Sadddest Call Ever ?????????

[crotchitymedic1986]

Its that time of year, when suicides go up, and patients die because they refuse to go to the hospital during the holidays. It seems like I always had a really "sad" call around every christmas (although I know it wasnt EVERY christmas). So what is your saddest call you have ever run around the holidays ?

[WolfmanHarris]

You're right, it is that time of year. I hope everyone is watching themselves for burnout and CIS. Be safe out there guys and gals and make sure you take time for yourself!

As far as my saddest call goes. I'm going to decline to share right now. It's still something of a personal demon.

[Eydawn]

In the interest of our collective sanity, I would echo Doc's sentiments... I decline to share, and I really hope everyone is helping to keep an eye on each other. Stay safe folks, and don't be afraid to ask for help.

Wendy

CO EMT-B

[mobey]

Wow... usually people in this profession don't ask these kind of questions.

As I say to the neumorous people who ask these kind of questions, "If I told you my saddest/worst call, neither of us would sleep for the next 3 nights."

I as well will decline to answer this question.

[WolfmanHarris]

This reminded me of an article I wrote for the newsletter for the Association of Campus Emergency Response Teams of Canada (ACERT) about just this. Below is an excerpt from that article.

" 'What's the Worst Call You've Ever Had'

I’m sure many of us have heard this before, whether from the freshly certed rookie, the friend of the partied out patient we’re helping up from the bathroom floor or just a curious passerby around campus. Some of us may relish the opportunity to share our best adrenaline rush (within the tightest bounds of confidentiality of course), others may shy away from the question and yet other may feel the sudden twang if a surfacing painful memory. The question is usually meant with the best intentions, out of sincere though misguided interest and yet we the responder often find ourselves wracked by mixed emotions.

Let’s face it, the stories we want to remember; the anecdotes that we relish in telling around the office; the tales that grow in the telling usually don’t involve the worst of the human tragedy we’ve faced while on call. These stories that we love tend to share a certain humour or a hefty sampling of the utterly weird."

[crotchitymedic1986]

I can certainly respect those that do not wish to share. The reason I asked is that I see alot of newbies in this forum who have just begun their EMS career, and may not have experienced what the holidays bring to EMS --- my hope was to be able to give them so expectation and coping skills for the inevitable bad call that will occur in the next few weeks.

If you would rather just share your agency's or personal coping mechanisms, that will suffice.

[Dustdevil]

Heck, thinking back over all the Christmas' I have worked, I don't remember any sad runs. In fact, most of my funniest stories seem to revolve around the holidays. Like the guy in 1986 that was shot in the head by his girlfriend because he didn't get her a Christmas gift. That was hilarious!

[bozzie22]

Dust, did Santa live? lol :-P

[ambodriver]

Saddest call EVER.

So it was a blustery snowy X-mas day. The ham and roast cooked by the fireman was moments away from coming out of the oven. My mouth was watering. I was ready to feast and do nothing----hey it's X-Mas why should I have to work.

Suddenly the tones go off----and we hear the familiar voice of dispatch.

"XXXXX you are due to respond to the 24 y/o female with abdominal pain. Get on scene---and its glaringly obvious BLS--walk her in the ambo, drive all the way to the hospital.

Get back to the firehouse and cry b/c I didn't get the first pickings of meat on the roast. True story. Saddest call ever.

[defib_wizard]

Saddest Call Ever is any call after midnight before you get off shift and have to drive more than 3 hours afterward to meet someone the next day.