Well, its my last day before being cut loose on a box with an EMT. All the EMT's on my shift are good so I've got no worries and we can finally get into a good rotation between the engine, the box and being sent off. Ran 2 full arrests, a DOA, and a stroke. Responded to a guy who was hit in the head with a hammer. He ended up refusing with a nice lac to the head. I cleaned him up and gave him some 4x4's... he asked if we had any gauze wrap. My partner accommodated him with a full on head wrap topped off with a gigantic gauze bow on the top of his head. The cop on scene was doing his best not to bust up laughing. Good thing the guy didnt ask for a mirror.
A nasty line of storms rolled in in the evening which had us running for a while. We bounced from dwelling fire to dwelling to MVC's on the highway. Gee... if its pouring down rain, flooding, and storming super bad, wouldn't it maybe be a good idea to SLOW DOWN on the highway? Maybe its just me. When we were responding to the house fires from all the lightning, I lost the engine several times as it was flooding so bad the water would wash over the box and I couldnt see a dang thing. One of those storms where you're waiting for the lightning to light up the road so you can see where the road is at. We got back for a little bit and I just stayed in the drivers seat.. I knew it wouldnt be long before we got called out again.
20 min later we get called for an OB call. On scene we have a 40yr old F, 4th pregnancy, has been in labor for 2 days, no prenantal care at all and recreational drug user. I should have driven a bit slower... she was crowning as we were in the hallway heading to L&D.
Finally got back and fell into bed about 3am. Woke up @ 0530 for a structure fire at an elementary school in another territory. We were 2nd in and dressed out so Boz and I head up to the roof. We just had a small 9'x9' area that was burning from a vent. Overhauling a freshly tarred roof is dirty to say the least. But it was all good. Did our thing and cleared so we could hand the box off to the oncoming crew and get a shower. It was a good shower indeed.
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Monday, August 14, 2006
Butt-aches
The last two shifts have been a progression of BLS and social work calls. Nothing very note-worthy of the first shift so this is just a compilation of both.
A chest pain call that turned out to be an elderly woman who was very obese who is extremely depressed and lonely. She claims when we first get there that she is in pain all over and just wants to sleep. Seems to be a huge problem lately with people not being able to sleep. She says her belly and chest hurts and cant stand. She is crying and keeps asking us if we'll take her by the cemetery to see her daughter. We finally get her to stand, pivot her on the stretcher and she instantly finds health and said she isn't going anywhere. It doesn't take long to figure out that she is very lonely, and just needs some attention. My partner is annoyed that we're not just taking the refusal and leaving. I offer to walk her downstairs to the cafeteria to get one breakfast. It was a long 90 minutes that we spent with her.. getting her pants on, shoes on, purse, keys, etc.... she was doing everything in her power to stall us actually saying good-bye. While its not actually written anywhere that our job entails social work... It's there. And I have a soft spot for old folks. Most of the time their brains are there, but their bodies are failing them and they've lost their independence. I just cant write them off that easily to say, "you have a roof over your head.. be happy with that"
Ran a call for an allergic reaction to a bee, a malnourished man who wasn't acting right to his family (gee, I wonder why), an ab pain/seizure pt, an asthma attack, and a few other calls that were TNT's
A previous "possible stroke" who was now having a diabetic issue. I knew where we were going cause I had just had this lady last shift. Walking in she looks fine, is talking to us fine.. and say she just took her sugar and its only 45. My partner tells he there is no way its only 45 and he promises when he takes it it'll be higher. Ha ha ha... he takes it and yep.. its only 45. Makes you wonder how long she has been compensating like that and what really is "low" for her. Give her some glucose and an amp of D50 and she bounces up to 230. She says she is taking her meds like normal but isnt eating as much as she used to. Her next Dr's appointment isnt for a month. I tell her she needs to get in now.. get her meds re-evaluated.
A chest pain call that turned out to be an elderly woman who was very obese who is extremely depressed and lonely. She claims when we first get there that she is in pain all over and just wants to sleep. Seems to be a huge problem lately with people not being able to sleep. She says her belly and chest hurts and cant stand. She is crying and keeps asking us if we'll take her by the cemetery to see her daughter. We finally get her to stand, pivot her on the stretcher and she instantly finds health and said she isn't going anywhere. It doesn't take long to figure out that she is very lonely, and just needs some attention. My partner is annoyed that we're not just taking the refusal and leaving. I offer to walk her downstairs to the cafeteria to get one breakfast. It was a long 90 minutes that we spent with her.. getting her pants on, shoes on, purse, keys, etc.... she was doing everything in her power to stall us actually saying good-bye. While its not actually written anywhere that our job entails social work... It's there. And I have a soft spot for old folks. Most of the time their brains are there, but their bodies are failing them and they've lost their independence. I just cant write them off that easily to say, "you have a roof over your head.. be happy with that"
Ran a call for an allergic reaction to a bee, a malnourished man who wasn't acting right to his family (gee, I wonder why), an ab pain/seizure pt, an asthma attack, and a few other calls that were TNT's
A previous "possible stroke" who was now having a diabetic issue. I knew where we were going cause I had just had this lady last shift. Walking in she looks fine, is talking to us fine.. and say she just took her sugar and its only 45. My partner tells he there is no way its only 45 and he promises when he takes it it'll be higher. Ha ha ha... he takes it and yep.. its only 45. Makes you wonder how long she has been compensating like that and what really is "low" for her. Give her some glucose and an amp of D50 and she bounces up to 230. She says she is taking her meds like normal but isnt eating as much as she used to. Her next Dr's appointment isnt for a month. I tell her she needs to get in now.. get her meds re-evaluated.
Monday, August 07, 2006
21 calls
A pretty busy shift to say the least. Our other box got called into the city for a shooting which downgraded into a full code. We get called into the same neighborhood 20 minutes later for a 6yo boy who fell off his bike and was bleeding from his rectum. The street was filled with people all antsy about the shooting and relatives of the victim were around our scene so it was chaotic. Little kid laying on the couch who says nothing hurts and after looking him over he isnt bleeding anymore. Mom is good with not taking him in and while talking to her and trying to keep track of the 7 kids in the house.. she tells her 3 boys to tell us their names. All 3 of them, all hers, tell us their names are Michael. Michael 1, Michael 2, Michael 3. No kidding. Guess it makes it easier to call them in for dinner.
Ran a full asthma protocol while the engine company we were with sat there and watched. We were wanting to get her going and asked one of them to drive.. no.. they just sat there at the back doors and watched and kept asking us if we were serious. Umm... YEAH I'm serious! another 3 minutes of getting my partner set up and we headed out on our own. A Duo-Ned treatment, Epi, Solu-Medrol and Mag on board and she was ready to go home by the time we pulled into the ER.
Got a call for chest pain and ended up being a woman who was just diagnosed with lupus last week. She was put on prednisone and Coumadin. She was having a massive meltdown. Apparently hadnt slept in days, was getting very paranoid, shaky,... was on her way to getting some haldol. I've had moments kinda like these, especially when I've been sick for a few days where you just get SO tired that you just crack, emotionally. You are begging for any sort of relief.. to just rest. I felt for her... She said she didnt have any history of psychiatric diagnosis. She passed out for a bit on the trip in but once in the ER and everyone asking questions again it set her off. Checked in on her later in the night and she was getting a CT.
Ran a head-on MVC with an open tib/fib. A syncopal pt who refuses transport even though she is brady, hypotensive and has a sugar of 78. A couple of vomiting/flu-like patients. A possible stroke. Ran a call for a chest pain who was an alcoholic.. who advised that he was allergic to alcohol when asked about allergies and then proceeded to say that he's been drinking for the past 3 days and could we give him something for DT's. mmmm... I dont think so darlin.
Ran another MVC who had a deformed lower arm who still adv that she would get her own way to the hospital. Ironic that here is a woman who was t-boned on her side at a moderate rate with a hit-and-run, what looked like a closed fracture and she'll wait for her family to take her in.. and 20 minutes later we'll get called to take someone into the hospital for a splinter.
Ran a full asthma protocol while the engine company we were with sat there and watched. We were wanting to get her going and asked one of them to drive.. no.. they just sat there at the back doors and watched and kept asking us if we were serious. Umm... YEAH I'm serious! another 3 minutes of getting my partner set up and we headed out on our own. A Duo-Ned treatment, Epi, Solu-Medrol and Mag on board and she was ready to go home by the time we pulled into the ER.
Got a call for chest pain and ended up being a woman who was just diagnosed with lupus last week. She was put on prednisone and Coumadin. She was having a massive meltdown. Apparently hadnt slept in days, was getting very paranoid, shaky,... was on her way to getting some haldol. I've had moments kinda like these, especially when I've been sick for a few days where you just get SO tired that you just crack, emotionally. You are begging for any sort of relief.. to just rest. I felt for her... She said she didnt have any history of psychiatric diagnosis. She passed out for a bit on the trip in but once in the ER and everyone asking questions again it set her off. Checked in on her later in the night and she was getting a CT.
Ran a head-on MVC with an open tib/fib. A syncopal pt who refuses transport even though she is brady, hypotensive and has a sugar of 78. A couple of vomiting/flu-like patients. A possible stroke. Ran a call for a chest pain who was an alcoholic.. who advised that he was allergic to alcohol when asked about allergies and then proceeded to say that he's been drinking for the past 3 days and could we give him something for DT's. mmmm... I dont think so darlin.
Ran another MVC who had a deformed lower arm who still adv that she would get her own way to the hospital. Ironic that here is a woman who was t-boned on her side at a moderate rate with a hit-and-run, what looked like a closed fracture and she'll wait for her family to take her in.. and 20 minutes later we'll get called to take someone into the hospital for a splinter.
On our way back to the station at 0300am, we pass a convienent store down the block from the station with a woman laying on her belly in the parking lot.. just hanging out... laying like you'd lay on the beach with your head resting on your arms... just watching the people and cars go by. My partner and I take bets on who and when we'll get called for her. We're on our way back from a late call so we can complete shift change and we hear the box from the next territory over get called to the convienence store for the woman... what a world....
Saturday, August 05, 2006
And life says... surprise!
I cant even begin to explain or describe how freakin happy I am. Finally getting a few minutes to update this thing. So much has happened the past week so sit back, this may be a long one.
John flew in this past Saturday to stay for a week. It was the fastest 6 days of my life and I didnt want him to leave. Of course spent the couple of days before cleaning up the house. We spent the week driving around all over GA. Went over to Stone Mountain one day and climbed it. Was gonna take the gondola up but it was broke down so we just walked it. It was a nice climb. Just sucked that when we got to the top, these was a drinking water ban/advisory so we couldnt get any water. But the view was beautiful and we had a great time just being together. Stayed later on into the evening for the laser light/fireworks show and it was wonderful being out there with him.
One of the days we decided to drive down to Fort Benning so he could show me the base and were hoping to watch a few training jumps into Fryer Field. Fort Benning is about an hour and half drive or so south of us... we get all the way down there and since noodle-head here has expired tags on her truck they wouldnt let us on base. We did get to see 5 jumps though from the road that runs along side the base. Took him over to Kennesaw Mountain on our way back and we climbed that too. Almost the same distance as the climb on Stone Mtn but a little steeper... and in the middle of a lightning storm. But we both love storms and I'm sure standing on the top during a lightning storm surrounded by a metal fence wasnt the smartest.. but oh well.
We talked a lot about him and the boys moving down here and all that that would entail. We've started looking at possibilities and I cant even begin to describe how ecstatic I am about it!!! We will just leave it at that for now. John rode with me on one of the days that he was here and wouldnt you know it... we didnt do a darn thing. Ended up being on the box which was fine, but didnt transport a single patient til 8pm and after that we didnt even have a call. I dont know how much he believed that we do normally run a lot of calls. LOL
Now.... last shift... THATS a whole other story. Thursday after I took John to the airport I got into the station about 12N. We grabbed some lunch and then caught a structure fire in our immediate. I was a happy girl since I was on the engine for the day. First in on a fire in a kitchen of an unoccupied rental property. Was out and overhauled with about 200 gallons.
One our way back we get dispatched for an infant in full arrest with CPR instruction being given over the phone. Still all dirty from the fire we go heading in and the baby is breathing and alert. 3 month premie on O2. Not much for us to do so we leave the rescue crew and head home. About an hour later catch another structure fire with flames showing. 2nd in on that one to E-7. Cap and I were doing primary search... I so thought of Darin... but the house had small bedrooms and we were bumping into the crew already inside... once done we just waited for E-3 to finish overhauling and clearing the attic We were there a lot longer, but got everything cleaned up and put away. Was looking forward to that shower.
Did a couple of butt-ache calls in the middle of the night but other than that it was a good shift. I miss John already and cant wait for him to come back. Hopefully in a few weeks I will get to see the boys. I'm sure it will be another fast but wonderful week. I am the happiest girl right now... I am truly amazed how God has blessed me.. and so very very thankful. I am at the threshold of having an awesome job that I've worked my butt off for, an awesome man who loves me and him alone is worthy of a blog entry, 2 great kids and life that I have only dreamed about. I only wish everyone could be this happy. If I could bottle this stuff, I'd give it away.
John flew in this past Saturday to stay for a week. It was the fastest 6 days of my life and I didnt want him to leave. Of course spent the couple of days before cleaning up the house. We spent the week driving around all over GA. Went over to Stone Mountain one day and climbed it. Was gonna take the gondola up but it was broke down so we just walked it. It was a nice climb. Just sucked that when we got to the top, these was a drinking water ban/advisory so we couldnt get any water. But the view was beautiful and we had a great time just being together. Stayed later on into the evening for the laser light/fireworks show and it was wonderful being out there with him.
One of the days we decided to drive down to Fort Benning so he could show me the base and were hoping to watch a few training jumps into Fryer Field. Fort Benning is about an hour and half drive or so south of us... we get all the way down there and since noodle-head here has expired tags on her truck they wouldnt let us on base. We did get to see 5 jumps though from the road that runs along side the base. Took him over to Kennesaw Mountain on our way back and we climbed that too. Almost the same distance as the climb on Stone Mtn but a little steeper... and in the middle of a lightning storm. But we both love storms and I'm sure standing on the top during a lightning storm surrounded by a metal fence wasnt the smartest.. but oh well.
We talked a lot about him and the boys moving down here and all that that would entail. We've started looking at possibilities and I cant even begin to describe how ecstatic I am about it!!! We will just leave it at that for now. John rode with me on one of the days that he was here and wouldnt you know it... we didnt do a darn thing. Ended up being on the box which was fine, but didnt transport a single patient til 8pm and after that we didnt even have a call. I dont know how much he believed that we do normally run a lot of calls. LOL
Now.... last shift... THATS a whole other story. Thursday after I took John to the airport I got into the station about 12N. We grabbed some lunch and then caught a structure fire in our immediate. I was a happy girl since I was on the engine for the day. First in on a fire in a kitchen of an unoccupied rental property. Was out and overhauled with about 200 gallons.
One our way back we get dispatched for an infant in full arrest with CPR instruction being given over the phone. Still all dirty from the fire we go heading in and the baby is breathing and alert. 3 month premie on O2. Not much for us to do so we leave the rescue crew and head home. About an hour later catch another structure fire with flames showing. 2nd in on that one to E-7. Cap and I were doing primary search... I so thought of Darin... but the house had small bedrooms and we were bumping into the crew already inside... once done we just waited for E-3 to finish overhauling and clearing the attic We were there a lot longer, but got everything cleaned up and put away. Was looking forward to that shower.
Did a couple of butt-ache calls in the middle of the night but other than that it was a good shift. I miss John already and cant wait for him to come back. Hopefully in a few weeks I will get to see the boys. I'm sure it will be another fast but wonderful week. I am the happiest girl right now... I am truly amazed how God has blessed me.. and so very very thankful. I am at the threshold of having an awesome job that I've worked my butt off for, an awesome man who loves me and him alone is worthy of a blog entry, 2 great kids and life that I have only dreamed about. I only wish everyone could be this happy. If I could bottle this stuff, I'd give it away.
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