My First

Outside forces are recalling memories. These forces stem from Mark at Medic999, asking the simple question: "What was your first ever emergency call?".

Here goes:

We were having a grand time. I was with a group of long-time friends, and the whole inner city had been blocked off because of the festivities going on. Beer, Wine and Spirits were flowing in generous amounts around me (mind you I take it pretty easy on that stuff), and a good time was being had by all.

A mate of mine and I decided to catch up with another group of friends; we had heard they were sitting in the nearby park. So off we trundled in to the dusky evening, leaving the merriness of the streets behind us, and just talking about random things that came to mind. We entered the park, walking in the presumed direction of our mates, when a bunch of spotty teenies cross our way, and surround the two us. It it completely dark by now, and the bastards shine torches directly in to our eyes.

Spotty Teenie Kids: "Hey, we are police."

This is followed up by some primate-type grunting/laughing, a la Beavis & Butthead. Yeah right of course you are police. You can't even wear you cap around the right way. They continue:

STK: "Hey, you, how are you going? You got a mobile on you? We have to check it."

I silently consider my options. Running away could be tricky - my friend just came out of hospital from a hernia operation 3 days prior, quick movements are out of the question. I myself only had thongs on, not the best of running gear. Plus, there are about 10 of the buggers surrounding us. So far they only have torches, but I do know what these types of kids often carry around with them...and I didn't want to push the limits to find out. So, in a bit of an anticlimax for you, beloved reader, we hand over our mobiles and my mate also has to hand over his wallet (I somehow got out of that). And off they run in to the darkness.

Now, all that built up adrenaline comes rushing out in to my system - my mind and body are free to work again, without the fear of knives being produced. I need the police here, pronto. But don't have a phone to call them.

I need a bystander with a mobile phone.

Running off towards the edge of the park, I find a couple sitting on a bench. I note they are doing something, but I am focussed on getting police assistance ASAP: "I need your mobile phone to call the police, quick!" I shout. They look startled. "Do you have a mobile on you? I need to call the police, we just got robbed!". The guy slowly pulls a phone out of his pocket with a 'What the hell is going on' look on his face. I dial the number for the police, and hand the phone back. Startled couple still look startled, and hush off.

Well, it turns out I missed a vital bit during those few moments, my mate tells me later. The couple on the bench were just preparing a line of cocaine to snort, when tunnel-vision-me comes running up and demands their phone to call the cops.

I would love to know what thoughts were running through their mind at the time...

ramping nights #2

We brought our first patient back to hospital, and upon nearing the Ambulance Bays at ED, all we saw was a sea of green. The picture does not do the situation justice, we were in fact the ninth (!) ambulance pulling up at hospital - I couldn't capture all the vans in the parking lot. Four or five vans is usually a high number...but nine? All hospitals were ramping at that stage, and I guesstimated that roughly half of the services ambulances were tied up at hospital and not ready for emergency calls. Even one of the admin staff asked me what was going on, as she had been told by patients "I called an ambulance, but it never came, so I came to hospital myself". To put the record straight, in such cases it must have been a low priority case - if you want an ambulance, you will get an ambulance...you just need to wait long enough. I might post later about priorities, apparent time wasters etc...

Anyway, we stayed in our local area last night for a change, and did the following jobs:

• Person with chest pain in car, pulled up on side of the road. It was dark, and we had our emergency lights on to (hopefully) protect us from traffic hitting us. I was treating the patient in the back of the van with my partner, when I notice an additional set of blue and red flashing lights outside. I peek through the window, and see a police car pulling up. Cop gets out, I open the door, and all is well. They saw us and just wanted to check up if we needed a hand. I'm still touched - Thank you guys!
• Abdo pain with violent vomiting, inducing haematemesis (vomiting blood). Poor fellow.
• Transfer from public to private hospital. Fellow was a nurse of 35 years, very pleasant chap.
• Fall or collapse, wife found him on floor. No injuries, but underlying medical conditions meant we took him in to hospital just in case.
• Early morning Acute Pulmonary Oedema. Ramping and APO both nights...I am sensing a theme!
• Last call was an interesting one too. Call to a middle aged male, complaining of sudden onset of dizziness and nausea. Now, for a layperson, they would go back to bed and either a) wait for the world to end, or b) for things to get better. What? Our patient says their anti emetic (against nausea) medication didn't work? Where did you get that stuff from? Oh, you're a doctor. Aha. You have too much medical background knowledge, and you now believe you are suffering from a posterior MI (heart attack, back side of the heart).

Poor fellow. Getting carted off to a hospital where some colleagues probably know you and who will now treat you...what a feeling. Deep inside you probably know that you got up too fast out of bed, but these symptoms could also be cardiac related...damn you, medical education!

I sympathise with that, last year I had chest pains and went to the doctor. It was worse on inspiration, a twelve lead ECG was done and no abnormalities detected, and it went away the next day - a muscle strain (I had done some heavy lifting). But the background knowledge I had from uni was just getting to me, so I had to get myself checked out. Better safe than sorry!

OK, enough rambling now, it's 0255hrs and I'm wide awake but in a haze. Shouldn't have slept as much after coming home from nightshift. Damn shift work, has it's ups and downs....