Date takes a turn

Day number two of the date had arrived! The plan was to go for a run after breakfast, then come home, eat crumble (that had been intended as dessert the previous day, but that hadn’t happened) and then go off to see Penrhyn Castle. So we set off! It was a bit wet so I decided we shouldn't go over the steep bit of Moel Faban. We would take the more gentle route around.

At 9:22 we were at the highest point of the run and we took a selfie. By 9:23 I was phoning the emergency services.

Just when we started the descent, my date (who by now should get a name; he is called Tim) slipped, and fell in a really unfortunate way. It was immediately clear he had seriously injured his ankle. So he fell to the ground, clearly in agony, and he also pretty much immediately got very cold. Our day had significantly changed in an instant!

Given that it was clear that Tim was seriously hurt I knew I had to phone the emergency services. So I did. At the same time I was spooning him as closely as I could. The more body heat I could transfer, the better! And our dates hadn't gone anywhere near that intimate so far, but this was the situation to take that step. 

I told the dispatcher I needed Mountain Rescue, and they said they would sort it out.

Just under 30 minutes later I received a call from Mountain Rescue. They were on their way! But it could still be up to one hour before they would get there. I was really glad they had been dispatched, but Tim was so cold! I really didn't think he should be that cold for that long. And not only because being very cold is unpleasant, but also because if you are shaking uncontrollably, you can't keep your leg still, and that is the first thing you want if you have just injured it. So I had a brainwave. I (obviously) have friends who live nearby, and who can probably just leave home pretty much immediately, and bring warm clothes. So I phoned Sue and Dean. And they said they were going to be on their way. I gave them the what three words reference so they knew exactly where we were.

After a while I heard something. I thought it was Dean! So I started shouting. And then a figure appeared. It wasn't Dean! It was one of the Mountain Rescuers. And I even recognised him; I had met him before in a Mountain Rescue context, and also at a birthday party. He had warm clothes and an emergency shelter and all that sort of stuff. So the situation immediately improved a lot! 

Packed up warm now

Really soon afterwards, Sue and Dean appeared. They had more warm clothes. And they had hot drinks! They were lifesavers.

More team members appeared, and with them, more supplies arrived. This included stronger drugs, and a stretcher. That would be needed!

The mountain rescuer who had been first on the scene, Jamie, was actually a medical professional. So he wasn't intimidated at all by Tim’s ankle. He had a good look, which involved cutting the sock off, and once Tim was properly off his head on drugs, he reduced the leg. And packaged it up neatly in the vacuum splint. That made him a whole lot more comfortable!

After that he was put in the stretcher and taken to the team Land Rover, which was a bit lower on the hill. The Land Rover brought us to Bryn Hafod y Wern. There we were transferred to a different vehicle that brought us to Rachub, where Sue and Dean picked us up again. Or rather; just Sue, as Tim took up the entire backseat with his splinted leg. The Mountain Rescue team brought Dean home. And the three of us were off to hospital. 

What a date. But hurray for Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue, and Sue and Dean!

Getting Tim ready for transport. Pic by OVMRT