Embarrasing calls that you were the patient.

[certguy]

I've got 2 , actually , the first one was my partner . I was new to the company and not driver certified yet . I had a female partner who hated running code 3 . She'd run grunt runs all day , but 911 ' s made her very uptight . We were having one of those days - back to back calls for hours . We finally got a break and stopped at a mom -n- pop taco shop for lunch . We no sooner got our food when we got a code 3 MVA . As I'm chomping my burrito and reading the map book , I look over and notice my partner had taken hers all the way out of the wrapper and was chomping away while driving . I warned her it was a bad idea as these were very messy , but does she listen to her rookie partner ? NOOOOOO ! As she was approaching a busy intersection , the bottom of her burrito cut loose and scalding carne asada spilled down her blouse , some of it pooling in her bra . I thought we were going to die . I'm still amazed she didn't hit anything . I heard language I hadn't heard since my Navy days . We pulled over , went out of service , and I started treating my now topless partner :shock: for first and second degree burns from just below her chin to her navel . She had a good time explaining that work comp injury . It was like treating my mom . :oops:

My experience was when I was running an interfacility from hosp. to a con home . It was rush hour and we were stopped in backed up traffic waiting for a light to change . Suddenly , I heard screeching brakes and looked up in time to see a big 4x4 slam into the car behind us , then we got hit . I had just enough time to yell for my partner to hang on before impact . My partner , who was standing adjusting our pt's o2 , grabbed the oh my god bar and only came out with a few bumps and bruises . I was the only transport , having torn the muscles down both sides of my spine . The driver between us AMA'd , but his car was totaled , and I'll bet he went in after the adreniline wore off . The driver who caused it was on a suspended license and the truck was borrowed , owner had no insurance . [-X I had to be extricated from my own rig . :oops: The ER doc said I unconsciously must've tightened up when I saw it coming . I was on work comp for a month and a half .

[katgrl2003]

Never called 911, but I've had coworkers take me in

Experience 1: Never let your partner know you're having an asthma attack. I ended up in the back of a medic truck (both males) with a 12-lead, but no oxygen or albuterol. Personally, I think they just wanted to see under my shirt. Very interesting experience.

Experience 2: Never do a fire standby with asthma. Went from audible wheezes at 20/min, to wheezes only by stethoscope at 40/min, to no breath sounds at 50/min. Nurse at local ER thought I was faking. I was not happy.

Experience 3: My current partner, not partner at the time, took me in on this one. Doing house duties one night, all three medics noticed I went completely white, and got me in the back of one of the trucks. After three IV attempts, 100 of fentanyl, and a pissed off supervisor, I got the diagnosis of ovarian cysts. I am now a fentanyl convert.

[Eydawn]

Learned it the hard way again at camp this summer.... didn't drink enough water, didn't take enough downtime, and didn't pay attention to those fuzzy dark circles that encroach upon your vision prior to an oncoming syncopal episode. The worst part? I was in the medical lodge helping a coworker (and very good friend) with another patient who was dehydrated from vomiting.

Passed out, woke up looking up at my friend, and my fiancee... so I ended up getting the IV bag I had spiked and the tape I had torn for the other chick, and my friend had to use my own gloves on me since I was the only one with non-latex gloves. Moral of the story... if you don't want your best friend playing "cold arm... warm arm" with the flow rates, drink more water during the summer!

Wendy

CO EMT-B