Call from hell - difficulty breathing

[hammerpcp]

Any East Indian male who is having any pain (or SOB in this case) from the tip of his dick to the top of his head presume he is having an MI. This is from a friend who was told this by a doctor after having a similar call.

I don't know if it is a medical urban myth but it always comes up...East Indians are genetically predisposed to narrower coronary arteries and thus more susceptible to plaque/thrombus formation and MI's.

I have had a call very similar to this, minus the adenosine, where the pt was also east Indian. The Dr. informed me of what VS mentions above. I also don't know if this is true or not, or if there is any scientific research to back this claim. Anectdotally though,it is a widely held belief that this is a "typical a-typical presentation" for a person of east Indian descent.

Rid,

I agree hole heartedly with what you said. Getting a call like this dissuades the complacency that tends to set in after a while. Even though it sucks, and you can''t help but question your actions, in my experience there is no better way to learn.

Asys,

I know you've heard this already, but you did the best you could with the information available to you at the time. It seems most probable that he died despite your care rather than because of it. You can do one of two things with this. You can look at it as a learning experience or let it haunt you. I think there will always be a call that you are not prepared for, although they do diminish in frequency as you gain experience. That is the nature of the job, the stress of the job, but also the excitement.

[Dustdevil]

-Transport Code 4

You took him to lunch? :?

[medik8]

I had this one nailed....but only because it's happened to me before... :? ...and like I said before...it was with my dad. That sucked...but he's ok now. Sneaky...but now you know...and trust me...you won't forget this presentation again. I've never seen it since, but when it happens, I definitely will remember. :roll:

xoxoxo

8

[vs-eh?]

You took him to lunch? :?

Code 4 is an antiquated, yet widely used status code to describe how you are/should be going to the call or hospital.

Code 4 = presumed emergency call and/or you are going lights and sirens.

Code 3 = presumed non-emergency call and/or you are not going lights and sirens.

A little too black and white for emergency calls. Thankfully our service does not use it anymore.

10-90 is lunch by the way. At least here... :thumbright:

[akroeze]

Code 4 is an antiquated, yet widely used status code to describe how you are/should be going to the call or hospital.

Code 4 = presumed emergency call and/or you are going lights and sirens.

Code 3 = presumed non-emergency call and/or you are not going lights and sirens.

A little too black and white for emergency calls. Thankfully our service does not use it anymore.

10-90 is lunch by the way. At least here... :thumbright:

Antiquated? As in used in the entire province except the city of Toronto to the best of my knowledge?

[hammerpcp]

Come on akroeze. Did you forget that T.O. is the center of the universe? :roll: BTW code 3 is classified as an emerge call just not traveling with ligths and sirens.

[jw-c152]

Toronto Dispatch: "OUT OF TOWN" unit 3xyz, I have an emerg call for you. It's a Delta response. Oh, that's a Code 4 in your lingo"

[vs-eh?]

Toronto Dispatch: "OUT OF TOWN" unit 3xyz, I have an emerg call for you. It's a Delta response. Oh, that's a Code 4 in your lingo"

LOL...NOOOBS!

That is why you never clear with whatever CACC you are in after you do an out of town transfer. Thankfully, I haven't done one in like over a year and a half, but I'm not getting dinged with a call out in North Bay or something after I just did a transfer for you too. Are you going to totally direct me? "Take Rural route 9, make a left at the Dairy Queen, traverse 27.8 hectares to..." No thanks, and then get the..."Toronto? WTH are YOU guys doing here..."

If you must clear, do it on provincial common just once, and do it quickly. Nobody ever answers on provincial common...

[hammerpcp]

And that's why the rest of Canada hates you.

[EMS49393]

I had this one nailed....but only because it's happened to me before... :? ...and like I said before...it was with my dad. That sucked...but he's ok now. Sneaky...but now you know...and trust me...you won't forget this presentation again. I've never seen it since, but when it happens, I definitely will remember. :roll:

xoxoxo

8

Same situation for me. I saw this coming before I even finished reading your original post, because of my father. He had a major accident and shattered his tib/fib and kneecap. He had surgery to pin the fracture at the trauma center and while recovering in the ICU developed trouble breathing and pulmonary edema. He denied chest pain. The first doctor called it a PE secondary to surgery. The next doctor called it pneumonia secondary to surgery. The "dockling" asked for a 12-lead and enzymes. My father had a "silent MI." You can bet your sweet hiney I'll never, ever forget that. Diabetics and women I am extremely cautious about with any complain from the abdomen to the neck.