# Hell of a way to end the day.



## phideux (Sep 18, 2010)

Right now, I'm an EMT-I going through medic school. I do a ton of time with a local volunteer service. Extremely busy, Since June I've gone on 370 calls, and transported 225 patients to the local ER. The other day I did a 12 hour shift with the local county ambulance for some of my school ride time. It wasn't real busy, we did 7 runs, 5 patients. After that one I jumped on my volunteer ambulance with my driver, we did another 9 runs, and transported 5 patients. After our last patient another medic unit bought a code into the ER. Like we usually do, we jumped in the middle to help out. After it was all said and done, we got back in our rig and signed out for the day. We got about a block from the hospital, stopped at a red light, the whole time down the street my partner was talking about the "bug lady" we brought in. (that's another story). We're sitting at the light, I got the laptop in my lap, finishing up one of our charts, and I notice the ambulance is rolling slowly. I look over in the drivers seat, and my partner is having some sort of seizure. Luckily the light had changed, and we were rolling across a 6 lane road at about 2mph. We were going straight across, I could see both of my partners feet behind the brake pedal, so I reached down and turned all the lights on, kept my hand against his chest to keep him in the seat, and let us roll all the way across the road. Once we got across, I knocked it into park to stop us, and jumped out to run around the other side. On my way out I got on the radio and called dispatch, told them to send a medic unit this way. I got the drivers door open and he was just about out of it by then. He would look at me when I yelled his name, but you could tell he still wasn't with it. All of a sudden he got this wild look in his eye, bulled his way past me, and tried to take off across the road. By now the light had changed back and there was 6 lanes of traffic going by. So I did the only thing I could think of, I chased him down and tackled him before he could get slammed by a truck. I got him up, walked him over to our back bumper and sat him down. He still was out of it, couldn't talk, but would sit there. About that time the fire truck shows up, about 3 secs later here comes the medic unit. WE threw him in the back, put him on the monitor. The vitals I remember were sinus tach @ 178, and a BP of 165/95. he started getting that look in his eye again, so they threw him in the back of the medic bus, and drove the 1/4 mile to the ER. Turns out he is taking Dilantin, didn't take his meds that day, and we didn't really eat or drink anything on that shift. To top it all off, when I tackled him, I broke his shoulder.
my biggest question, Should I ever let him drive again??? The docs say if he stays on his meds, and keeps hydrated, it shouldn't happen again. Luckily it happened while sitting at a light, not running code 3, with me and a patient in the back. I could just imagine the looks on the peoples faces as they saw me chase him down the street, tackle him, and drag him back to the ambulance. It is a real busy intersection. We might be youtube stars in the near future.


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## abckidsmom (Sep 18, 2010)

My dad has a seizure disorder.  In our state, he is not allowed to be a licensed driver for a year after any seizure.

That's nuts that his doctor would let him continue working, with demonstrated non-compliance with meds causing a near-catastrophe.  

I was taken out of the comm center I worked in after 2 episodes of unexplained, profound hypoglycemia during a pregnancy.  No questions, and no arguments.  You have to be able to function in order to do your job.


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## DrParasite (Sep 18, 2010)

abckidsmom said:


> In our state, he is not allowed to be a licensed driver for a year after any seizure.


most states have similar rules.  

it shouldn't be your call as to if he drives or not.  It is your employer's decisions if they will allow him to drive after this episode, and if they are willing to take the risk.

If the state is willing to let him keep his license (assuming the doctor actually called the DMV, many don't), and the agency (upper management) is willing to continue to permit him to drive, then the answer is pretty much out of your hands.


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## socalmedic (Sep 18, 2010)

you really have no say as to weather he drives or not, what you do have a decision in is weather you ride with him. here in CA you cannot drive with a diagnosed Sz disorder, especially an ambulance (which requires a physical every 2 years). I personally WOULD NOT ride with him, I am sure he is a good guy and good partner but I have a family to go home to.


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## medic417 (Sep 18, 2010)

You may need to file a report yourself to the drivers license office.  I would refuse to ride with him.


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## CAOX3 (Sep 18, 2010)

phideux said:


> All of a sudden he got this wild look in his eye, bulled his way past me, and tried to take off across the road. By now the light had changed back and there was 6 lanes of traffic going by. So I did the only thing I could think of, I chased him down and tackled him before he could get slammed by a truck. I got him up, walked him over to our back bumper and sat him down.



My partners have to do this to me also as I routinley try to quit my job at least three times a day. 

Seriously seems like it could have been a lot worse, strong work.  Does he have a hx of this, was this an isolated incident?  Like was stated he would be driving a desk here for six months.


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## gicts (Sep 22, 2010)

those flashy things on the outside of the truck could only cure his seizures ^_^


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