Not to much...

I havent posted anything in the last couple of weeks. I've been fortunate enough to be on the engine for most of the past few shifts. Havent had any good fire calls... just the usual bells and smells. We've done our share of inspections and hydrants lately though.

And the oscar goes to....

Was running late into work this morning. Barely made it, walking in @ 6:57am. Of course I called my captain early so I was ok if I was late, but you would just not believe the traffic! Normally I am leaving my house at 3am.. yeah 3am.. to come into work. Not many people can say that they have to account for a time change when commuting into work. But it's also Atlanta traffic, so what rush hour looks like in most cities at 8am, we see at 6am. Anyway... I don't like starting the day off feeling like I'm already behind the 8 ball. My saving grace was I made the engine. PK finally made the engine too! Yea!!!! The poor kid has been stuck on Echo 4 for so long that it has become the standing joke. He has also taken on medic class on top of being a single dad. So we spend a lot of our down time reviewing strips and me quizzing him.

We ran a call with the box for a woman with heart problems. Oh my... now I told her I was gonna write about her so I can be a little more free on this one. We walk in to find a rather large woman sitting in a chair, big-eyed and not speaking with a scowl and glare on her face that could rival my mother's on her worst day. She's non-verbal (big dramatics)... and I'm trying to get a hx and she just keeps glaring at me like she's getting ready to knock my head off my shoulders! I ask her if she's gonna hit me as I'm putting the leads on her and she growls, literally growls, "No! You're trying to help me" Vitals are stable, we get her to walk down the steep stairs and get her loaded. Now is when the real Oscar performance starts.
My EMT is trying to start a line... he is using a 22G in the hand... and the woman is carrying on like he is sticking a 14G under the fingernail. (Makes you grimmace huh?) Once in the back, she started talking a million miles a minute, telling me every 18 seconds the date of her OJI and how 10 mannequins fell on her head. I tried to start a line in the other hand after she calmed down a bit and after a few minutes of dramatics I gave up. She was funny (she STILL had that "I'm gonna knock your head off " glare), but I was getting tired of the game. So we're in the triage line @ the ER and the patient ahead of us was getting blood drawn and the tech was having issues to say the least. Pt was moaning and crying.... so I'm writing up my report and I look over at my drama student and say, "See.. you should have let me start that line... look what you're in for". Her face went stone straight and said... " you wanna try now real quick?" What a goofy lady.

Ran a few smells and bells.. but nothing note-worthy. Ran a few more medical calls.. had another drama queen with a teenage girl faking all kinds of distress. Constantly covering her face (a sure sign of faking... heaven forbid she display what is really going on), rolling around on the floor. Mom is buying this act, but its amazing how she apparently cant talk, cant walk.. but when given a pair of flip-flops thrown at her feet, she has the instant dexterity to wiggle her feet into them. Gggrrrrrr.... You drag me out of bed for a temper-tantrum?! Are you serious?

Pretty quiet through out the night, which was nice ... headin to Florida next week for a little vacation. One more romp on the beach before it gets cold. It snowed 2 feet back home in Buffalo yesterday. Maybe I should head north and get some skiing in while I can... decisions, decisions...

Captain & Tennille

First call of the morning was for a cardiac arrest to a well known address. Its an apt tower of older folks. Enroute advised no CPR in progress. Doesn't bode to well for the patient. Called him onscene.
Was assigned to the box with my station captain due to some policy in effect right now. It was a good shift, I have a great captain.

Called out later for a 24 yo female with chest pain. We get there and we have a pretty large girl curled up on the couch complaining of a severe toothache, her head hurts, her chest hurts, everything on her hurts. After checking her out and getting some history (there was none) I called for a basic unit. She is intent on repeatedly showing me this nasty cavity in her tooth that has obviously been there for a while and why cant I give her anything for it. She says she feels feverish... there is none, but of course it is 90 outside and she has on a sweater that would be perfect for skiing the Alps.
I ask her if she can walk outside to the other ambulance that is on its way and she gives a good show on the dramatics. I truly dont think I am being overly callous here, you just should have seen the performance. Anyways, we get outside and she asks can she sit in our box, she feels nauseous. Sure. Then she announces that she may be pregnant. She has felt movement in her belly for the past few months but had a period about a week or two ago. I asked about a pregnancy test. She says she took one, and it turned out negative but, "it was one of the cheap ones" . By this time I cant decide what to put down for the chief complaint!
I cancel the basic and take her in myself. Hmmmm... toothache, chest pain, movement in belly (the rest of us call that gas), ... I give report to the RN and say emphatically, thank YOU (apologizing with my eyes)... , "No... thank YOU" she says.

Ran another cardiac arrest at 3am, to which we arrive to a guy bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in bed. He might have had a seizure, he had a good lac to his tongue, although wasnt postictal. Denied any drug use, but he was very diaphoretic in the cool air and his pressure was 220/118. Convinced him to let us take him in. Hands were shaking like he had Parkinsons, but still denied any medical hx, no meds, no allergies, or recreational supplements. Still better than working an arrest.

Glad you stopped by...

Made the engine again... I surely am not complaining, just fortunate in the luck of the draw. Had yet another gas main rupture. This one was about 4-5" and had to evacuate a few elderly folks in the surrounding area. Pulled about 500' of line to hang out with the repair crew trying to quiet the jet engine sound coming from the main.

Later got dispatched for an audible fire alarm in a residence. We roll up onto the house with 2 older gentlemen sitting in the open-air garage playing checkers. They look pretty surprised to see us and have no idea why we're there. Cap and I are walking up to the garage and the owner confirms that yes he has a fire alarm. I am starting to hear the smoke detector going off inside. We open the inside door and smoke just starts rolling out. Apparently he left some food on the stove and forgot about. His whole house was filled with smoke and he had no idea. They just never heard the detectors going off. They were sweet guys... we reset the alarm and vented the place for them. He was happy we stopped by... he originally thought we were just strolling through the neighborhood. But with lights and sirens going?

Had a few more calls during the day and knocked out a few inspections... but oh good grief, once 2230 hit we ran non-stop. Got a call for a diff. breathing, then the minute we cleared got dispatched for a guy in seizures. Enroute advised now cardiac arrest. Walk in to find a guy about 30 yrs old lying there with friends just standing over him staring at him. His eyes are open and just fixed to the ceiling, not moving. I ask what his name is and as I repeat his name his eyes instantly move to meet mine. Whoa! Buddy.. you're here! Turns out he was just postictal and hadn't taken his meds in a day or so.

Ran an upper AND a lower GI bleed who had a hx of CHF but due to the current condition was told not to take her lasix. 85 yrs old who under normal conditions might might 95# soaking wet but due to the discontinuation of lasix looked like she weighed 150. And being in the area we're in, the night wouldnt be complete with the obligatory "I've smoked to much pot and now my chest hurts, I wanna go to the hospital because I have no where to sleep tonight" ggrrrrrrr... its those 3 words "my chest hurts" that adds so much liability to the call that you have to take them in. Yes, granted, it actually could be something... and yes, I know I'm not out here to pass judgment.... it just make sit that much more bearable when I'm on the engine.

Sent off

Yesterday I got sent off to another station for the day since they needed another medic. Had my choice of staying at my house and running the Squad again or going off. I knew my chances of being on the engine if I went to the other station were pretty good, so thats where I went. Plus a buddy of mine from the academy is now stationed there so it was all good. The house I got assigned to is much slower than mine.. they average maybe 3-5 calls, although we stayed kinda steady.

Had a call for a guy hit by a train. The train hit some scaffolding that the guy ws working on hanging from a bridge. Another call for a gas leak.. we seem to be getting lots of them lately. Stand by and wait for the gas company to come WITH the repair crew... pull a line (just in case).. and then pack up and head home.
Had another call for a strange odor coming from an apartment. Turns out someone mixed bleach with sulphuric acid... thats pretty much all I can say about it at this moment.

But I am home and chilling and getting the new house more situated. Painting some picture frames and building some furniture is keeping me busy. Busy is good.