Midnight excitement in the campground

[Trevorum]

It was late, after a busy day of hiking, lashings, and cooking, everyone had finally gone to sleep. The new Scout patrol seemed to be coming together nicely. Suddenly, well past midnight, one of the new boys came running over to the Assistant SM's tent. "Joey's being stabbed!" The SA ripped open his own tent and hightailed it to the Patrol area where Joey was screaming in agony. There was no blood and Joey was actually complaining of "stabbing pains". Some gentle palpations indicated that a trip to the ER would be wise, and 12 hours later, Joey was recovering from an emergency appendectomy. He's fine now, but we'd like to acknowledge in some special, maybe humorous, way his first camping trip with our troop. We have a CoH coming up in 3 weeks - does anyone have any ideas or suggestions?

[SemperParatus]

Here's an idea...

 

I would get one of those big water cooler bottles. Put some kind of big (2-3 feet) fleshy looking thing in it and fill it up with water. Maybe attach a Squarepants Spongebob face to the big fleshy thing. Keep it hidden until the appropriate time.

 

Bring little Joey up. Retell the story with all of the exubernace you can muster. Explain what the appendix is, what it looks like (about the size of a finger) and what it does (absolutely nothing). Then set it up that the doctors were amazed at what they found in little Joey...at which time the bottle is brought out to everyone's amazement and laughter.

 

 

[Eamonn]

How about that box game where you have to remove parts of the body. I can't remember the name I think it has the word surgeon in it and it might be made by Mattel??

Eamonn

[cajuncody]

Operation was the name of the game and that would be a pretty good award. I would probably also honor the "news bringer" in some way too. "He's being stabbed" was a good way to describe the situation to be sure to get results.

Kristi(This message has been edited by cajuncody)

[anarchist]

If you can't find the game...make up two plaques...One with maybe a large Bandaid or crossed bandage X (duct tape?) over a pink zipper (incision)...

 

and perhaps an plaque with an old sneaker glued to it with a rubber knife glued through a 'slit' ie. the messenger for the stabbing pain!

 

just a thought

[OldGreyEagle]

Ok, I may have to change my name to OldWetBlanket, but here goes,

 

While I realize this is all in fun, have you considered the personalities of the boys involved or the effect this could have on the Troop. For the patient, what kind of boy is he? Will he be able to stand up to attention which he clearly did not invite? Even if he an amiable sort and takes the prize with gusto, what about the rest of the troop? Do you establish a policy of making a laughing stock out of anyone who fall ills or becomes injured. Can you see a boy not revealing symptoms of a severe illness because he is terrified of receiving the same attention?

 

As for the messenger, what type of boy is he? Obviously he was in a harried state and burst out a rather confusing message. Will he see any reward as punishment for not being able to phrase the ill scouts condition better? Will future scouts not want to report anything for fear of being humiliated if their excitement impedes their communication skill?

 

That being said, I think at the next Court of Honor it could be mentioned that a scout fell ill and thanks to the efforts of (name scout here) the ill boy received the treatment that was needed. The reporting boy should be treated as a hero, not as the butt of a joke.

 

Now, down the line, as memories of the incident fade and the ill scout makes SPL, or Eagle, maybe during that ceremony mention could be made of the time he broke up a campout with a hospital stop, with perhaps the props so far mentioned. I think giving him the Operation Game, as an Eagle present would be great. But not now.

 

BTW, did the hospital operate with the info on the physical form? Or did they require communication with the parents? How did that go?

 

[NWScouter]

I agree with OGE, play it down with maybe a mention that the young man is all right and the messenger did well. We had a similar experience not as serious though. A scout at his first meeting was playing Bacon, baconWhos got the bacon? when he tripped and whacked his head on a door hinge. We got to practice first aid and sent him off to the hospital to get a few stitches. I wondered if hed be back. Five years later I was telling the story with relish at his Eagle Court.

[Trevorum]

Interesting thoughts (and perspectives), all. Luckily, "Joey"s mom was camping with the troop that weekend, so she was able to check him into the hospital herself. We did have the standard parent's permission sheet, but did not have to use it.

 

I certainly do not want to make anyone a "laughing stock" or the butt of any joke! My idea was to honor him (for participating in the day's events even though he was not feeling well) and recognizing his bravery and cheerfulness (for undergoing the operation).

 

Maybe this would be better as a SM minute than as a "gag award" at the CoH.

[evmori]

There is a great opportunity here to commend a young Scout for doing the right thing and having some fun, too. Bring the Scout who reported the "stabbing" & recognize him for what he did! Explain how important it was for him to tell his leaders this information in a timely fashion! Thank him for saving his fellow Scouts' life. Then have some fun! Make it tasteful! Gummi worms come to mind!

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10(This message has been edited by evmori)

[anarchist]

Gross out time!!!!- if you are sensitive turn off the computer and read a book...

 

First I agree with OLD WET BLANKET that you don't want to humiliate the boy but it could be a great time to 'bond'.

 

A few years back, on one of our favorite events, a beach campout, a new scout came up to me after lights out (while we adults were solving the worlds problems around a great campfire, and told me he had awoken to an upset stomach and had thrown up a 'bit'...(why he selected me-I'm not the SM...just the bearded old guy I still don't know)

 

As we walked back to his tent to scope things out, I asked the usual questions...had he eaten a lot, did he fell sick before bed.... ("No, No").

His tent mate was still sound asleep...

on first inspection...little on a fleece pullover little more on his sleeping bag, I told him to relax we would handle it...He was beginning to shiver a bit so I gave him my jacket and sat him with the adults next to the fire...and when back to straighten things up.

 

I pulled out he fleece and the sleeping bag to whipe them off and ther in the middle of his closed cell pad was the largest pile of steaming barf I had ever seen...for someone who said he didn't eat much dinner he sure produced volumns...

I called the SM over to have a peak and then cleaned it up (tentmate still asleep) and after a f couple glasses of water put the lad back down...

 

This boy (a good natured kid) had recently seen his parents split up, was living with mom and was having a little trouble fitting in with the other new scouts...

 

so, after talking it over with his Mom and the SM, at the next troop meeting I awarded him the Best Barf-er award (one of those plastic barfs from the novelty store...he loved it (and brings it to most campouts to try to slip into the adult kitchen) His tentmate got the 'I slept through the barf bomb' certificate also!

We then had to discourage talk of trying to barf bigger than nick at the next camp...I told them it was so impressive that I had retire the trophy....

 

The VAST majority of kids love this kind of stuff...even if you have to be careful how you do it!!!!

[Lynda J]

My brother had this happen to him at summer camp 30+ years ago. The Dr. that did the surgery had been a scout and saved the offending appendix in a bottle of formuladide(?sp) and gave it to the SM. At the COH it was presented to him on a string to wear around his neck. He still has it.

[cliffgolden]

We had something similar happen last weekend. A boy felt sick in the middle of the night with pain in his stomach.

 

The pains weren't too severe and home was not that far away. We called his father on a cell phone then transported him home immediately.

 

He was fine and at Monday's meeting. He did feel embarrassed about leaving the campout. We didn't make any mention of it at the meeting.

 

I would be careful about singling a new Scout out in front of everyone.

 

You might want to recognize and praise his tentmate who responded to an emergency and stress the importance of what he did.

 

[Prairie_Scouter]

I think that your idea was super, Trevorum. I'd just suggest that you look at the temperment of the Scouts involved and see if they'd see it as a fun remembrance. It's pretty obvious that you're not making anyone the butt of a joke; you just have to see that the Scouts see it that way.

 

My own son puked out the window of someone's car on the way back from an outing, only he forgot to roll down the window first :-) It still comes up now and then, all in good humor, and he enjoys the mention of it, because we always handle it as a light moment. Like I said, it depends on the Scouts.

[Trevorum]

Thanks, Parairie.

Yes, it all depends on the Scout - and even Scoutmasters aren't immune. Last campout I was scrambling down a cliff face, lost my footing, and landed in a mess of prickly pear. You can imagine what the Scouts are calling me now! "Pincushion" is just one on them...