Personal question

[PRPGfirerescuetech]

Four 21 year olds,high speed MVC, vehicle on fire, still trapped inside. Passenger compartment was in flames, and the patients were still alive inside. The screaming still wakes me up from a dead sleep at night periodically.

[Just Plain Ruff]

This is a morbid topic, but I'll add two to it.

Both involved dogs and their masters

1. 85 year old woman in cardiac arrest - her old basset hound was sitting 3 feet away with those sad eyes looking at me.

2. 67 year old male. We walked in his house and were confronted by a very mean looking Doberman. He just stood there and then sat down. We took it as our cue to go upstairs because he was looking upstairs. No one else in the house. It was the 67 year old man who called 911 with chest pain. We yelled upstairs - no response. We walked into each room and in the master bedroom we found the man coded and about the time we found him the Dog Howled like a wolf baying to the moon. My partner and I looked at each other and I got goose bumps. Did the dog know his master was dead? We never brought him back. The dog was howling during the entire code. We called it in the house and the dog walked into the room and laid down next to his master.

[hammerpcp]

I will never understand why this is one of the first questions people not involved in EMS ask. In fact, I put that to you, the original poster, what motivates you to ask such a question?

[Just Plain Ruff]

Hammerpcp you hit the nail right on the head.

[strippel]

Rid hit it head on.

It is especially hard when you are trying to take your blood covered litter out of the trauma room. You can see into the family room, and the chaplain talking with the family. And they can see you.

As far as the worst, a few come to mind. To keep it simple, a light plane crash, didn't get any altitude on takeoff, took out electric wires along the road at the end of the runway. Then hit cars that were driving by, spewing burning fuel everywhere. Plane then crashed into a large farm market. I had my young son, and was driving home from work, just missed seeing the fireball. Occupants of the now flaming cars ok, market heavily involved, stupid people too busy buying vegies to exit. Got them out, as the self extricated pilot walked out of the smoke. He was burned over most of his body, and looked very pale gray/blue. Kinda like Casper the ghost cartoon, almost transparent.

PRPG, was that Route 1?

[PRPGfirerescuetech]

PRPG, was that Route 1?

Rural road in Bucks County, not route 1

[tniuqs]

Hammerpcp you hit the nail right on the head.

Hey that IS funny! hit the nail....on the head....lmfao.

hammerpcp :I will never understand why this is one of the first questions people not involved in EMS ask. In fact, I put that to you, the original poster, what motivates you to ask such a question?

I believe its blatant morbid curiosity, but agreed totally it is annoying and quite rude to my way of thinking.

I have often been at a social gathering when someone asks the standard question "hey whats the grossest thing you have ever seen.....my short answer is.......... a Surgeon making his first incision.....odd thing that this never is asked of an MD?

That's the part that I go looking for more free shrimp, and order a double.

cheers

[LasVegasEMTI]

As has already been said, it's all about the individual in the situation. Most people have their "thing" that they have a hard time dealing with... for me, it's when people cough anything up. I don't mind people throwing up, going to the bathroom, bleeding, etc... but if it comes from the throat or lungs, it makes me want to puke. A lot of people have difficulty with eye injuries, which is logical if you really try to think about it. My toughest eye injury so far was standing there next to my 20 yr old patient as the trauma doc told him that they would be taking his eye out. My heart just broke for him.

But even these do not compare to the uneasiness of aftermath. When a wife comes in and asks if he's ok as he codes in front of you. When you transfer a 3 year old boy with bone cancer to a higher level of care, and again a month later finding out his cancer has spread throughout his entire body. When you print out your six-second asystole strip and their fourteen year old daughter asks why you aren't doing anything. When doc calls 'time of death' on a fellow firefighter that you poured your heart and soul into trying to save. When in a period of two weeks, your hear eight pediatric codes dispatched. When you are sent to pick up the mom for psychiatric care because a field death was called on their three week old son that morning. Trauma and medical calls cannot compare to the emotional calls you have after punching out for the night.

Fortunately, a lot of us have great support systems within our workplace, ranging from CISM (Critical Incident Stress Management) to EAP (Employee Assistance Program) to simply talking with coworkers who understand. It's a part of this business, we deal with it everyday. Use your resources if you get into it.

[MeekoBB]

It wasn't my call, but its an incident that is still talked about in my city...

There was an Italian feast going on in the streets and a fight had broken out amongst the people...One guy broke a glass bottle over an off duty cop's head who was trying to stop the fight...The broken glass shattered and sprayed into the face of a young boy standing nearby.

After the boy was bandaged and brought to the ER, the doc unwrapped the bandaging and asked if they boy could see anything...He calmly answered "No, only a shadow"...

From what I've heard, he never did get his eye sight back and that he had been a hopeful for the football team in his school that had a real shot at going somewhere.

[Holocene]

I completely understand that this was a rude question, but was honestly just wondering. I do appreciate the responses given.

Thank you.