0630: Wake up late. Shake fist at alarm clock, run around house like maniac getting ready.
0652: Emerge from house. It’s 24 degrees outside. Where did fall go???? Thank God for Under Armor.
0657: Arrive at station, carry in computer bag, book bag, purse, comforter, 2nd blanket, pillow and lunch bag. Visibly absent is my cup of coffee. Not a good start to the day.
0700: Stare at ambulance with Rockstar Partner. Ponder washing it. Immediately decide to do it later.
0716: Lay down on couch, cover up with comforter.
0717: Start snoring. (Hey, I’m sick, cut a girl some slack.)
0825: Phone rings. Dispatch has a private Hospice run for us. Of we go!
0840: Patient is DOA.
0843: Consider a body bag as patient is now a body donation. Informed that we don’t carry them. Grab a sheet and head back into house, hanging back while family members say their goodbyes. Try not to get misty eyed.
0850: Patient loaded, heading to local medical hospital.
0922 : Am greeted at morgue with this sign:
Well, that’s not good.
0930: Informed that our patient will be remaining our patient until we find an alternate home for him.
Dear Management,
While I understand the importance of the entire management staff leaving the state to go prepare your hunting site for the upcoming season, you might want to consider giving us a way to contact you while you are gone. Just in case two of your EMT’s are sitting around out of service with a patient who has ceased to be. Just sayin.
Much Love,
Epi
1023: Thanks to some foot stomping on my part and the dashing good looks and silver tongue that Rockstar Partner possesses, our patient has a new home.
1100ish: Back at the station.
1200: No runs. Nothing on the board with dispatch. Take boots off and sit on couch.
1400: I wake up and am informed that I’ve been “Snoring like a chain saw”. Not surprising, considering that the “Plague” has now settled in my sinuses and chest.
1600: Still no runs. Start to feel very much UN-like Paramedic Dan. (My apologies to those who don’t get the reference.)
1700: Go outside long enough to make a phone call. Rockstar Partner emerges from our comfy lair to remind me that we need to wash the truck.
1705: We wash our ambulance. Crowds cheer. My fingers are numb.
1740ish: We’re done washing the truck, inside and out, and cleaning out the station. Still nothing on the board.
2000: The stars are out. I realize I’m running a fever in addition to feeling like “hammered shit” (credit to Ambulance Driver). No one will come in to work for me. I curl up on the couch wrapped in my comforter and watch Family Guy with RP.
2300: My eyes close.
2348 – 0520ish: I toss and turn, waking up every hour or so coughing and shivering and staring at the clock.
0645: The alarm on my phone wakes me up. No runs pending. Paramedic Dan rolls over in his proverbial grave.
0705: Our relief shows up.
Well, half of our relief show up anyway. The other half shows up a few minutes later.
**********
24 hours and five minutes at the station.
One run.
And he was a DOA.
Friends and neighbors, some days are easier than others. This was clearly one of the easier days.
An easy day is always welcomed, especially when you feel like ‘hammered shit’. I did 2 12s this weekend and we fielded 12 EMS calls and a couple calls that were false fire alarms. Hope you feel better quickly!
Gawd, thanks Girl.
I’m improving, that’s all I can ask for at this point.
I had a 24 like that a couple of weeks ago. I made many flashcards. Ate popcorn. Slept all night. Most excellent.
How’s school?
I’m lucky – never had to transport a body (except once when someone started CPR prior to our arrival, and we got stuck with it). Here, we call for a police agency for obvious unattended deaths, and they take over (albeit mostly reluctantly), notify the ME, and stay with the family until things happen. We mostly get the heck outta Dodge ASAP.
But we do carry body bags. Not sure why. ;)
Ya need shifts like that sometimes…especially when you’re feeling under the weather. They help make up for the less pleasant days.
As for body bags…we carry them too, even though we don’t transport the non-living. We have them for containment…mostly potential Hazard exposure (think “white powder” incidents). Of late, they’ve been more for an increasing number of patients with insect infestations (scabies & lice are nothing…we’re talking big crawly bed bugs, etc.). Critters you want neither near you, nor in your truck. Of course, the don’t get it zipped over their head…but otherwise one heck of a cocoon for pest containment.
I’m jealous :)
With us lately it’s been a lot of BOHICA-type stuff – ALS transfers at 2:30AM that turn out to be BS. Back-to-back. To-back.
And we don’t carry body bags…
I don’t remember the last time I had a no-hitter or even a one-hitter. But considering the way you felt, you needed one. And that’s a good thing.
How is school going?
Hey Walt :) Excellent use of those bags. Kind of wishing we had them for the same reason now.
School is going really well… I’m doing very well as far as grades, and my subpar IV skills are rapidly improving!
Sounds like a day at my house- no dead bodies on shift though for recent clinicals- but since we can’t technically sleep on clinicals I have perfected the art of catnapping as we’re rolling red with sirens and howler going at warp speed! Because one I can’t read or write while rolling at warp speed and since I try to multi-task as much as possible- well, you get the picture!
It’s always funny how some days you will run your ass off and others you have nothing at all to do. Enjoy the slow days, too.
Glad you’re starting to feel better. Get well soon. :)
As of 3/08, it is against DOH policy to transport a body in an ambulance in my state. I can think of a FEW more pointless transports for an ambulance and crew, but not many.