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Editor:
I had a vacation to Ocracoke like many of you may have never had, before. I got to take the ferry and a ride up the OBX in an ambulance!
It turns out, I had a gallbladder attack, but it felt like a heart attack. After calling the health center’s off-hour number, they said I should head to the Outer Banks ER in Nags Head. A family member and I hopped into the truck and headed up to the ferry.
While waiting for the ferry, the pain began to increase. I also got increasingly worried that maybe it wasn’t as simple as it seemed, so I placed my first ever call to 911.
When EMS got there, they immediately took charge of the situation. It was quickly determined that it wasn’t the heart, but I should still go to the hospital. It could be various things, including the gallbladder.
I was glad that I chose to call for the ambulance; this all came on so amazingly quickly. Lastly, I need to mention how well equipped and trained they are here on Ocracoke–as well as any large city in the United States.
I want to send a big huge thanks to all of the EMS personnel, but especially to the ones that took me north to ultimately have my gall bladder removed last week. I am eternally grateful for all that you did to take care of me and to make me feel so very comfortable in your care and for the smooth ride up the banks.
Robb Foster
Linden, Virginia
Robb Foster is a songwriter, recording artist and poet.
His most recent book is Lyrics and Poems from the Shenandoah.