'He's never been sick!'

Since I've been back at work from holiday I have,
Completed 13 twelve hour shifts during which we saw,
93 possible incidents, this averages to 7.1 per shift.
Of these 93 incidents most of them did in fact have a patient or someone there.
Plus their families or workmates, friends, associates, other agencies, good samaritans, general busy bodies and rubber neckers. Some helping, most not, or making it worse.

Not all were transported!
One attacked my partner physically and while not causing any real harm the emotional distress was more damaging.
One gave me his 'stash' from down the front of his pants of synth cocaine, in between the severe dystonic spasms for which we had been called. I took it to the Cops later and handed it in as unknown from an unknown person for destruction.
One pushed a few of my buttons unknowingly about a past relationship with someone with mental health problems that weren't then diagnosed and I wasn't a Paramedic back then, I didn't know!

And then there was,
78M - Feeling a bit strange in the chest. After having played his first of two 18 hole rounds of golf for the week had returned home and taken a late afternoon stroll with the wife as is normal for them. On arrival back at home he had complained (very unusual for him) of a tight funny feeling central chest, weakened, diaphoretic, pale and dizzy.
We arrived about 30 minutes after the initial onset of symptoms or 5 minutes after they called 000.
Supine on bed, pale, diaphoretic, bounding pulse, perfect BP and no major or insignificant medical history to report even turned up to work when he had a broken arm, never took a 'sickie'.
The 12 lead ECG clearly indicated an Anterior Infarct even without the machine diagnostic prediction, shit a blind man without his white cane could have seen it. I transmit to the hospital and the Dr calls back while we prep him with aspirin, nitrates and 02 to confirm and get the patient details and we're off.

Now we see it all the time, the patient's handling the news and associated fuss very well and is calm but the family (wife) is starting to fray around the edges. We just told her that her Rock is having a heart attack right now in front of her, in some part of her mind is the memory of people die from heart attacks and this adds to the turmoil of her emotions. We need to manage her needs and treat her anxiety to maintain the patients well being.

It's never just the patient, there are always other players on the stage of each and every job we attend and we must always look after them as well because,

We Are The Paramedics.   



Be Excellent to Each Other and See You at the Big One!

Taz