Man of Steel

I didn't sleep well last night, felt a little nauseous, and puked this morning when I woke up -- only one time. I never puke. It was too late to call in sick, but I thought I could make it through the day if I could get some sleep as soon as I got in.

Walk through the door, the tones are going off.

Four hundred pound guy on the floor needs help getting up.

He was in an awkward position, laying wedged against the bed. My plan was to slid a board under him, slid the board along the floor, then strap him on the board, and then bending my knees, lifting the top of the board until I had him standing with my partner and an officer helping lift/support the man as I raised the head of the board. Leverage.

Trying to get him on the board, he complained I hurt his shoulder, I apologized, then he started giving orders about a better way to lift him up. He wanted to roll over, then have us lift him to his knees, then have him use a chair to lift himself up with out help. I just stood back. Since the patient and I had clashed however briefly I let my partner handle it, but that wasn't working.

They finally agreeded to try it my way. Fortunately another officer came in and he helped me lift the head end up. Worked like I charm, except I was feeling really dizzy from the effort.

Just then the cops got dispatched to another medical on the other side of town. My partner, looking at my sad tired face, knew just want I was thinking. We sat the man down and did a full assessment and did a full and proper handling of the refusal paperwork, rather than just getting a scrawled signature and tearing off to the other call, to which they dispatched a city ambulance.

We went back to the base, and I lay down on the couch and watched TV. I was just whipped. I had aches in my bones and felt nauseous. I didn't sleep, but rested as well as I could.

Along about noon, we got sent back to the same address. The man had fallen again and needed help getting up. I tried to get him to go to the hospital as this fall left a hematoma on his head, but he would have none of it. There was just three of us this time. We lifted him up the same way. I handled the head end by myself and got him up fine, but again standing there holding the board against him till we had him steady against his walked, I felt the dizziness come over me. the man thanked me after I told him to call us at any time. He said I was okay in his book.

Back at the base I called my relief and asked him if he could come in early for me and he said it would take him an hour and a half or so, and I said that was fine. I called the supervisor, told him I was sick -- he started to sound annoyed, but then I told him I had already arranged for relief. That was fine by him.

As soon as I put the phone down, got a call for the unconcious baby. The baby allegedly fell and seized, and was now unconcious. I didn't like that combination. We went lights and sirens along with several cops cars, and when we arrived family members were standing on the lawn crying. That is never a good sign. I went into the house, into a small room crowded with people who were all yelling, and I saw a cop leaning over the baby who was not movingl. "Is he breathing?" I asked.

"Yes," he said, "He's just out cold."

I was hearing explanations of what happened. He fell off the bed. He seized. His lips were blue. His eyes rolled back in his head.

I looked at the cop, then pulled up the baby's shirt slightly, grabbed a little fold of skin and pinched and twisted it hard.

Wallah! Tears. Crying baby. The cop smiled at me. Everything is good.

I still c-spined the baby, put him on oxygen and took him on a priority to the hospital. He alternately cried and slept deeply. I couldn't find any bumps on his head, and when he was sleeping and I tried to pry his eyes open, he fought against opening them. I also found out he just hit his head on the bed post and did not fall. They had placed him on the floor.

Bottom line he was okay.

When we got back, my relief arrived shortly therefter and I went home.

This is the first time I have ever left work early due to not feeling well. I've only called in sick twice. Twice in ten years. Not counting when I had a broken wrist. I worked through a broken finger once when I was first starting. I didn't want to miss work. Man of steel.

Man of steel starting to feel his age. My relief agreed to let me come in three hours late tomorrow so I can get a good night's rest.

Tomorrow's my long day.