# My frequent flyer... when will he learn?



## I-cant-fix-stupid (Jan 22, 2010)

So my favorite frequent flyer just doesnt learn. As you read this story you will figure out, usually by about call number two, that it is just not this kids time to go. Yet they cannot seem to get this through their VERY thick (as you'll soon find out) skull. *sigh

*Call#1- *Dispatched to address for attempted suicide. PD is on scene gently restraining pt, pt is bleeding onto parents new couch.  Pt tried to slit wrists, the "right" way and missed all major vessels. Pt is very pissed. We apply pressure, load and go. Bleeding stops enroute and we pass them off to the ED to get stitched up and placed on SI hold. Silly me, I thought I'd never see this kid again. 

*Call#2*- We get dispatched to a familiar sounding address for suicidal ideation. PD is on scene and pt states that they swallowed an entire bottle of oxycontin 10 minutes prior to arrival. We give activated charcoal and pt agrees to be transported to the ED.  Enroute, activated charcoal makes a comeback (I was still green enough to give it at the time) all over me, my partner and our rig. The firefighter in the front seat giggles like a schoolgirl all the way to the ED. We pass pt off to ED staff and stand around in ugly scrubs while our pants get washed in the staff lounge. After two hours of decon we are back in service with new shirts and fresh washed pants. (lesson learned- if pt gets Acidose, fire rides in the back for "safety reasons")
*
Call#3*- Dispatched to a VERY familiar address for a GSW (gun shot wound for those not in EMS). My partner and I look at eachother and roll our eyes, not agaaain... Yep, its our favorite teenager. PD is getting as tired of this family as we are but here they are again, consoling mom and questioning the dramatic one. The pt attempted to shoot themselves in the head, first with the father's .40 cal and when that jammed (clue you shouldnt be doing this? maybe?) he grabbed the father's 9mm. 9mm resulted in the bullet skimming along the mandible and exiting the cheek. The pt didn't even lose a tooth. We transport pt to the ED code 3 for treatment and another! psych hold. 

*Call#4*- Dispatched to an auto-ped suspiciously close to our favorite address. Arrive on scene to find the Invincible Patient laying in the street, pissed again because the car they jumped in front of didnt kill them. Thankfully there are no hysterical parents on scene. We assess and package pt and deliver them to the ED. The charge nurse is NOT happy to see us. Parents arrive and we make a run for our rig. Pt injuries were a tib-fib fracture and head lac. 

*Call#5*- Dispatched to favorite address for attempted suicide. "Medic 121, Dispatch"... ""Medic 121",

_maybe it will be something good... _

"Medic 121 respond code 3 to (address) for Suicide attempt",        

_f***ing d**nit, please no, I'll do anything... _

"Copy that Satan"  Satan is not amused. We try enroute to beg, plead, coerce, pay ANYONE else to run this call. No luck. Arrive on scene to hysterical parents, PD and a VERY angry combative pt who tried to hang themselves with parachute cord. It snapped under their weight. I must excuse myself to the rig to die laughing.  (how the hell does parachute cord snap under 180lbs? A- The hand of God? B-The hand of God?). Pt is collared, boarded and transportd to ED. The charge nurse meets us in the bay claiming to be on divert. She lies. I doubt I will ever get back in her good graces. At least theres no decon this time...

*Call#6- *- Dispatched to ritzy downtown condo highrise for a fall. Arrive on scene to find Jesus' Forgotten Sibling lying on the ground by the front steps of aforementioned building, groaning and clutching at their leg. I burst into gut wrenching laughter and must excuse myself back to my rig to find something I "need" while my partner assesses our old friend. _Que snotty, shocked muttering from bystanders at my unprofessional behavior_. I compose myself enough to return to the scene in time to help board the pt and transport them to the ED. A sparky new nurse looks excited to see us and our buddy.  haha just wait. We turn the pt over to the ED and sprint for our rig before Charge Nurse Ratchet finds us and skins us alive. 

This was the last time I saw my favorite frequent flyer but i doubt it ill be the last. All of these calls occurred over just 8 months time.


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## Aidey (Jan 22, 2010)

Oh boy....

What exactly about this was so funny?


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## JPINFV (Jan 22, 2010)

I keep forgetting that compassion isn't in a lot of EMT's job description.


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## Lifeguards For Life (Jan 22, 2010)

JPINFV said:


> I keep forgetting that compassion isn't in a lot of EMT's job description.



you can't learn compassion in 110 hours


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## Basic101 (Jan 22, 2010)

Lifeguards For Life said:


> you can't learn compassion in 110 hours



Winner!


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## firetender (Jan 22, 2010)

The space between compassion and condescension tells me this is a fascinating case of an extreme will to live battling against an extreme will to die in one and the same person. Aside from any judgments, can you appreciate the wonder?


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## Lifeguards For Life (Jan 22, 2010)

firetender said:


> The space between compassion and condescension tells me this is a fascinating case of an extreme will to live battling against an extreme will to die in one and the same person. Aside from any judgments, can you appreciate the wonder?



I find it highly unlikely from several stand points of both objective and subjective natures. Nobody has any conscience about adding to the improbabilities of a marvelous tale.

If this is not an original fabrication of "I cant fix stupid"....The first law of storytelling. … Every man is bound to leave a story better than he found it.


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## Epi_Junkie (Jan 22, 2010)

*Cold but...*



firetender said:


> The space between compassion and condescension tells me this is a fascinating case of an extreme will to live battling against an extreme will to die in one and the same person. Aside from any judgments, can you appreciate the wonder?



That's kinda cold but I guess I can see being frustrated by someones complete disregard for the sanctity of their own life.  It really is amazing though how some people can die from such a small thing and others can survive things like this over and over again.


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## So. IL Medic (Jan 31, 2010)

Aidey said:


> Oh boy....
> 
> What exactly about this was so funny?



Besides everything?


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## So. IL Medic (Jan 31, 2010)

I think I have a relative of this pt - every time he gets drunk, he tries to off himself in the most inept ways possible. One of the last times was sitting in his car, in the garage, with the car running....but he left the garage window open and the car ran out of gas....


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## Aidey (Jan 31, 2010)

Lets try besides nothing. 

The propensity for some EMTs and Paramedics to make fun of mental health patients is reprehensible, disgusting, and demeaning to everyone else in the profession. We may not be able to do much (or anything) for these patients pre-hospital, but that does not mean that they do not have serious illnesses that need to be taken care of. 

The fact that people mock and make fun of psych patients like they are some sort of joke infuriates me. If you can't treat these patients with respect get the hell out of the job.


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## VentMedic (Jan 31, 2010)

So. IL Medic said:


> Besides everything?


 


So. IL Medic said:


> I think I have a relative of this pt - every time he gets drunk, he tries to off himself in the most inept ways possible. One of the last times was sitting in his car, in the garage, with the car running....but he left the garage window open and the car ran out of gas....


 
And they wonder why I am harshly critical of some EMT(P)s...

It is a shame there is not enough education for either the EMT or the Paramedic for them to understand some of the different types of illnesses and their seriousness.


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## Veneficus (Jan 31, 2010)

I wonder who the doc is signing this person's discharge papers. Sounds like he/she is hell bent on getting sued. 

Moreover I wonder what is being (not being) done to treat this person as it seems he is more of a danger to others as time goes on.


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## VentMedic (Jan 31, 2010)

If the EMTs and PD aren't taking this patient seriously, there may not be enough for the Physicians to hold the patient longer. If the EMS report given is presented "as a joke" rather than with actual serious facts of concern, there may be no grounds for commitment and the patient could easily use that to his advantage for release.


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## Sasha (Jan 31, 2010)

Oh wow, because you know, it's SO funny to make fun of those who are mentally ill to the point they wish to die. Bravo, bravo! 

This poor kid sounds sick, and she or he needs to get REAL psychological help, not 72 hours sitting around in a psych ward. Ongoing professional help. I wouldn't be annoyed to come to this patient time and time again, I would be incredibly sad that the health care system and their parents failed them so terribly. I would also be incredibly sad that they are so frustrated or hurt by life that they just want to give up.


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## Aidey (Jan 31, 2010)

It could also be that the pt is stable when on meds, so he gets admitted, gets on his meds, and then gets discharged. He's fine for a while as long as he is compliant, but eventually he stops taking his meds and goes downhill again.


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## Scout (Jan 31, 2010)

They sound more like crys for help and not attempts.

And seriously you are some sick Fcuk to joke about suicide. Imagine what his parents are going through.


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## reaper (Feb 1, 2010)

Time to clean house at a few stations! Oh wait, they fit in!

Two of you need to look for new jobs. I here Walmart is hiring!


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## medichopeful (Feb 1, 2010)

reaper said:


> Time to clean house at a few stations! Oh wait, they fit in!
> 
> Two of you need to look for new jobs. I here Walmart is hiring!



I HEAR they are too ;-)


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## Lifeguards For Life (Feb 1, 2010)

medichopeful said:


> I HEAR they are too ;-)



You sure do correct a lot of people here, in your infinite wisdom and experience provided by attending basic school.


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## medichopeful (Feb 1, 2010)

Lifeguards For Life said:


> You sure do correct a lot of people here, in your infinite wisdom and experience provided by attending basic school.



I'm just giving him a hard time. I hope he doesn't get offended. Just a little joke.  This has nothing to do with basic school. 

 I'll be careful about the corrections. Thanks for the heads up!

Eric


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## reaper (Feb 1, 2010)

No problem for me! Have to remember not to type, while steaming over ignorance!


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## Lifeguards For Life (Feb 1, 2010)

medichopeful said:


> I'm just giving him a hard time. I hope he doesn't get offended. Just a little joke.  This has nothing to do with basic school.
> 
> I'll be careful about the corrections. Thanks for the heads up!
> 
> Eric



You have a good attitude, kid. I'm sure you will make for a good EMT/Medic soon.


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## EMSLaw (Feb 1, 2010)

Black humor is not unknown in the EMS world (or the medical world as a whole, from my understanding), and it's more of a coping mechanism than a lack of compassion. 

That being said...  if this story is even true, then the PD, EMTs, and physicians failed the patient here.  I don't know the span of time that was involved, but after serial suicide attempts, someone should have been looking at commitment, not a psychiatric hold.


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## medichopeful (Feb 1, 2010)

Lifeguards For Life said:


> You have a good attitude, kid. I'm sure you will make for a good EMT/Medic soon.



Thanks!


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## VentMedic (Feb 1, 2010)

EMSLaw said:


> Black humor is not unknown in the EMS world (or the medical world as a whole, from my understanding), and it's more of a coping mechanism than a lack of compassion.


 
When black humor is used there is generally an understanding of the seriousness of the event which is why a release may be needed. That is different from one making fun of a patient with a particular disease process, disability or mental illness because they find it amusing or just lack the compassion to take patient care seriously.


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## Seaglass (Feb 2, 2010)

Aidey said:


> It could also be that the pt is stable when on meds, so he gets admitted, gets on his meds, and then gets discharged. He's fine for a while as long as he is compliant, but eventually he stops taking his meds and goes downhill again.



Quite likely. Those cases seem to be pretty common. I've noticed a lot of bipolar patients in particular who follow this pattern. A couple of them have told me that they just can't stand losing the manic swings, or that they feel flat and lifeless when medicated. All artistic types, interestingly enough. I've heard the same from ADHD folks as well, but they're generally less worrisome.

Even for people who aren't losing highs, psych meds can have all kinds of unpleasant side effects that lead patients to stop complying. Or sometimes they'll wind up on such complicated regimens that they eventually lose track of something, and trouble starts. 

It's also possible that this kid is in some kind of really horrible environment, and that the parents are actually obstacles to getting or staying with good treatment. The bit about 'bleeding onto the new couch' is a little suspicious.


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## rhan101277 (Feb 3, 2010)

I think this person just joined up to see how frustrated he could get people on the forums.


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## FLEMTP (Feb 3, 2010)

I thought the OP's story.. true or not.. was pretty dammed funny.. 

For those of you taking this oh so seriously.. maybe some prozac should be put in the water or something.. 

People are too uptight..relax a little and laugh a lot...it wont kill you... 

and if it does.. im sure we can crack a joke about that too


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## JPINFV (Feb 3, 2010)

It's all about delivery. 

Example: Things I Learn From My Patients


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## CAOX3 (Feb 3, 2010)

JPINFV said:


> It's all about delivery.
> 
> Example: Things I Learn From My Patients



This is hilarious,


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