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If you are going to have a heart attack, today was the day to have it


Happiness

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so this is how my day went yesterday, I truely find it amazing how some times our universe just makes thinks work out in the end.

Just finished my first coffee and was about to get ready for work. At 7:45 my pager went of for a routine call. Called into dispatch and they said it was now a code 3 call.

On my way out the door looking like medusa and trying to get my hair in a pony tail, I say see you later to my husband and he says back " have a good friday". I said ya this is a good start to the day little did I know

Get to station and while waiting for my partner I call dispatch again to get more info. She says 52 yr old male was out at the beach picking up crab pots (they are about 100 lbs) felt chest pain, came home, sat down and said to wife you need to phone the ambulance. I asked if this pt has a cardiac hx and they didnt know at that point. Once I got the address I knew my answer. This is my friend for 25 years who taught me how to fish, took me in when I left my husband and my husbands cousin. 2 years ago while he was fishing he had a heart attack and suffered 30% damage as a result along with open heart surgery.

So the first part of the above subject line is the fact that I had a partner. We have a seconday medic that is here once a month and if she wasn't I would have been by myself and waiting for the other medics 40 mins away.

Got to the house met by wife and she says what happens, see the patient sitting on recliner, moaning, ashen and gasping for breath. My partner started her assessment. I went back to the car to get the cot, and AED. I grabbed the phone to call the hospital to let them know to get ahold of the Dr. and we will be there in five minutes, I never call them until Im on my way. Go in as my partner is looking at me like We need to leave now. Onto the cot, Airway in and in the car in 1 minute. He was swating at us at this point, then I hear her call his name, and I just knew I had to fly. The hospital is maybe 2 mins from the house. On my way I again call and say CPR is being performed so meet us at the doors.

So you might think that total chaos but everyone started to work as a team, setting up the AED, getting lines in, Bagging you know all that life saving stuff. In the end he was shocked 11 times had all the drugs and even the new ones that just came in the day before and 40 minutes of CPR, he came back. He never flat lined and always had a shockable rythm. The second part of the subject is that everyone (nurses and DR) in that room has worked in major trauma ER's and we all have experience, not one newbie to freeze or get in the way (Dont take offence to that)

The third part of the subject. A plane was called for and it happen to be 40 minutes away. This plane was a normal transfer plane that happen to have a CCT crew on board. They are never on those planes.

They land at 11:15 and off to the hospital we go, 4 hrs later getting his BP to a better level they left. The forth part.....The weather was picking up and as they left not 5 mins later the gusts start to get to 80k, any longer that plane would have been grounded.

He made it to Van, had surgery for two plugged stints and another one replaced, in a drug induced coma for 24 hrs and now its a hope for the best situation.

Thanks for listening.

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It's always tough when it is a friend or family. There is an emotional residue that takes a while to work out. Good for you for posting. It's part of the process.. (As I'm sure you already know)

Good work and our prayers are with your friend.

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Sometimes, in the worst of scenarios, meaning it's a friend or family member, the stars align and everything works the way it's supposed to. Prayers to your friend and his family and if you to vent more, just shoot me an inbox msg.

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Thanks you two. It is still a hope for the best prepare for the worst. He was in the hypothermia state for 24 hours or so. Today they are going to try and wake him up. I seem to have a bit of a feeling of dread today, dont know why but do. No one in that room at the time figured he was going to come back and was destine to the cooler. He was shocked 11 times and that cant be good for the ole ticker, and I think it is having an effect with the heart pump that he is on. It is real hard to get info out of those that dont have any medical background, and I dont want to bother the family.

I am more worried about his step daughter as she for some reason went into the room after he was all hooked up to everything. I wasnt there at that time but walked in when she was about to have a break down and took her out. She is a very sensitive girl and I wish I could have stopped that vision for her at least not let her do it on her own. The step daughter is going to be graduating on Saturday and I hope that she dosnt have to deal with a funeral looming. It will all work out in the end as it suppose to.

The worst part for me on that day was when his cousin was all of a sudden at the door of the ambulance wondering if he was in the back . We were waiting for the crew to land. Apperently they had a big fight not long before and he was feeling pretty bad. I told him to go to the hospital (because we are so family orrientated here you will always have your chance to say goodbye) and say his peace that his cousin would hear him. He gave me a big hug and couldn't seem to let go and when he did I saw the big tears in his eyes. He hugged me so long that some guy came over to see if he was bothering me lol.

It will all work out in the end. If it hasn't worked out then it isn't the end, but always be ready for the ending not to be what you hoped it to be :)

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