uglymedic

AZCEP, call it "gestalt" or a gut feeling. It just don't look like v-tach to me. Also the rate doesn't suggest v-tach. At least that's what I weer taut in paremedik skool. I'm definitely not claiming to be right and there's not much info here to go on but I'd almost expect to see a little bump about the size of a stopwatch under the pt's chest and see pacer spikes. For those of you sharpening up your razors getting ready to electronically slit my throat (Rid, paramedicmike, etc.) me, stop. I'm not calling it a paced rhythm. Let's just say I'm calling in not v-tach. I'm not claiming to be right. Peace OK? ug

I am by no means knocking anyone who is extremly enthusiastic about this career but relationships are a give and take thing, two way street, etc. EMS was not the sole reason for my divorce, but it sure was a contributor. I understand your mate's dedication to the job but, just as we take care of perfect strangers, we must take care of ourselves and our loved ones as well. Sometimes this means telling the shift sup. "No, I can't work extra tonight." or, "No, I can't work Friday, I'm going on a date with my wife/daughter/son/friend". You don't even owe them an excuse. "No" should suffice. I showed my family then that my love for them was me working my *ss off and "bringing home the bacon" so they could have a nice house, car, food, etc. Well, it did nothing more than make me not at home to see my kids first steps, hear their first word, miss their Christmas plays, and their parent teacher conferences. I pored my heart and soul into this job and got nothing but an ex-wife and every other week custody and child support. Oh, and my employer didn't give a rat's *ss about how much I worked either. Now, with my new wife, I turn down some of the extra shifts so I can be home with my family. So I can take out the garbage instead of my wife having to do it because I'm not home. I've seen my new daughter roll over, take her first steps, and can understand her speaking because I'm around her enough. And, I'm there for my wife so she doesn't feel alone all the time. Yes, I love my profession. I love the people I work with. I like the patients I care for. I also love my family and don't want to lose them and hate my career because I blame it for my loss. I've been told by my very beautiful and loving wife on occasion to take a day off or turn down an extra shift because her and the kids miss me. I didn't get mad. It makes me feel good to know that I'm missed and needed. Yes, EMS is a career, and I'm very lucky that I love it. Your JOB is NOT your life. You will not die if you don't take that shift. Any (decent) employer won't fire you for not holding over for a few hours. The shift will get covered, people will respond to calls and you don't have to be there. It takes a lot to be married to an EMS worker, a firefighter, or a police officer. Think about what they go through too. Especially after 9/11, cop killers, random shootings, watching Ladder 49, or the latest Nickleback video (which made my wife cry and hate the fact that I'm a firefighter). Would I do it all again? Well, I'd still dump the ex, but I'd be there more for my kids. Peace and love, ug

I'm probably wrong, but I just can't agree with the V-tach. I'll guess A-fib with RVR. ug

Dispatched to local residence priority 1 for 57 y/o female choking, unable to breathe. Husband on scene has medical problems and cannot help, neighbor on scene too small and cannot help. A fast paced walk inside and we come to the husband pointing down the hallway (it's an old single wide trailer) saying, "she's in the bathroom." Enter bathroom expecting the worst and find a lady standing 6'3" and 250 lbs. (no wonder they couldn't help) standing in front of the toilet gagging, coughing, and spitting. She is PWD and moving air well. I ask her what's going on. "I took a drink of my pop and didn't notice there were ants in it and swallowed them and one is stuck in my throat." Yeah, OK... So, I look with a flashlight and sure enough! There's a black ant clamped onto her left tonsil. Attempts to remove with a q-tip aren't successful. Laryngoscope with #3 miller and Magill forceps are used to extricate the ant. Pt. is very thankful and feeling much better. We clear the scene and advise central that the ant was successfully extricated from the patient's throat and we were available. The dispatcher tried unsuccessfully to not laugh as well as her colleagues in the background. On the way back to the station, I questioned how one could drink ants in soda. My partner says while they were standing there, he noticed about fifteen ants on their bed. My partner, myself, and our ride along all caught a good case of "the creepy itchies" for awhile. On a side note, one of the dispatchers knew "her". Apparently she wasn't a large woman, she was a former man. God I love my job! ug

This my friend is known as the "Kobeyashi Maru" scenario. If you are not a Star Trek fan, this is a scenario that a starship captain is put in and no matter what happens, he loses. It is to test your character and resolve as well as how you react to losing. I participated in a BTLS course where I was a victim that had multiple GSW, multiple stab wounds, and a CHI due to a baseball bat. No matter what any crew did, I died. I'll add to your scenario. You forgot your boots, your partner is 40 wks pregnant and contractions are two minutes apart (her water broke on the way to the call), one of the vehicles is overturned, glowing, with a "live radioactive material" placard on it, your partner flushed the toilet while you were showering and scalded you, and it burns when you urinate. That should put you in a better spot! :headbang: ug

Ruff, it takes a great person to admit when they're wrong! Rock on baby! Hope the others can say it too! ug

It's incredible how many excuses I read about why James was called, in essence, a liar. It's also amazing that there's not one apology from the people who were accusing him of lying. Not one, "Sorry for calling you a liar", "Sorry I accused your story of being full of sh*t." There's a lot of "callous up", and such, but still not one, "I'm sorry". Much to their dismay, old dogs make mistakes just like rookies. Some just tend to try and overlook their mistakes and try and talk about something else. I could actually see the group of hyenas gathering, and watch the attack on James slowly get worse until it was almost a feeding frenzy. This is a community, not "the good ol' boys club". Just because someone is not a VIP member or a sponsor doesn't mean that they should be attacked. Skepticism is one thing, but flat out saying someone's story is B.S. is another. ug

Mrs. Smith is teaching her third graders about science. In part of her lesson she tells the children that humans are the only species that stutter. Little Bobby raises his hand and says, "Mrs. Smith, I had a cat that would stutter!" Mrs. Smith, loving the cute little stories that children tell, asked him to proceed. "Well, one time we were in the back yard. The neighbor's rottweiler got a running start and jumped the fence! He headed straight for my cat. Well, my cat starts going, 'Fffff', 'Ffffff", and before he could say "F*ck, the rott ate him!" ug

Smart *ss. So I'm not up on my internet lingo. I have other things to try and pack into my "geezer" brain. I'm also having a hard time with the quote things so some of my stuff is mixed in with NBSP's. I apologize for making anyone think that I was being hostile about this or for making "non-believers" or atheists feel that I thought they were idiots. That was not my intent. Peace NBSP. You made me think. I hope you're taking philosophy classes. You'll do well. ug

Paroxysmal flickets? With FLB's? Was the patient feeling woogity? Could be terminal. :wav: ug

This is honestly the first time using the "quote" things, so I'm hoping this will work. NNDB, I was particularly amused by the fact that 1.) it made your head hurt, and 2.) "I am going to call you an idiot and a jerk in a pretentious manner, ignoring the fact that this will get me nowhere in a manner still practiced only by third-graders and congressmen. I will now use a cliche but rather cool method to make my next argument seem more valid." Ahhh, yeah. Have you read any of your pretentious e-mails? You're going to assume that persons of faith are nothing more than morons yourself? The part about this thread that I don't like is those people such as NNDB and Ace who talk down to people of faith and treat them as idiots for believing in something they can't see or comprehend. There is no way to prove to an atheist that God exists just as there is no way for an atheist to prove that God doesn't exist. I also agree with the person (forgive me I can't remember who - and I'm paraphrasing here) said that evolution can be part of God's work. The average human height alone has increased by what? Six inches over a hundred years? Why can't other things change? NNDB, I'm going to try and not put you down because honestly, from reading your threads, you appear to be a pretty intelligent person. That's based solely on your writings. I don't condemn anyone for their beliefs because that's not my place. I work with a Wiccan and we have very spirited discussions about higher powers. Also, please enlighten me as to the difference between atheists and agnostics. I forget. I will agree with others that I'd like to see you after a few hundred thousand miles on them tires to see if you have the same cynical opinions you have now. Puppy. Lastly, and I've said it before, the only ca-ca that will be stirred is from people treating other people like idiots. Yes, I am passionate and may have reacted rather harshly but Jesus wasn't afraid to open a can of whup-*ss when he kicked the money changers and the vendors out of the temple either. Oh, and yes, God is in a rose. Let's put it another way, I just can't see something like glycogenesis just happening. Let alone all the other mysterious and wonderful things that exist in our world. Peace out! ug

An immature *sshole like me would probably say something like, "Sexual Intercourse"! But I promise, I'm not going to! ug

I have done what urbanmedic said about rubbing your partner's leg on a call. Perhaps a good, "Good Game!" slap on the tush too. Also, try blowing in their ear. You can actually watch goosebumps form! Works for hot ER nurses as well. At least the ones with a sense of humor. Yes, I've had all these done to me by male and female partners/coworkers and laughed about it! ug

Yes Windsong! I especially loved the part about, "...you can keep the $100 if I get to see the K-9 officer using your arm as a chew toy!" I also like the part about running toward the crazed gunman. This is good, I think I'll share this with the cops I know. ug

Normal bumps and bruises for me. My biggest injury is usually from hitting my head on the grab rails due to not enough headroom. Best way to train a new driver is to treat them to a cup of coffee, have them put it between their legs while full, take the cap off and have them drive with it there. Then inform them that's how they should drive with a patient in back. As far as the b*tch that threw you into the bulkhead and into the well, normally I don't advocate violence against women, but I do encourage revenge. She needs to get a proverbial *ss whoopin'! Also, if your AMI pt is sick enough to warrant lights and siren, generally they don't care because they're too busy trying, or trying not, to die. Don't forget: Time is muscle. ug

You know, honestly Ruffems I've had the chance to read a few of your posts and you seem to get insulted really easily. I was under the impression that there was thicker skin involved. Yes, I called you an anal retentive kill-joy administrator. Perhaps I was thinking of someone else's post. As far as what happened to you with the Lasix, I really don't think that was right. That did deserve termination. Now, so I don't insult you, I will not tell you to get a life, buy a sense of humor, relax, have a beer, or grow thicker skin. I'll just wish you a peachy keen day. I hope that doesn't insult you. Stayin' insult free, ug

Also, look in the earpieces of the "community stethoscopes" once and you will realize why you want your own 'scope! ug

I think it's all based on personal preference. I would recommend borrowing as many as possible. I do not hesitate do ask an ER nurse for their stethoscope to listen to lung sounds one last time before turning over patient care. Especially if it looks like a nice one. (Stethoscope not nurse!) I borrowed a particularly nice electronic stethoscope from a (hot!) nurse and it worked great! Especially considering my hearing deficits (from ^&%$##@& sirens all these years!). I can't remember the exact price but it seemed reasonable considering the quality. Of course, it wasn't in the back of a moving ambulance. My stethoscope is the best. It's a cheap-o Littman. The best part is: it was free! Unclaimed in the back of a rig for two weeks, and no messages from anybody about a lost stethoscope. I prefer the littmans compared to the cheapie spragues just because of the soft-seal ear pieces compared to the nasty hard ones of the cheap-o's. Gets a better seal, etc. as mentioned before. Plus, on spragues, the separate tubes have a tendency to bang into each other in the back of a moving rig. RidRyder, calling someone a "whacker" just because they want/have a nice stethoscope is like calling someone an idiot because they spent $100 on a nice pair of boots. You get what you pay for. ug p.s. I understand the reason behind putting entire articles in threads but isn't there a way to get the Cliff's Notes version and post the link too?

Oh oh! A Clockwork Orange! I finally got one! OK. Now it's time to answer my older one. There's been only one person who admitted to knowing it: "Fishbine, what does the B stand for in F and B?" It should be required watching in all EMT classes. ug

I can see the point of convenience when moving the patient. I can see the point of removing them from the backboard once at the receiving facility. I think doing that would depend on your relationship with the facility and personnel. Vacuum mattresses work great too. Anyone ever heard of inflating a BP cuff in the small of the back for patient comfort? I've used it once and the patient loved it. In this area, it is very difficult to get an order for pain meds for back pain due to the high incidence of abuse. I have given MS for back pain when I was pretty sure the patient wasn't faking (in one case, I could actually visualize the muscle spasms). This seems to be beyond a backboard issue though. Your partner sounds like a jackass for being unapproachable. See my posting under EMS practical jokes for acts of revenge for a jackass partner. Always be open for ways on getting things done. Work smarter, not harder. G

Mild: Short sheet your partner's bed. Sugar/salt or sugar/flour switch (classic). Loose tops on salt/pepper shakers. Decaf for caffeinated coffee. Moderate: KY Jelly on the toilet seat (classic - my mom had this done to her in the 1960's in nursing school!), door handles or car door handles. Don't use Vaseline or petrolatum products as this doesn't wash easily and can ruin some car finishes. Sew your partner's socks closed about 1/4 of the way from the toes. 250cc bag of saline, tubing: set at < TKO rate, put bag between mattress and box spring, run tubing under sheet. Weight will cause a slow leak. Ketchup or mustard packets under the front tires of the rig. When your partner falls asleep, paint their fingernails with Wite Out. Hang newbie firefighter's helmet from ceiling filled with your choice of items: Popcorn, water, foam, etc. Saran Wrap: toilet seat, doorways, cars, small animals (just kidding!). Rig battery off: turn on sirens, wipers, heater, and radio at full blast. Rig at local store with personnel inside: hide in darkened pt. compartment and surprise them when they get seat-belted in. The extreme ones don't bear mentioning as they can potentially cause bodily harm, as in the case of lasix causing an electrolyte imbalance. However, I think any self-respecting police officer would laugh in your humorless face if you called because somebody messed with your sirens while the rig is shut off. Go out and purchase your sense of humor back from the pawn shop. You'll make a perfect anal-retentive killjoy administrator. Firing them for pranks, sheesh. And making them put the door back on because you MacGyver'd your way out wasn't harsh, but telling them to f*ck off is going to get you hated quickly. We can still be professionals and have fun at work. If you bake a cake with laxative in it and you DON'T tell anyone they can have some, are you still responsible? I'm not going to name names or even the sex of the perp but this is an extreme that I found funny. Primarily because my ex-spouse cheated on me. Person finds out their spouse is cheating on them. (Not suspected - confirmed.) Person goes to spouse's bed ('cause they're not planning on sleeping there anymore), takes 6 ft section of fiberglass insulation, carefully places between sheets and proceeds to jump on bed a few times. Removes fiberglass batt and taps the unfaithful spouse's underwear in the crotchal area a few times with it too. That's inconvenience. Keep laughing. It helps! ug

You're right Ace. These people deserve to be treated with compassion and love. Wait...a...second... Not! Still don't have any compassion for a baby raper or wife/mom/girl murderer! Sorry! Never will! Not saying the Russians were tops in that area but "Keep It Simple Stupid" can apply to more areas than EMS. Interestingly though, I remember seeing an article on the tele that said the russians felt themselves more compassionate because they didn't give a specific execution date. Just went in, fetched 'em, brought 'em out back, tied them to an old box spring, and carried out the orders. It's all about the point of view too. Still loving this discussion... ug

Sorry paramedicmike, but my disclaimer stated, "If I'm not mistaken..." I knew it was a sedative, a paralytic, and KCl. #-o You're right, I'm wrong. Yay for you! :lol:/ I read the "botched executions" section. I'd be interested in seeing what these persons were guilty of. Sounds like they need better medics to start the IVs. "Needle pointing toward the hand?" My god! There's always the Russian option of a bullet in the head... Still doesn't change my view. If anything, it needs to be more streamlined. ug

Oh, and if I'm not mistaken, the cocktail is: Versed, Norcuron or Vercuronium, and Potassium Chloride. In that order. Still more than they deserve. I've never heard of a murderer giving sedatives to their victims to avoid "cruel and unusual punishment". ug

Asy, you must have gotten an A+ in philosophy. I must commend you on that string. It is quite the brain twister. However, I think it would be ethical because the executioner does not make the person commit the crime. Therefore, any "pleasure" (I don't think that word is correct - sounds like a person getting their jollies by doing it) would be in seeing punishment and justice carried out. I can see how my previous messages could make a person think of the word. When I think of innocents like women and children being harmed like that, I believe there should be swift and merciless justice. I know exactly what I would do to someone that hurt or killed my family and close friends. I think there are many people who are against the death penalty simply because they don't like the word "death". Many, but not all of these people, have never had a member of their family fall victim to a rapist, murderer, or child molester. I do not mean to offend any of those who have and are still against the death penalty. They are by far bigger and better than I. Unfortunately, I am not capable of that degree of forgiveness. There are a great deal of posts that love to throw the word "ethics" into play, and by all means they should. This has a great deal to do with ethics, but I believe on a more personal level. You would be, simply put, following a protocol. Fortunately, or unfortunately in my eyes, my state does not have the death penalty. In continuing with the ethics debate, let's open another door... What about the "ethical" people in EMS that are guilty of drinking and driving? Spousal/child abuse? Substance abuse? Use of illegal internet porn? I have seen patients die because of incompetency on the part of other medics and nothing done about it. What is done about these people? Where are your ethics now? Are ethics only applicable when death is discussed, or when it's convenient? Anyway Asy, I am more than happy to agree to disagree with you. This is nothing more than opinions anyway and I take no offense by anyone being for or against it. This is supposed to be a mature discussion about a controversial subject and I find it intellectually stimulating. I'm just trying to point out a different point of view. Oh, and while the offer of benzo's is nice, I'll just stick to Captain Morgan and Diet Coke. Maybe some Mike's Hard Lemonade for fun and because of the heat. Peace and love y'all! ugly p.s. Huh-huh, I said stimulating!