Click here o see a profanity and share in my frusteration

[Chief1C]

Absolutely, Rich... More than once I've feared for our safety because a lone family member realized it was just too late. It's almost always a case of wait till the last minute, and they're down, and you can't fix it with all the doodads and tricks in the ambo. I take on almost a mortician like attitude, in that you talk sitting beside them, or you hug, hand on shoulder, hand in hand.. something to show them you are concerned for them now that nothing can be done for their loved one. By the time a dispatcher even taps out a run, a very high percentage of the time, it's far too late.

I had an issue with closure once in my life, and it takes years to overcome that feeling of something you should have done. So, in the case of an in-home death, where we arrive and either determine it to be far too late; or that we won't be able to resuscitate them, I offer the family a few minutes to say goodbye. I believe that it truly does help. Now if it's a grusome scene, that's different, and each case has to be handled as you find it. Suicides, dead for a while, crime scenes, etc. You just have to find something inside you to explain that their loved one has passed on, left the body, and they wouldn't want said family member to go through the grief and suffering of seeing them that way. Etc. Take it as you will.

[chbare]

Hang in there mate. Take a day to clear your head and enjoy life without work.

[Steve Whitehead]

Sometimes it sucks. In some ways, we are privileged to be so close to awful human tragedy. It reminds us of how amazingly valuable and fragile life is. But, no doubt, that reminder always comes at a cost. Calls like that reach inside and take a little bite out of you. Unless you've sacrificed every last bit of your humanity to the work, it will always take a bite out of you.

Thanks for sharing.

[medic1906]

Mobey, by now I'm sure you have heard about all the supportive comments you care to hear, but I just want to tell you, your not alone. So many of the people in our field of work are affected by one call or another. I have been in the EMS field for more years than I care to admit and I can tell you, if you are really ment to be a medic, you will always have calls that affect you in one way or another. If it doesn't affect you, it's time to get out. The fact that you obviously have taken this call to heart just goes to show, you are in the correct field of work. But on the other side of that coin, as many have said in this string, take care of yourself. Take a day, get your favorit toy and go out and play. Most of all remember, you did everything you possibly could. That is all that woman was asking of you. Just an honest try. I would imagen by your post, you put everything you had into that call. That's all that can be asked. Take solace in that fact.

Hang in there dude.

[txladymedic]

That just sucks! It sucks when you lose not only your patient but the life of someone who hasn't even had a chance to live and is in essence an innocent bystander to the situation.

It's always nice to have one of those calls after something like that you can go "Good save!". Sometimes it makes the suck go down just a little easier.

There will always be a call or two that affects you but hopefully as time goes on the sting of it dulls.

Hang in there!

[DFIB]

That just sucks! It sucks when you lose not only your patient but the life of someone who hasn't even had a chance to live and is in essence an innocent bystander to the situation.

It's always nice to have one of those calls after something like that you can go "Good save!". Sometimes it makes the suck go down just a little easier.

There will always be a call or two that affects you but hopefully as time goes on the sting of it dulls.

Hang in there!

It is good to see you agan! Try and not b a stranger!