a pool. I've cleaned the faces of dozens of bodies, thrown from cars because someone couldn't be bothered with strapping them in. And yet the fine for transporting a child without proper restraint in Oklahoma is $25. That's less than the price on a good car seat. Look around you as you drive to work, I promise you'll spot at least one parent willing to take the risk. I won't even get into the cases of neglect and abuse that can only be explained by the very real presence of evil. And yet there are no bills up in congress to protect these children. Why won't a million moms march for these victims? Does Sara Brady only care about a dead child if it died from a bullet?
Sorry, my long rant is over. Kinda out of character. Maybe it's just been a bad week, maybe I'm burning out, but damn people this craziness has to end somewhere.
I continue to hear reports and read studies, even in highly regarded medical journals, that firearms are a major cause of childhood injury and death. And yet in my 3+ years, I have seen only 3 firearm related injuries in the pediatric population. That's less than one per year if my math is correct. One was a 10 y/o who shot himself in the eye with a pellet gun, sending the pellet thru the nasal sinus and into the skull. One was a 12 y/o shot by his friend who had an "unloaded" 22 rifle. The other was a toddler shot by his father while showing a friend how to tell if a gun was loaded or not. Now I have no doubt that I don't see every gunshot in the state, but I'd be willing to bet I see a large percentage of them. Now I did leave out two GSW's, both were teen gangbangers that I don't count as pediatric injuries. But that's the rub now ain't it? The anti's depend on those very punks to keep their numbers up.
So where are all the pediatric GSW's? Are Okies just that much more careful with their guns than the rest of the country? Maybe it's our low number of guns per capita?
I'll tell you what I do get. I keep sending little packages to the morgue that wandered into the pool while no one was looking. And yet there is no background check to buy a pool. I've cleaned the faces of dozens of bodies, thrown from cars because someone couldn't be bothered with strapping them in. And yet the fine for transporting a child without proper restraint in Oklahoma is $25. That's less than the price on a good car seat. Look around you as you drive to work, I promise you'll spot at least one parent willing to take the risk. I won't even get into the cases of neglect and abuse that can only be explained by the very real presence of evil. And yet there are no bills up in congress to protect these children. Why won't a million moms march for these victims? Does Sara Brady only care about a dead child if it died from a bullet?
Sorry, my long rant is over. Kinda out of character. Maybe it's just been a bad week, maybe I'm burning out, but damn people this craziness has to end somewhere.
