Nearing the end of the roster.

Meaning that I'll change partners from a peer to a trainee or Padawan!
Not a brand new one but I will be his second mentor and he has already spent this roster at our station so he is familiar with it's running and the area.
But that's after the three shifts still remaining after tonight's!

42M - In the charge cells, struggling to stay awake due to the drugs in his system. We are required to Tx to the hospital because the cells are deemed not suitable for him in this state, Police don't have medical training. So we are forced to waste Police (he's remaining in custody), Ambulance and Hospital resources.
??M - Kicked out of his lodgings (it was a death trap anyway) and wants us to give him a lift to the new place he'll be staying at and when I refuse demands that we Tx to a hospital in that direction because we have to and frankly I don't care if management do read this I refuse in several different languages and styles to ensure he understood my meaning. I've heard the stories from other Paramedics but I've never experienced so acutely the 'taxi' mentality.
15M - Had received a head injury, been Tx, absconded before the x-rays were read and the Police became involved because they indicated that he may have a skull #. He's located miles away where the assault took place and it required handcuffs and a Police escort to get this little shit back to hospital. The general public have no idea about the verbal abuse projected to our Police firstly and then us. He's drunk as well as having a possible closed head injury but I don't think his attitude improves much with sobriety.
68M - COPD with possible early onset chest infection.
45M - Sounds like a drug deal gone wrong, a machete blow to the lower leg. Proximal Tibia, there isn't any flesh there just skin, minimal haemorrhage so it's field dressed and off we go. The later x-ray confirmed it to be something heavy like a machete when you saw the bone opened up where the leading edge dug in.
69M - Constipated, not really after Tx just our opinion re Rx and medications. Left at home.
21M - Alleged assault victim with no visable injury but had a few vomits which we think were more caused by the litres he admitted to drinking of vodka and Redbulls! He left the waiting room when no-one sat there and held his hand and said 'there, there,'.
30M - GHB OD, standard stuff.
84F - Leukaemia in pain.


See you at the big One.

Taz

Three got a ride out of nine jobs!

It's not that I'm becoming more cynical ( which I might be ) but just the mix of work.

32M - Choking, nope if you eat a block of concentrate cooking chocolate and wash it down with 2 litres of Coke you will likely vomit but your not choking! Clean yourself up get your anxiety under control and go see a councillor if you need to talk out your issues.
54M - IP, I know this address yes he's a drunk but a well managed one but he has sticky beak neighbours who ring us about him. I knocked on his door and he was alive and sinking well into his wine cask not wanting me.
85F - Near Pre Syncope, totally asymptomatic when I arrived and left at home to go to bed.
47F - An Assault of a serious nature transported with police escort.
47M - International businessman who has just had too many flights this week and developed sciatic nerve pain. He flies out again in 12hrs and from me he just needs something to help him get to sleep. Some simple over the counter paracetamol will help.
40M - Self presented at Cop Shop to report his wallet stolen but found it in his backpack. Officers thought he was behaving odd? Well yes he was but that doesn't make him crazy! Odd or Eccentric behaviour can be normal for some people.
54F - With Gastro, really needed reassurance that she and her husband could manage this from home and if it doesn't begin to clear in 12hrs then go and see her own Dr.
41F - Who was that pissed she didn't know she didn't have any pants on or how she injured her foot. Better take her in to her fully checked out.
81M - From the hospital to the nursing home after treatment. 
 

See you at the big One.

Taz

A mixed bag this lot!

85M - Thinks he's broken his hip in his sleep? No talking him out of it even as he stands and walks out of his apartment, he wants to go to hospital.
31M - To many drugs and not enough energy to walk until we mention Naloxone!!!!! The see 'em scuttle.
41M - PR haemorrhage.
83F - Pre syncope.
32F - Calf injury while playing mixed netball, Achilles Tendon.
70F - Good ol' country girl who had a trip, landed on one knee and drew a bit of blood. Didn't know why and ambulance got called co we cleaned it up and let her continue her walk around the big smoke before they left to go home.
50M - Got his first delivery of Erectile Dysfunction meds today and the first one didn't work so he took the other four 'Fresh Breath Strips' and now feels faint and can't walk upright!!!!
47F - Yes she has a slow and degenerative condition but we could see past all the crap she was feeding us to the simple fact she doesn't like where she has been forced to live by public housing.

See you at the big One.

Taz

I don't know where my partner is!

Why should she tell me if she's not coming in?
Enough bleating about that, I had the pleasure of a level 2 from a nearby station.

67M - Severe abdo pain, rigid and distended, all motions normal it took 15mg of Morphine just to get him out of the house.
82F - Had bumped her head and though someone should look at it. I did and had a lovely talk about stuff and then she went home.
27F - Upset tummy and a faint at work.
52M - COPD, doesn't like his puffer's wants NEBs.
21mthM - Been sick and had a turn at the playground. Maybe he should have stayed at home a bit longer.
85F - #R NOF.

See you at the big One.

Taz

Nothing Special

88F - TIA.
Assist another car.
71F - Abnormal Chest pain.
42M - Obvious mental health issues not helped by the 12 valium he's taken.
22F - IP hyperventilating.
39M - Very IP.
32M - Punch in the face with a through and through from a tooth.
67M - We had seen the other day with prostrate related abdo pain.


See you at the big One.

Taz

Sunburnt and Saddle sore.

Took the daily commute bike to the shop for a service and collected the new road bike to ride home.
I asked the guys at the shop for the availability of bike paths to ride home a different direction but while it seemed clear in the shop on the road it was a different matter.

The 19km it is from home to the shop was 37km riding home and then it was cut short by an emergency call from our media unit asking if I was a available for a Traffic Offenders presentation tonight with only three hours before I had to be there.

As you would expect the new bike is fantastic to ride Trek do put a complete package together. There are some complaints from muscles from the slightly different riding position but I did a recovery ride today and pulled up well.

Here are the first photo's of the new Madone 4.5

Yes I am proud of my new bike and of course all that it represents me giving up the smokes.

On a personal note to a fellow EMT/Reader,

Lauren lovely to hear from you I thought things may have got worse for you when you hadn't posted for so long, keep strong and hang in there Sweetie.


See you at the big One.

Taz

Same problem World Wide.

It will never cease to astound you!

What they call for!

See you at the big One.


Taz

50% transport.

Or of the five jobs two transports one cancelled and two stayed at home.

43M - Depressed in the Police docks wants to talk to a Psych nurse.
73M - Poorly perfused, tachycardia rapid AF and one vomit. A no brainer this on.
49F - Had a muscle cramp when getting out of bed. Some simple analgesia and a heat pack and see your own Dr in the morning if you think it's necessary!
18M - Being pursued by the Police, not as fast as he thought he was so he tries chucking a 'Fit', tough love Dude one of the Cops knows what a real seizure looks like and I confirm it, 'Your nicked son!'
18F - Very IP, her friends thought she was having a seizure. Nope she's just drunk, emotional and trying to vomit an empty stomach. 

Two more sleeps before I get the new bike!

See you at the big One.

Taz

A couple of sick pts.

That makes an ordinary day a little interesting.

52M - Abdo Pain. Didn't like the hospital we took him to, wouldn't sit in the waiting room said he couldn't but he was able to walk out and towards home so he must have got better.
20M - Second seizure today, last was about 4 yr ago and they were multiple events also.
39M - Sprained ankle.
66M - Abdo Pain.
39M - Psychotic and how, haven't seen one this bad for a while.
38M - Opiate OD, a really good response to O2 alone and his straight friend was going to take him home and monitor.
82M - Cognitive Impairment and even the pt was aware of it. Maybe Alzheimer's.
23F - Abdo pain maybe kidney stone.
74F - Bowel obstruction with a very distended belly.

See you at the big One.

Taz

My partners rung in sick.

Well actually it's a Family & Carer's Leave day but that was too much of a mouthful to put in the title of the post so sick it became. Luckily we had a spare officer anyway so we worked together.
84F - Regular Dialysis.
49M - Discharge after diagnosis of a Pseudo Bowel Obstruction. Common presentation but I wonder do you treat it with a placebo enema?
68M - Pre syncope. Recent dental work that seems to have got infected.
49M - All of a sudden he can't walk. Social service abuse, if you want a feed and a bath with some clean cloths don't bung on a piss poor ailment and want to go to hospital there are specific men's hostels that provide that service. Again I'm tied by the tenet of you request I must transport. 
34F - Post ictal, first seizure for many years transported for investigation.
61F - Liver CA yet to commence Rx pain management is not working. Transport in for a review.
70F - Mechanical fall with a broke wrist outcome.

And that was our day along with a hour or two posing for photo's or taking them for tourists down at the harbour.

See you at the big One.

Taz

Ordered the new bike

To reward myself for giving up the smokes I put up the idea of a new bicycle.

I cycle to work. I always cycle to work unless I think that the weather is that bad that it may actually lead to my death or serious injury.
Some say I'm a little hardcore with my riding!

We've only been off them a little over two months but neither Ambowife or myself have had any difficulty even with the festive season and alcohol being one of the usual slip ups that catch out people trying to quit.

There's a 1/4 pack of Tobacco, 3 pks of rollin' papers, a Perterson pipe and two personalised Zippo lighters in the draw beside me but I have had no desire in the least to even look at them. At some stage I guess I'll throw away all but the lighters.

So I went for a ride today and found myself 20km away at my bike shop. A sage like wisdom I heard recently was to not ride a good bike to work as the dirt, grime and weather would greatly increase the wear of the high spec components. To this end I intend to keep my Trek 7100 hybrid as my work vehicle as it has panniers and is worn but runs well.
I took two bikes for test rides and returned grinning like an idiot with the difference from my ol' girl to both of these, like an old utility compared to a race car. I settled on the model between the two I test rode, a Trek Madone 4.5 this is the colour I selected also.
I also got peddles to suit my shoes, bike computer with heart monitor, speed and cadence and lights. I'll pick it up next week when I drop the 7100 off for it's 6 month service and then ride it home.


See you at the big One.

Taz

 amoe·ba alsoame·ba \ə-'mē-bə\ n, pl -basor -bae \-(")bē\ [NL, genus name, fr. Gk amoibē change, fr. ameibein to change — more at migrate] (1855) : any of a large genus (Amoeba) of naked rhizopod protozoans with lobed and never anastomosing pseudopodia, without permanent organelles or supporting structures, and of wide distribution in fresh and salt water and moist terrestrial environments ; broadly: a naked rhizopod or other amoeboid protozoan 

Or so says the  Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

I am emotionally distressed after having to deal with the three jobs from the last shift because an AMOEBA can take care of itself better than these individuals.
Congratulations to these three because you managed to wear away my compassion.
Lucky I was driving.


See you at the big One. Taz

Rockin' with work Yeah!!!!!!!

There's even a couple of UTL's that I didn't include, I'm lovin' it.
I don't come to work to sleep, sit on my arse and watch TV or to post status updates I come to work.

43M - Worried about his current state of metal health due to his amphetamine and opiate use. Thing is the hospital he's requesting say he's been there today already requesting admission to the psych ward and they didn't believe it was appropriate and us bringing him in doesn't change that.
Now I have an interest in the working of mental health pts, I've had a family member suffer with issues that I didn't recognise (because I wasn't a Paramedic back then) and I as a general get on well with my pts with mental health issues but there are those who desire the bed and board with three square meals and no worries that an institution can provide and this was one of those occasions.
?30M - IP, his mates had left him on a bus stop seat to go over the road and get some pies and travellers (cans of beer) before heading home. He rolls off and dozes off on the footpath, some good samaritans find him and call, I'm happy with this if he is really needing our help to protect him but when we arrive there's a verbal going on between his mates and the samaritans who are attempting to detain him unlawfully and even with my arrival and instructions fail to see the bigger picture and start having a go at me for failing in my duty of care which gets my hackles up. While my professional conduct is being questioned by the also intoxicated once good samaritans the boys bugger off with their mate, the pies and some travellers!
31M - Walking at a public outdoor event in thongs and sustains a cut foot. It will need stitches and maybe a cement suppository to help him toughen up a little.
27F - Pulling, burning pain in her auxillar/clavicle region. No Hx, all obs good, recent post op infection after cosmetic surgery in the Philippines? She stayed at home and self managed after a talk.
?20F - IP, a passing good samaritan called it in without talking to her girlfriends who weren't pissed and were waiting for her to stop puking before walking her home. Left in their care.
19M - Drunk, had a few tokes on a spliff! It didn't matter how tight he held onto the grass, the world wouldn't stop moving and yes I'm talking from experience. I was a herbologist back in the day! After clearing up that it was just a couple of drags on a joint and not multiple cones and the authenticity and value of his friends and a discussion with the pt himself the world would stop within an hour and he was in safe hands with his friends and to call us back if it changed.
?20M - Sleeping in the gutter, Cops had moved him on by the time we arrived.
20F - Pseudo fainting for attention. Using my Father voice I quickly altered her perception of that kind of behaviour. Services not Required.
19F - IP, hysterical and crying. Wailing about who had done this to her. Talking to the G/F, they had been getting dressed at their own places before meeting at a train station and travelling in for a night at the clubs. As you do they had been loading up with alcohol because it's cheaper at home than in the clubs and seeing as they hadn't even made it to their first club, Missy may have done it to herself. Her very good G/F stayed with her at the ED while she slept and sobered up.
18F - Got in between two boys being dicks and fighting and copped a few blows I think the fact that she knew them both and while I'd tag the whole group as EMOS even drunk they can still be dicks and she expected them to stop just because she was in the middle, there were no injures and maybe she learnt something?
36M - In Police holding dock, has smacked his head against the wall and caused injury. It was from frustration with himself and landing here rather than some self harm issue. We talked, I cleaned the wound and dressed it and left them a copy of the paperwork.

See a busy shift, I'm sorry about the rambling extras but as part of my agreement with management to stop any misunderstanding of what I write I can;t leave it as simple one liners I have to flesh it out.


See you at the big One.

Taz

Eight jobs, different outcome.

The first six were female and 55yrs or much older and transported.
82F - Regular dialysis pt.
86F - Haematuria.
55F - Dialysis pt who has had both her arm fistulas fail and had received a groin one and it has ruptured causing a huge contusion compartment syndrome issues and extreme pain.
90F - Decreasing health, the family did accept that she is old, but the first reflex is to call for an ambulance for a trip to an Emergency Department for not an emergency.
83F - GI upset for the last twelve days. Again these symptoms of constant nausea and watery stool without any previous investigation with colonoscopy or endoscopy, dietary changes, nothing! Ring and ambulance for a light and sirens response for a pt who walked past her sons car to the ambulance and went to the waiting room because it's not an emergency.
64F - Mechanical fall and an injured hip non weight bearing without shortening or rotation. Needs an x-ray and our extrication skills.

Then

20M - IP suffering a severe attack of Knobititius (a severe form of being a knob) and Wankeration (someone who should have left his privates alone). Told the arresting Cops he was having an asthma attack, to allow them to safely contain him in a cell to sober up we get called to diagnose this. He's an oxygen thief maybe but not an asthmatic the way he's abusing every other person in the world for his life. I strongly believe that even sober he's not a very nice person. Stayed with them.
40M - Arrested, not getting bail and with a $400 per day Heroin habit and 18hrs since he last used it's starting to hurt. Checked him out for the Charge Sergeant so they can process him to Corrective Services who have a Duty RN who should be able to provide some  Benzo's to help with the withdrawal.

See you at the big One.

Taz

Transport 3 out of 8 jobs

The others just didn't need an emergency department so other options were explored.

92F - Got her toe stuck between the wheels on her rolling frame. Police got there and released her with no broken skin or other trauma they called us to assess and the feisty old devil told me off good and proper for thinking she needed an ambulance.
34M - Reflux after two days knocking the beers back with the boys on a sporting weekend. One of them had some antacids that did the trick.
8M - Vaso Vagal response to an IMI vaccination. Left with Mum.
84F - Decreased mobility, her LMO had booked this transport so we did it.
39F - Anxiety episode, not the stroke or AMI she had worked herself into thinking she was having. Calm reassurance.
80M - Septic from a UTI. He had to go to hospital yes!
66F - Another assessment for the Police and again left at home.
3/52F - Mum thought she had stopped breathing. Transport more for her sake.



See you at the big One.

Taz

Moustache

I have a dislike for the eleven month of the year.
A month when clean shaven males try to connect with their rustic hirsute cousins.

Movember

I have had a moustache since I was about 15yr old, I have shaved it off for special events, parties etc but only for the night and regrowth has started straight away.

While the concept of Movember is to be commended I seem to spend the beginning of the month telling people that this is my normal facial hair and the later half declaring that I will not be shaving it of for the same reason!

While I am not currently a member of the The Handlebar Club  I offer the following pictures to encourage any hairless lips who may have thought of joining the stiff upper lip set!

Wax off the Moustache
 

Wax on and Curled

Wax on and Straight

See you at the big One.

Taz

And how did you ring in the New Year?

You know what I was doing!
Special Event Coverage at one of main Firework sites.
What was the work like?
Well for the first five hours it was,
There are Porta Toilets over there and down there
The nearest supermarket is down there past MacDonalds
The first show is at 9PM and the main show is at midnight
The buses are two blocks up and one block over
The St Johns Ambulance tent has bandaids!

1st transport Abdo pain post eating processed fast food.
2nd Job Anxiety attack, really, in the middle of 500,000, people transported to a bus stop to go home.
There after it was pretty much alcohol related.

My pick of the night was the humbling moment when someone approached and asked if I was Taz the Ambo, I was sprung by a reader of the blog.
I'm used to being asked if that was me on the reality beach program but this blog is not advertised there are 30 readers who have put their names at least on the readers list but this was just a random act amongst a huge crowd and what was really amazing this reader has found my ramblings interesting enough that he has applied to join the ambulance service. Don't forget to keep me informed on your progress either via taztheambo@gmail.com .
This is a very rare and special moment for an author when your words have inspired someone's actions in such a positive way.

We worked through the night to the morning sun and finished a nearly 15hr shift

See you at the big One.

Taz

A bit of that!

48F - Had stacked up some modular furniture to access a high cupboard and it collapsed and she landed on her ribs.
29F - Tourist who had a few too many drinks and was ill in their hotel room. Had asked reception to call a Dr, security attended the room and correctly decided that we were a better option. Safe with her husband, GCS = 15, had vomited everything up, some anti-emetic IMI and instructions about small slow sips of water to re-hydrate along with call us back if your worried and we were out of there!
60F - Tripped in her apartment and put two teeth through her bottom lip. Not completely through but would need a stitch or two.
70M - COPD with increasing SOB.
18F - IP and Hysterical. Once you got rid of the sycophant's and made her realise that there was no more hand patting, cuddles and sympathy the whole attention seeking emotional rubbish disappeared. Allowed to leave with a stable responsible person.
44M - Palpitations, no drugs or alcohol or stimulants and a previous cardiac Hx, we transported.
??M - Opiate OD, confirmed by a positive reaction to Naloxone but what the hell I must look like a dumb arse because he's one of those that keeps denying opiate use. Anyway he's up and abusing me so he'll live, today anyway.
A member of a demographic that is grossly over represented in our criminal justice system, naked in the charge cells post arrest during an alleged B& E and attacking Police with an edged weapon (tomahawk). He is naked because he urinated in the back of the cage truck, on Police at the station, in the cell and over himself. He to can see a Dumb Arse neon sign on me as he launches a diatribe of tripe about his current situation.
Yes he is currently under the influence of drugs,
Is he in danger of his heart stopping? No it's regular and normal pace.
Is he in danger of stopping breathing? No clear and equal entry and being used very well.
Is he likely to suffer cerebral issues from the drug use? That started years ago and would not be effected by transport to a hospital that is not designed to hold him.
Would he benefit from more drugs at the hospital? No it would just be convenient for the hospital and the members of the public who would be exposed to him.
Where do I think is a suitable place for him right now? Where he is. As the effects of the drugs wear off he will return to normal behaviour or what is normal for him anyway and while this means that the poor cops have to listen to him he is a clear and present danger to society if removed from the cells.
He never asked for hospital and I never offered, lucky for me.
 


See you at the big One.

Taz

A bit of this!

85F - Nausea and vertigo.
27M - Minor scalp wound, put a dressing on it before he legged it.
23M - I suspect an MDMA or Ecstasy overdose. Lip smacking, touchy and feely, pupils like dinner plates, not able to maintain eye contact, repetitive. Turned out to have outstanding warrants so the Cops took him anyway.
23F - MVC, restrained driver injures but shaken up after her first every car prang.
??M - OD that was really just pissed and the Cops took him home rather than us. Thanks Guys!
Operational standby at a structure fire while the Firies are inside.
35M - Claims to have been given PCP or Angel Dust and is feeling out of it and like he's hallucinating, no shit Sherlock that's what it does. He also doesn't recognise me but I do him, small time drug user who knew very well what he was taking but is looking for at least a waiting room or maybe even a hospital bed for the night and thinks I'm the quick ticket in. Fine I have to take in the pt who requests transport but there's no way your lying on the stretcher and I'll open the door to the waiting room myself for you.


See you at the big One. Taz