Here in the great white north, opening day of deer hunting season is treated with what is incomprehensible reverence to an outsider. Annual vacation time is set aside, big buck stories are dusted off and told, arsenals are cleaned, and deer blinds are improved upon.

It is a highly anticipated day as some businesses and schools close, knowing that they can’t beat ’em, so they join ’em.

Opening day of trauma season isn’t celebrated with such fan fair. The day is insidious in date; we don’t mark it with reverence on the calendar. Instead, it comes on slowly as do the crocus flowers and buds on the trees.

Over the past week I have had three different people utter the words, “Tis’ the Season” in reference to the increase of major trauma admissions. Inevitable as spring blossoming, the warm weather brings out the broken bones and rise in our trauma admissions.

Thursday and Friday were no exception.

Thursday was a transfer in from an outside facility. Someone pulled out in front of him and he sustained a pelvis fracture that even our veteran ortho-trauma team was impressed with.

Friday brought another motorcyclist who was pulled out in front of but this time by a drunk driver at mid-day. I was able to follow him from the trauma bay to post-op. When did it get to the point where I am the one counseling family members?

He was the first OR amputation I actually witnessed.

He is under 30.