A Great Present

We are sent to meet a car that has just crossed the northern border of our town for a "possible stroke in the car." At first I think what? How could anyone be driving if they are having a stroke, then it occurs to me that maybe the patient is a passenger.

We meet them at a hamburger restaurant, and looking in the car I can see two young adults, niether of whom look in distress. They both get out and the man leads the woman toward us. "I think she's having a stroke," he says.

She appears to be crying and breathing rapidly. "My hands are tingling," she says, "and I can't remember anything."

I have her squeeze my hands, lift her hands up, and then smile for me. She has none of the Cincinnati stroke symptoms. We get her in the back and take her in to the hospital. She has an anxiety history and a history of migranes. Her vitals are all fine and she seems to have no trouble remembering her demographic information. I encourage her to relax, which she does. We take a nice slow ride in.

At the hospital we wait in triage. Everytime someone comes in the ER door, there is a burst of cold wind that blows down the tunnel entrance and freezes us. I put on my gloves, and raise the collar of my work shirt. It is bitterly cold. At least we have a nice thick wool blanket on our patient. Another patient in line is chattering under just a bath blanket.

***

Difficulty breathing. 79-year old female. No chest pain. Dsypnea increases on extertion. Her lungs are a little decreased. Sats at 100% on 4 liters. We load her up, bundle her up good, wrap a towell around her head so she looks like Mother Theresa, then head out into the cold.

***

My monthly EMS regional meetings are today. The medic I'd asked to cover for me for a few hours has an emergency and is unable to help me out. I get permission to stop by the meeting in the ambulance and talk about my agenda items. While next week my suburban shift is switching from Thursday, Friday, Saturday to Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, I have arranged to get the second Tuesday of every month off so I can attend the meetings(in exchange for Tuesday I will have to work Saturday).

I see a old friend of mine at the meeting, who used to be a clinical coordinator at the hospital, but now works for the state. He has a Christmas present for me and it is awesome -- an autographed copy of Thom Dick's book: People Care: Career-Friendly Practices For Professional Caregivers with a personal inscription. My friend and Thom Dick are old friends and I almost got the chance to meet him a couple years ago when he was in town. My friend brought him by the station -- I had a copy of Street Talk for him to autograph, but then I had to go out on a call and missed him.

The inscription read : TO (me) "With best wishs for a continued long life of fullfillment in serving others, Always your friend, Thom."

A great, great present.

***

And only 2 calls in 16 hours.