Yuk. Eew. Gross.

[MedicNorth]

Had one call that had me heaving, but saved it for later - elderly male with bleeding ulcers on both legs - had been bleeding for several days, catching the blood in plastic grocery bags which were spread all over the floor. Had his legs wrapped in similar bags. Had lost so much blood his bp was 44 / 20. We still refer to it as "the smelly call". The odour was about the worst I could ever imagine, and definitely did lose my lunch later, when cleaning my gear.

[Sassafras]

Good lord. I could vomit just reading this thread. *swallows*

[itku2er]

Nope never puked yet 16 years in ems.....The thing that comes close everytime to making me puke is "snot" can handle blood, guts, brain matter, vomit and other body fluids.....but "snot" does it every time....... makes me want to puke that is

T :angel12:

[Connie31079]

Yep, I'll admit, I've puked while on a call before!!

But it was pretty much due to nerves.........responded to a call for "shots fired" in a small community, was told the "stage" upon arrival on-scene, wait for cops to declare scene safe.

Well, we were staged for 20 minutes, and I was the only ALS medic on-scene. My partner was basic, and so were the other 2 medics who were there (we had 2 units respond), so I knew if there was going to be any resus required, I was pretty much going to be doing it all (IV's, tubes, etc) because I was the only medic there who could do it!

Oh yeah, I should add.....this was my first GSW call I'd ever been on.

I was praying while we were staged that maybe somebody wanted to show his neighbor his new gun, and it discharged, hitting him in the foot or something, and the more I thought about what I might have to do, the more nervous I got......until I heaved my cookies all over the side of the road!!

When we were finally allowed on-scene by police, it was bad......turned out to be a murder-suicide, first time I ever got to see brain matter as a result of a GSW, but neither of the 2 patients was "workable", so we called it, and called the M.E.

[Guest CHP medic]

Never puked on a call, smells don't bother me because we always carried Vicks in our pockets. A little Vicks under your nose and you can smell anything.

[THUMPER1156]

Never got sick but nothing like having colostamy bags blowing in the wind hung on a clothes line to turn your nose :roll:

[Katee]

I like the Vicks idea. Definitely stealing that. I'd go on calls with one of our emts, and she can't smell, so she'd be laughing her butt off after the call because I was turning "green". Never puked on a call, but before practicals I did.

Grace Grace Grace!

[Yummymedic05]

Connie, I did the same thing on my first GSW call, I didnt' puke, but I was hot, and nervous, and shaking...and come to find out it was a prank call.... :roll:

[PrissyEMT]

Smells are worse for me than anything- I can handle things that look really really gross- but a bad smell? I'm puking in a heartbeat! LOL

[kemt217]

Haven't puked yet, but GI bleeds are awful. Have vicks in my bag. Our dispatch will tell us that we need the vicks, it's kinda funny really. The smell of vomit has made me gag.