Yesterday, K managed a code (attempted resuscitation) of an elderly woman who had been found not breathing by her family when they went by her place to check in. Nobody knew how long she had been down, which means that unless she's stiff or has other obvious signs of death, all attempts are made to revive her. When I heard about it, I asked K if he'd saved her (before I heard all the details) and he laughed and said no. When I asked if he was upset, he said that he was pretty sure she'd been dead for some time, so I guess he's okay with lacking the god-like power of reviving the dead.
I even got to help save the world yesterday. While talking to NSP, the pager went off for someone needing the ambulance in the small town of 800 people I live in. Since I'm not a long-time resident, I definitely don't know everyone but this call was just up the street. Dispatch gave directions which included "second left past the fire station" without specifying which direction you would be coming from, and since the squad was coming from one direction and the ambulance from the other I was a little turned around. After a couple of wrong guesses, I finally found the place and it turned out to be someone I know having difficulty breathing and swallowing for no apparent reason. Vital signs and oxygen were all we could do for her and all she really wanted was a ride to the hospital with someone who could save her if she stopped breathing entirely, which the gentlemen on the ambulance gave her.
Today's public service message: Make sure your house number is easily visible from the road - emergency help will arrive much faster if they can find where they're going!
1 comment:
What . . . .they haven't heard of Mapquest??? Maybe everyone in Fairlee should own a flair gun. . .no no would probably burn down the entire state. :)
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