tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69080825953319793852024-03-06T03:54:19.314-05:00medic birdiemedic birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16170449991405773288noreply@blogger.comBlogger95125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908082595331979385.post-22762821199229221972011-09-11T19:51:00.003-04:002011-09-20T20:05:49.479-04:009/11/11<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/FiKLkkrNcJc?fs=1" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" width="480"></iframe><br /><br />Crazy homesick today. ♥ to all my girls and boys back in the city. Be safe.medic birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16170449991405773288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908082595331979385.post-38424998685050344432011-09-04T18:04:00.028-04:002011-09-04T22:16:49.938-04:00Giving UpThe first time I met him, he was sitting in his boxers on the edge of his bathtub, blood spilling down his arm into the shallow water, his skin still damp from the shower. I knelt on the bathroom floor while I washed his arm off and dressed the wounds, and coaxed him into the fresh pair of jeans waiting on the edge of the sink. We draped his button-down shirt over his shoulders as he hid his arm from the other people in the apartment building, not speaking a word during the entire process.
<br />
<br />In the quiet of the truck, he told me that he'd been trying to kick a heroin habit for the last year, that he'd just started methadone treatment and then the social worker took his daughter away. That life had finally given up on him.
<br />
<br />I told him that he didn't have to believe me, but it'd been nearly a decade since the scars on my own arms were made, and things <span style="font-style: italic;">had</span> gotten better. He just had to be stubborn.
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<br />*
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<br />The second time I met him, he was having an anxiety attack because he'd taken the wrong medication. The unknown pills belonged to a friend of a friend, and there were none left to bring to the ER to show the doctors. He wouldn't say it straight out, but we both knew they were illegal drugs rather than prescribed medicine. He'd gotten the two confused because the unlabeled pill bottle had been left on the kitchen counter where his pills normally were. He recognized me, but I didn't want to remind him of his rock-bottom, so we talked about how he was thinking of going to school again.
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<br />*
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<br />The third time I met him, he was lying supine on the floor of his bedroom, surrounded by empty pill bottles. He was still warm, but not warm enough. His pinpoint pupils stared empty at the ceiling as we manhandled him on to a backboard, attempting to keep compressions going as we carried him down 4 flights of narrow stairs. The monitor told us what we already knew, that electricity was useless, but we kept fighting until the hospital staff took over. We were stubborn. Life wasn't ready to give up on him, even though he believed that it already had.
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<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span>But</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> he</span> had given up on life.
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<br />And he had given up on a little girl, who would have done anything to walk down the aisle one day arm in arm with him, no matter how many scars he carried beneath his black tuxedo sleeves.</span>
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<br />*
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<br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/UI_pPEysgYQ?fs=1" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="295" width="480"></iframe>medic birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16170449991405773288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908082595331979385.post-47633236972445068802011-06-21T00:00:00.009-04:002011-06-21T01:17:24.875-04:00Good AimI like the challenge that gunshot wounds present. I like that they keep me on my toes as a provider. I like the load and go mentality of trauma.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I like the reassurance that people around here generally have bad aim.</span><br /><br /><br />I don't like single shots that create an injury incompatible to life.<br /><br />I don't like recognizing someone we've fixed before, as my partner and I grant them one last measure of dignity, shielding them from the gathering crowd.<br /><br />I don't like when the only person we transport from the scene is the family member who fainted at the sight of a simple white sheet spread over black asphalt, destroying life as they knew it.<br /><br /><br />I can't fix anything for anyone in this.medic birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16170449991405773288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908082595331979385.post-68614167717085781932011-06-03T23:19:00.001-04:002011-06-03T23:19:52.461-04:00I'm BAAAACKAnd mucking up your blogrolls by changing my name. ;)medic birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16170449991405773288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908082595331979385.post-11306481891070661582011-02-02T14:47:00.003-05:002011-02-02T14:54:06.469-05:00The Skin GunThis may just be the most awesome thing I've ever seen.<br /><br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" class="youtube-player" type="text/html" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/eXO_ApjKPaI" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="385" width="480"></iframe><br /><br /><br />Check out the National Geographic <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/explorer/4828/Overview">episode</a> Monday February 7 at 10pm.medic birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16170449991405773288noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908082595331979385.post-79569263132154145962011-01-21T23:29:00.002-05:002011-01-27T10:23:23.918-05:00NameFor the reader whom I have the misfortune of living down the hall from (and occasionally working with),<br /><br />You creeper. When I said go read some work-related blogs, I didn't mean <span style="font-style: italic;">mine</span>.<br /><br />I named this blog when I thought my EMS career would be heading towards paramedicine, rather than back to working on a Bachelor's degree. After that, I kept the name to help keep an illusion of anonymity. Keeping you all confused as to what I actually was totally worked, right? <span style="font-style: italic;">Not.</span> And it just sounded nice. :)<br /><br />But I'm all growed up now and your reasoning makes sense. I <span style="font-style: italic;">like</span> being an EMT-B.<br /><br />So fine. You win. Name downgrade in the immediate future. Or as soon as I figure out all the logistics. Or on my 1-year blog anniversary next month. Or I'll just change the title/my name and not the URL, cause I'm awesome like that.<br /><br />♥<br /><br />PS: Now I definitely have to upgrade my license at some point. Just to mess with you.<br /><br />...and you'll get your blackmailing extortionist cookies when I get home tomorrow.medic birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16170449991405773288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908082595331979385.post-64125750755932603572011-01-09T23:22:00.005-05:002011-01-10T22:48:08.308-05:00You Know You've Been Working Too Much Overtime When...You have dreams about cardiac rhythms and EKG strips.<br /><br />You forget the number of the truck you're driving while talking on the radio. Repeatedly.<br /><br />You spend an entire shift convincing an elderly patient to go to the hospital.<br /><br />You fall asleep in the back of the truck while your partner is in the ER writing their report, and they spend 15 minutes looking for you.<br /><br />You start believing that the weather knows when you pick up overtime shifts, because that's the <span style="font-style: italic;">only</span> time it snows.<br /><br />2/3 of your Christmas presents were EMS related.<br /><br />You clean your ambulance every shift change. You haven't cleaned your own car since you bought it.<br /><br />You 'borrowed' a shirt from the spares box so you could put off doing laundry for another two days.<br /><br />If someone recorded clips of your partners' snoring, you could name each one of them and what stage of the sleep cycle they were in.medic birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16170449991405773288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908082595331979385.post-91217495992977885082010-12-27T23:39:00.007-05:002011-01-05T03:42:13.529-05:00First Snowmageddon of the YearDear inventors of sandbags, 4 wheel drive, all terrain tires, and snow windshield wipers - my pickup truck and I would like to take a moment to thank you for getting us home last night in that blizzard. Also, thanks to all those folks with the flashing yellow lights and big ol' plows who like to slow us down on the highway. (I really do appreciate you guys... It's just a lingering jealousy that I don't have a plow and am stuck shoveling myself out...)<br /><br />Seriously, though. If I'd been trapped at work, they would've had me on the road all night.<br /><br />For all you crazy kids out there in this mess, be careful. Our big box truck stood the test today because nearly all of the roads we needed were plowed. Traction control can only do so much, if you even have it. The amount of ice that built up in our windshield wipers, and on our windshield as a result, made both my partner and I get completely turned around on two separate calls. And the wind... don't get me started on the wind.<br /><br />I know you want to speed to that cardiac arrest. We did, too. Even after that sedan fishtailed partway into our lane while trying to pull to the right and scared the shit out of us.<br /><br />But you know what? We got there in one piece, and the patient got to the hospital in one piece. No police officers, firefighters, medics, EMTs, family members or innocent bystanders were injured in the process.<br /><br />Remember: Slow acceleration, slow deceleration, 3x the space you'd normally leave between yourself and the car in front of you. Drive like everyone else on the road is about to do something incredibly stupid. If you're responding to an MVA, chances are you'll be driving over the slippery sections that your patient lost control on. When you're out on scene, expect other cars on the road to be losing control on those same spots and stage appropriately. (This includes other first responders! That firetruck may not actually be able to stop. Get word to them via dispatch if possible.) Block the entire road if necessary until DOT trucks get there to clean things up. Level Zero is also known as: don't be stupid, because you of all people know that there is no one to save your sorry butt.<br /><br />Snow can be very fun when you're off-duty:<br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" class="youtube-player" type="text/html" width="480" height="385" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WgLLZ2utrL0" frameborder="0"></iframe><br /><br /><br />BUT THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AT WORK:<br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" class="youtube-player" type="text/html" width="480" height="385" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/P_ABEFXDbfI" frameborder="0"></iframe><br /><br /><br />Be safe. And bring your own shovel if your truck doesn't have one. <3medic birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16170449991405773288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908082595331979385.post-53423732240162318452010-12-08T02:13:00.005-05:002010-12-08T02:37:51.199-05:00Texts From Last NightIt's almost finals. I'm sitting on a few real posts, but here's what I've mostly been doing with my (not) free time. For those of you who don't know, <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://www.textsfromlastnight.com/">this website</a> is an epically distracting collection of drunk text messages. And proof that we will always have job security. :)<br /><br />As it pertains to us:<br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://www.textsfromlastnight.com/search?q=emt">EMT</a><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span> / <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://www.textsfromlastnight.com/search?q=paramedic">Paramedic</a> /<a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://www.textsfromlastnight.com/search?q=ambulance">Ambulance</a><br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://www.textsfromlastnight.com/search?q=hospital">Hospital</a> / <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://www.textsfromlastnight.com/search?q=nurse">Nurse</a> / <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://www.textsfromlastnight.com/search?q=doctor">Doctor</a><br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://www.textsfromlastnight.com/search?q=firefighter">Firefighter</a> / <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://www.textsfromlastnight.com/search?q=firetruck">Firetruck</a> / <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://www.textsfromlastnight.com/search?q=fire">Fire</a><br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://www.textsfromlastnight.com/search?q=police">Police</a> / <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://www.textsfromlastnight.com/search?q=cop">Cop</a><br /><br /><br />*Note: May not be suitable for work.medic birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16170449991405773288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908082595331979385.post-31824450910321928522010-11-03T23:02:00.005-04:002010-11-04T00:22:44.335-04:00So You Thought Your Job Was Dangerous...We all have some type of cellphone tower within our areas. This video was shot in the USA, and yes, he is free climbing for most of this, <span style="font-style: italic;">against</span> OSHA regulations (ignore what the video says). And it's called a Guyed Tower, not a "Gided Tower".<br /><br />But how would you respond if he had a medical emergency while properly secured at 1,768 feet? Or got hit by lightning at 1,768 feet? Or had a partial fall from 1,768 feet while secured, which resulted in a spinal injury? What if he hit his partner on the way down and you now have 2 patients?<br /><br />Tower workers go through training for how to rescue one another at those heights. That guy holding the red tool bag is going to be your point man if anything were to happen to his partner. From what you can see, they travel light, so they won't have much medical equipment readily available. Does anyone do interdepartmental training with their local tower workers? Do your departments have protocols for how to handle these scenarios?<br /><br />Personally, that's when I call the boys with the big red trucks. They have ladders bigger than the Empire State Building, right?<br /><br /><br /><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/vQzPB7RkFKA?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/vQzPB7RkFKA?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="385" width="480"></embed></object><br /><br />There's a good discussion about the technicalities of these towers <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://www.theonlineengineer.org/TheOLEBLOG/?p=611#comments">HERE</a>.medic birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16170449991405773288noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908082595331979385.post-74478317815394891192010-10-25T22:23:00.008-04:002010-10-26T13:00:01.792-04:00Paramedic-AssistI am now licensed to stab you.<br /><br />In the name of medicine, of course.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.functionalnutrition.eu/custom/Fingerprick_Glucometer.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 176px; height: 176px;" src="http://www.functionalnutrition.eu/custom/Fingerprick_Glucometer.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.functionalnutrition.eu/page_1197221853796.html">[Credits]</a><br /><br />In New York State, EMT-Bs are allowed to play with glucometers if their agency has approval and provides training. Unfortunately, New York City has their own protocols, which don't allow glucometers to be used by BLS providers.<br /><br />Up here in Massachusetts, glucometers are included in a separate Paramedic-Assist Certification. Which my job made me get. :) So I not only get to stab you to check your glucose levels, I also get to stick on EKG electrodes, secure ET tubes and do basic IV prep (spiking the bag, taping down the catheter). It also covers albuterol nebulizers, which are a regular EMT-B skill in New York.<br /><br />The upside? More challenging calls. The downside? More cleanup.<br /><br /><br />For more reading:<br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/ems/policy/09-13.htm"><br /></a><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://diabetes.about.com/od/equipmentandbreakthroughs/ht/glucometer.htm">How to Use a Glucometer - About.com</a><br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/ems/policy/09-13.htm">New York State Glucometer Protocol</a><br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eohhs2terminal&L=4&L0=Home&L1=Provider&L2=Guidelines+and+Resources&L3=Guidelines+for+Clinical+Treatment&sid=Eeohhs2&b=terminalcontent&f=dph_emergency_services_p_treatment_protocols&csid=Eeohhs2">Massachusetts Protocols</a><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span>medic birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16170449991405773288noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908082595331979385.post-7432064876278906332010-10-20T17:10:00.012-04:002010-10-20T18:20:15.504-04:00E4My brand new Specialist is alive and well, and still has all her limbs attached in their proper places. She's flying back to the 'Stan tonight for another few months. We've got a last date to send care packages and everything. Cross your fingers that the brass actually sticks to their word this time.<br /><br />While I was off having epic adventures, I was also contemplating the fact that I now work in a large town in a smallish state, where every department knows every other department's business. So when I go to statcounter and find that local folks have been visiting my blog, I can't really go gushing about how freaking awesome my new training is. (It's pretty awesome.)<br /><br />Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I am stalking you, too.<br /><br />And I have one question...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiRvxi17cLx8YEROdUaZsl4yWeRIoEf_pn0Mu6tRPwnqtnoij7HPBnGluBlfAKsY1dp-HAIz3oTgBYlllUBrspxYe8JfWjvwHeWM8WsVF__P-NCUfdmjj0f-iMKeWnZrN-qtZaooEask0o/s1600/13aaaaaa.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 190px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiRvxi17cLx8YEROdUaZsl4yWeRIoEf_pn0Mu6tRPwnqtnoij7HPBnGluBlfAKsY1dp-HAIz3oTgBYlllUBrspxYe8JfWjvwHeWM8WsVF__P-NCUfdmjj0f-iMKeWnZrN-qtZaooEask0o/s320/13aaaaaa.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530249491181598466" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">(Click to supah-size)</span><br /><br />...Kuwait? Really?<br /><br /><br />PS: Props to <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://999medic.com/">Medic 999</a> for the linkage. :)medic birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16170449991405773288noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908082595331979385.post-73374758417534701322010-10-08T19:57:00.004-04:002010-10-08T20:14:28.455-04:00Getting Me Some Of This...for 2 whole weeks of R&R. In New York City until further notice. <3
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<br /><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/uSMlIM9zLio?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/uSMlIM9zLio?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="385" width="480"></embed></object>medic birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16170449991405773288noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908082595331979385.post-62050305235609076312010-10-01T22:35:00.005-04:002010-10-02T00:50:26.781-04:00Esophageal VaricesHey, remember this <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://medicbirdie.blogspot.com/2010/02/cannotcannotcannot-get-smell-of-upper.html">guy</a>? That was my first real emergency, the first time I called in a note to the ER, and the first time I left a hospital knowing my patient's chances for survival were next to nil.<br /><br />Well, I just learned all about what was wrong with him.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Upper GI Bleed</span> is the vague overarching chief complaint for our paperwork. Or, as I put it at the time, <span style="font-style: italic;">Severe Bleeding from Nose and Mouth</span>. Upper gastrointestinal bleeds usually present as coffee-ground emesis and a seriously unforgettable stench. To me, it smells like heavy metals. Like iron and something worse are so thick in the air that you can taste them.<br /><br />The gentleman in question had a profuse amount of bright red blood gushing from his mouth and nose. He was so far gone in his dementia that he refused to unclench his teeth. We suctioned what we could, but anything more would've involved breaking his jaw. We couldn't drop an NPA with the amount of blood coming out of his face. For all we knew, he could've been hemorrhaging from his sinuses. We transported him left lateral recumbent with a layer of extra towels to catch the blood flow, and I held the NRB a centimeter away from his face enroute, to give me room to suction and him room to spit. The sheer terror in his eyes scared me more than anything, because he had no way of comprehending what was happening, why he couldn't talk, or where we were taking him. Trying to hold someone's hand, an NRB and a suction catheter all at the same time is not an easy accomplishment.<br /><br />But back to the actual physiology, and not just Rookie Birdie peeing her pants.<em><br /></em><em></em><br />Chronic liver disease (often cirrhosis caused by alcohol abuse), can obstruct normal blood flow through the liver. This makes the blood flow in your body backup, distending your finer blood vessels. In my patient's case, the ones in his esophagus. The technical name for these is <span style="font-style: italic;">Esophageal Varices</span>. Being distended vessels, they're prone to rupture.<br /><em></em><br />Ta-da<em></em>! <span style="font-style: italic;">Upper GI Bleed</span>.<br /><br /><br />For more reading:<br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/esophageal-varices/DS00820">Esophageal Varices - Mayo Clinic</a><br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000268.htm">Bleeding Esophageal Varices - National Institutes of Health</a><br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMicm0807812">Bleeding Esophageal Varices - New England Journal of Medicine</a><br />*Note: REALLY COOL ENDOSCOPY VIDEO<br /><br /><em></em>medic birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16170449991405773288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908082595331979385.post-9102682325553019552010-09-29T15:25:00.004-04:002010-09-29T16:07:19.513-04:00Employment WinGuess who has a job? Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.<br /><br />And I get one of these:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.mysouthborough.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/ambulance-28.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 321px;" src="http://www.mysouthborough.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/ambulance-28.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.massfiretrucks.com/MASS%20S.htm">[Credits]</a><br /><br />And one of these:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l0l0pu5OwH1qad6aso1_500.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 293px;" src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l0l0pu5OwH1qad6aso1_500.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://stellar-raven.tumblr.com/post/506782067/henry-cavill-as-evan-marshall-in-blood-creek">[Credits]</a><br /><br />And some of these:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://dme.ap.nic.in/traffic_accident.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 448px; height: 440px;" src="http://dme.ap.nic.in/traffic_accident.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://dme.ap.nic.in/roadtraffic.html">[Credits]</a><br /><br />Thank you, Commonwealth of Massachusetts. That 3-week withdrawal from emergency medicine was BRUTAL.medic birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16170449991405773288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908082595331979385.post-89009546928498822172010-09-27T21:57:00.006-04:002010-09-27T22:14:33.837-04:00Please Don't Text And DriveTo the idiot in the Jeep in front of me on the highway this afternoon:<br /><br />1. We were in the middle of a monsoon.<br /><br />2. We were doing more than 40 mph.<br /><br />3. One of your headlights was out.<br /><br />4. You were texting and driving. I could see your phone.<br /><br />5. You were swerving into the other north bound lane AND the oncoming south bound lane.<br /><br />6. I was playing this really fun game called preemptive triage via possible mechanism of injury.<br /><br />7. I realized I only have one oxygen tank in my truck. Somebody (or -bodies) would've been SOL.<br /><br />8. The game got even more fun when I started keeping my foot over my brake and looking at ideal places for you to crash based on room for staging areas.<br /><br />9. During that really awesome drift/swerve where you were almost entirely in the south bound lane, I concluded that I didn't want to get out of my truck in the rain.<br /><br />10. Thank you very much for getting back in your lane and putting away your phone <span>after</span> I leaned on my horn and flashed my brights.<br /><br />By the way, I really liked the 'oh shit' expression on your face when you realized you were on the wrong side of the road. <span style="font-style: italic;">And </span>the followup expression when you looked in your rearview and saw that I was wearing a blue uniform jacket and aviators.<br /><br />Because if you hadn't put away your phone, your license plate number and vehicle description were 2 seconds away from being broadcast over 9-1-1 dispatch.<br /><br /><br />PS: I hope you got home and hugged your family.medic birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16170449991405773288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908082595331979385.post-48330035839514868192010-09-23T15:21:00.005-04:002010-09-23T17:19:30.508-04:00EmesisI missed college. I missed classes. I missed my friends. I missed college parties.<br /><br />I missed volunteering to be vomited on at least once a week with our campus EMS squad. I missed my friends calling my cellphone instead of the Public Safety department and our official dispatchers, in a drunkenly sensible attempt to avoid being "reported" for drinking. Particularly if the soon-to-be patient is underage.<br /><br />If I'm on duty, I have to radio my partner for backup because we're usually on opposite sides of the campus, and our radio system involves <span>everyone</span> on our frequency hearing <span>everything</span>. Nevermind that I have to call Public Safety <span style="font-style: italic;">anyways</span> to let them know where and what I'm doing.<br /><br />We are not the FBI. This is not going on your permanent record. You are not going to get expelled. No one is calling your parents. And hopefully no one is using the video recorder on their iPhone.<br /><br />If you <span style="font-style: italic;">are</span> sick enough to require more medical attention than we can provide, the fire station across the street will be glad to take you to the local ER. It's only 5 minutes away, and we can go with you if you want someone familiar holding back your hair enroute. The firefighters even stock these, just for us college kids. And they order extras right before our big annual parties.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.tammysrecipes.com/files/buckets350.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 350px; height: 262px;" src="http://www.tammysrecipes.com/files/buckets350.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Now<span style="font-style: italic;"> that</span> is what I call a good mutual aid relationship. :)<br /><br />...Just don't puke on the new ambulance.medic birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16170449991405773288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908082595331979385.post-79404489309667118132010-09-20T02:27:00.004-04:002010-10-02T19:51:42.808-04:00The Love of My LifeThis is an ode to my baby, the love of my life, and the reason I haven't been around. Between the check engine light, stalling when I turn the wheel too sharply, the crack in the windshield, and putting on the spare tire last week cause I had a leak, she needs some serious tender loving care. Positive thoughts appreciated for my job interviews this week, cause this lovely lady will be getting dropped off for some rest and relaxation time as soon as I've signed papers that promise a paycheck within the next month. I don't want to clean out my emergency fund unless I know I've got more on the way. Nevermind that I need her to get to interviews, and hopefully a place of employment after that.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGh-bZtT8oFW1GK98B2AqRr9cdXWfH29fdXhjBdVKXhpNYhSUWxtEU0pSjvnvEU00okQGrUOUNYIngCvCFwpYunXk6mUbLlIzThtpcF_RnLxBS6eCTMezDVxxDqeAAbEjdS-duiOwTXx4c/s1600/IMG_0247.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGh-bZtT8oFW1GK98B2AqRr9cdXWfH29fdXhjBdVKXhpNYhSUWxtEU0pSjvnvEU00okQGrUOUNYIngCvCFwpYunXk6mUbLlIzThtpcF_RnLxBS6eCTMezDVxxDqeAAbEjdS-duiOwTXx4c/s320/IMG_0247.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518712185092373970" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Ain't she purdy? And yes, it's that back passenger wheel that I switched out after this photo. You can see the chunk missing from the rim at the bottom, which had a sharp pointy edge that got bent in and wore through the tire. Switching to the spare means I won't be doing more than 50mph or using my 4x4 until I get new tires. (FYI: the previous owner cracked the rim, not me.)<br /><br />But you know what?<br /><br />That's <span style="font-style: italic;">my</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>baby.medic birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16170449991405773288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908082595331979385.post-76988451285451334792010-09-12T01:37:00.013-04:002010-09-12T03:28:32.059-04:009/11 and The 'StanEveryone's got a 9/11 post. I was twelve years old and living in New York City.<br /><br />End of story.<br /><br />So here's to my best friend from childhood, currently deployed to the middle of nowhere, Afghanistan. You'd better kick some military ass and get your E4. Your monthly care package is a little belated but definitely enroute. I'm so proud of you for doing your EMT training while you're over there. You're going to be an awesome tech. I wish I was there to watch your back. I'll be waiting to completely embarrass you at the gate when you come home for leave next month.<br /><br />I love you. Stay safe.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/afgmatters/4497084676/" title="Bagram Valley by AfghanistanMatters, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2699/4497084676_bf4d9c3f98.jpg" alt="Bagram Valley" height="299" width="500" /></a><br />Photo compliments of NATO's <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/afgmatters/">AfghanistanMatters</a>.<span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kqLssKusGzM?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kqLssKusGzM?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>medic birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16170449991405773288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908082595331979385.post-63977856242406702732010-09-09T15:47:00.003-04:002010-09-09T15:57:12.048-04:00The Great CommonwealthFinally mostly settled in up here and already doing shifts with the campus volunteer squad. If it's not a scheduled party night, you can almost safely plan on having six hours of study time while dragging around a jump kit and listening to Public Safety chatter on the radio. No, we do not have an ambulance. I looked in to getting one, but we don't even have $10,000 for a used one, let alone stocking and maintenance. Fortunately, the local fire station is across the street.<br /><br />And they like to have barbecues. :)medic birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16170449991405773288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908082595331979385.post-29536766337479524402010-09-05T01:08:00.002-04:002010-09-05T01:17:26.803-04:00Last CallThis time yesterday, I'd just finished my last call at my private ambulance company in New York City, a normal hospital to nursing home discharge. This time yesterday, I was sitting in the courtyard of the nursing home, playing dominoes with two elderly Latino men and my very Jamaican partner. This time yesterday, I was plotting with the one old man who spoke no English so we could defeat the other two at the table.<br /><br />And not long after this yesterday, I sat in my car across the street from our ambulance base, crying.<br /><br />I miss you guys.medic birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16170449991405773288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908082595331979385.post-52695644812406770912010-09-02T23:37:00.008-04:002010-09-13T17:08:49.083-04:00Rookies and Flag DownsTowards the end of shift. Sitting on a half-empty street with another one of our units, passing time as we keep the engines running for the mediocre air conditioning and music in 100+ degree heat. Taking bets as to whether we'll have another call before we get off.<br /><br />The van pulls up to the curb in front of us. The driver hops out, frantically waving to us.<br /><br />You don't just jump out of your bus for a crazy person in a van. It's late at night in New York City, and the general public thinks all ambulances carry narcotics.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Our friend is having a seizure!"<br /></span><br />My rookie partner is at the patient's side in the time it takes me to flag down the other unit for backup. Rookie partner looks like a deer in headlights.<br /><br />The teenage patient is actively seizing, sprawled on a bench seat in the van.<br /><br />Two more passengers have joined the driver on the sidewalk. They know a name and age, and that this is the patient's third migraine induced seizure in two weeks. The patient said they felt sick and began vomiting prior to seizing.<br /><br />The stretcher lines up with the bench seat, we slide the patient on, and the tech from the other unit catches my eye and gives a nod towards my rookie partner reaching to put the stretcher in Trendelenburg rather than positioning for aspiration precautions. I intervene, and look towards the tech. This is technically rookie partner's patient, and so far they're looking as though<span style="font-style: italic;"> they </span>should be the one on the stretcher. I can't drive Code 1 <span style="font-style: italic;">and</span> babysit<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>from the driver's seat.<br /><br />The tech winks and grabs their BP cuff from their bus, hopping into my bus with rookie partner.<br /><br />In the 2 minutes I take to go 1.7 miles, I find the time to call a notification.<br /><br />But we have no paperwork on arrival despite two techs in the back.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"It's rookie partner's call,"</span> the other tech informs me with an evil grin, before stepping outside for a cigarette.<br /><br />First order of business: Get rookie partner a coffee. Second order of business: Walk through how Patient Care Reports are essentially the same for a flagdown. Third order of business: Show rookie partner that our patient in the trauma room is now sitting up and talking coherently.<br /><br />The relief on rookie partner's face? Priceless.medic birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16170449991405773288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908082595331979385.post-71526312078075052482010-08-22T21:22:00.005-04:002010-08-22T22:13:49.830-04:00Mucho Dolor?The nurse at the doctor's office gave us his history, but we still had to ask.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Yo hablo un poco español. Un poco poco.</span><br /><br />He smiled and nodded, explaining as simply as he could that he had pain in his lower back and down his left leg, and he couldn't feel his left foot.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">O.K.?</span> got him comfortably situated on the stretcher, and <span style="font-style: italic;">O.K.?</span> made sure he was still comfortable after we loaded him into the ambulance.<br /><br />He replied that he was fine, just the pain in his back.<br /><br />Two minutes later, at the triage line at the ER, I asked for the two things missing from the doctor's transfer sheet.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">ID? Driver's License?</span> accompanied by a finger outline of their size.<br /><br />He passed me his Medicaid card and learner's permit. I jotted the insurance and his address onto my paperwork and grinned as I handed them back.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Only a learner's permit?</span> I teased, tapping the big words at the top of his shiny new ID.<br /><br />He laughed and grinned back in understanding, then pulled a picture from his wallet.<br /><br />His great-grandson.medic birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16170449991405773288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908082595331979385.post-47188238324815265592010-08-10T01:27:00.005-04:002010-08-10T01:42:28.409-04:00Medication Caution: RevatioI'm being lazy. Here's the text from the REMAC website:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Revatio® (Generic Name: sildenafil citrate)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Revatio (re-vah-tee-o) is a fairly new drug on the market used to treat pulmonary hypertension. Pulmonary hypertension causes increased blood pressure in the blood vessels of the lungs. Because of this, patients are not able to tolerate physical activity and exercise as they used to. You may find patients with COPD that also have pulmonary hypertension. It is very important for all EMS providers to be aware of Revatio because it is made of the same drug as Viagra. The generic name for Viagra and Revatio is sildenafil (sill-dena-fill). Patients on Revatio are contraindicated from receiving Nitroglycerin the same as those on Viagra, Levitra or Cialis. Administration of nitroglycerin to a patient on Revatio could cause a sudden and severe drop in blood pressure. This is an important thing to remember because oftentimes the patient is on a generic form of a drug rather than the brand name. Look for patients with a history of chronic breathing problems—especially when brought on by exertion, to be on Revatio. If you encounter a patient taking Revatio that has indications for nitroglycerin (chest pain), document that the patient is on Revatio and therefore, is unable to receive nitroglycerin. As a reminder, the State and Regional protocol for withholding nitroglycerin has been increased to 72 hours in the presence of Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis (erectile dysfunction drugs). You can find additional information at: http://www.drugs.com/pro/revatio.html</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Current and Updated Protocols can be accessed at the Regional EMS Council website: <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://www.nycremsco.org/default.asp">www.nycremsco.org</a>.</span><br /></div><br />More on pulmonary hypertension later...medic birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16170449991405773288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908082595331979385.post-52504877341095176832010-08-08T20:39:00.005-04:002010-08-08T22:09:10.397-04:00RecertificationSo it's that magical time of year where I realize my EMT license expires next spring, and I ought to get a preemptive start on doing my refresher.<br /><br />Obviously, this involves an epic choice between recertifying in Massachusetts vs. recertifying in New York. :)<br /><br />New York EMT licenses last for 3 years. Refreshing in New York City involves Challenge Exams (similar to the normal state practical), and then 3-4 months of classes. You're required to attend the ones regarding the sections that you did badly on during the Challenge. Then you get a final exam.<br /><br />Massachusetts EMT licenses last for 2 years. Refreshing requires 28 CMEs and a 24 hour refresher class. You can do all of the CMEs and 18 of those 24 hours <span style="font-style: italic;">online</span>.<br /><br />The 3 year thing is really tempting. When I got my original Massachusetts license reciprocated by New York, they went according to the date on my Massachusetts license. So both of my licenses expire in the spring of 2011, 2 years after I got certified.<br /><br />But I'm moving back to Massachusetts in 28 days, so a refresher class in New York isn't exactly practical.<br /><br />And, little known fact:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I LOVE ONLINE CMES.</span> Even if I didn't need them to recertify, I'd still be doing them.<br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://www.emcert.com/">EMCert.com</a>, my personal favorite and the place where I have a 1 year subscription :)<br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://www.mediced.com/">MedicEd.com</a><br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://www.eminet.com/">EMInet.com</a><br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://www.webcme.com/">WebCME.com</a>medic birdiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16170449991405773288noreply@blogger.com2