# Dead People Don't Talk Back



## MedicPrincess (Oct 7, 2006)

We are dispatched AT LEAST once per shift for an unknown problem - man laying in the street.  And every single time we get on scene, say "Hey Man.  Wake up.  You can't sleep here."  And every single time they deny injury, stagger their drunk butts to their feet, and we call it a law enforcement matter and go back to bed.  Yep, the fine citizens of my district, for some reason think a 55+MPH highway is an appropriate place to lay down and take a nap.  So at 0230, when we get the same call, we stagger our half asleep selves to the truck.  When leaving at the same time, I always let FD go ahead of me (they usually know where they are going, I often don't). 

So they are heading down the highway looking for someone taking a nap.  All of the sudden they stop and practically turn their engine sideways.  Out jumps the CPT, as I hear the driver on the Fire channel tell them to tell EMS to step it up.  

Ummm....I am RIGHT behind them.  If i step it up anymore, I will step it right INTO them.....for a second time.  So I pull around them and find 3 FF kneeling down by, sure enough a man sleeping in the road.  Except one of the FF is doing that "OVER HERE, HURRY" wave.  Now, I've known all three of these guys for many years and never do I see them do that.  So it occurs to me that maybe this guy is  a little more than just asleep.  I tell my partner to wake up (she often sleeps on the way to calls) and jumped out.

Appox. 35 y/o M, laying prone.  Head facing south, right leg bent at the knee w/ the bottom of his foot facing south.  The left leg was straight to the knee where it made a 90 degree bend to the east.  Right arm was under him, left stretched out over his head.  The back of his head was nearly on the ground, so I could see almost all of his face as if he was looking behind him.  Large pool of blood, starting to congeal, around his head.  Patient was pale, eyes open.  Immediatley, my brain DOA'd him.  He looked like the dead guy off of CSI or Law and Order or any picture.  

As I am walking up I ask FD if we have a pulse.  They just kind of looked at me.  How about breathing?  No response then either.  So I walk up and do a modified "Annie, Annie are you okay?"

Me:  "Hey Buddy.  How are you?"

He BLINKED...said a weak "Hi, I'm Okay."

I took a step back, took a long a deep breath, and very calmly called for my additional resources.

Ok I lie.  I almost freaking peed my pants.  My eyes got huge, jumped about 10 feet back, called for the lord, and yelled over to my partner who was walking up to get the helicopter in the air now.  Apparently, I went white as our patient too.

Her:  as she walks up to me - "Do you mean on standby?"  (Often times they are put on standby until our shift commander gets on scene or at least a patient report by radio or nextel and they launch them.)

Me:  "NO, if the air.  Get them here now.  And call a trauma alert too while your at it."

She said later she was so proud of me, b/c I was able to recognize the need immediately for a TA and a Helo.  I was like.. "Yea, the f-ing dead guy talked back!"

So we get him all packaged, our helo on the ground.  As we are loading him into the helo, SO flags our CPT over.  They apparently found out what happened to the guy.  He had been in a Taxi cab at about 0100.  He jumped out, the driver estimates he was traveling at least 60mph.  He didn't stop at the time, because he had other fares in the vehicle and had 4 fares waiting to be picked up.  He didn't call it in at the time because he SWEARS the guy was running across the street when he looked in his rear view.  He only came back now, because he had p/u and dropped off all of his fares and he figured he'd look for the guy and see if he could get his $$.

I will never live down the "Hey Buddy...."  My partner and the FF swear I even let out a little scream.


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## Epi-do (Oct 7, 2006)

Wow!  That sounds like quite the run.  I think I would probably have had the same reaction you did when that guy talked back to you.


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## emtwannabe (Oct 8, 2006)

There would have been some soiled undergarments for sure...... 


Jeff


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## c-spine (Oct 8, 2006)

I agree with Jeff... that or I would have been the next DOA. Some dead guy talks to me...-shudder- I'd have nightmares forever!


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## gradygirl (Oct 8, 2006)

All I can think of is wide-eyed amazement followed by a complete loss in stength and a new appreciation for how hard asphalt is. For sure, my butt would have been passed out the second he blinked.


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## Summit (Oct 8, 2006)

at least you didnt say to the FF next to the pt "I must be short on sleep. I imagined that dead guy just said something. Would you tell him to stop talking? Dead people aren't allowed to do that." 

wild stuff


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## Celtictigeress (Oct 8, 2006)

Hey maybe he remembered the ky "Roll as you hit the ground to lessen damage" Wow...Poor gal *ahnds ya some new panties*


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## MMiz (Oct 8, 2006)

I would have declared a code brown (I ---- my pants) and screamed like a little girl.  You did much better!


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## Tincanfireman (Oct 8, 2006)

The old saying about "first ya say it, then ya do it" certainly would have applied to me here. How's the guy doing, did you ever find out?


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## MedicPrincess (Oct 8, 2006)

I'm going to try and follow up with the flight crew next time I see them.

It was really funny, b/c the FF CPT was telling his guy to get c-spine and his poor guy was like..  "But how?"

And I was trying to direct rolling him over onto the backboard and my medic says..  "Make sure you maintain that c-spine.  Don't move his neck.  Keep everything straight.  Lets get some splints on those legs once he get him on the board."

All I could think was, "WTF..we have to rerotate his head the 180 or he'll be face down on the backboard.  And I could be wrong, but I'm thinking splints on the legs s/be the least of my worries."

All 4 of us agree w/ you guys though...new panties were in order.  

I love people I work with though.  I have had quite a few beeps on my nextel, followed by....  "Hey Buddy?"


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## fm_emt (Oct 9, 2006)

Pt: ""Hi, I'm Okay.""
Rest of the world: "No, you're not!"


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## Jon (Oct 9, 2006)

Wow... you have much more intresting calls than me.


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## TheDoll (Oct 17, 2006)

fm_emt said:


> Pt: ""Hi, I'm Okay.""
> Rest of the world: "No, you're not!"



*gulp* that's exactly what i was thinking! it makes me a little less nervous to hear stories that even shock those of you who have been in this business for awhile. 
sometimes i hear stories, and i wonder "what in the hell would little ol' me DO? in general, i think i'm a pretty quick thinker, and i don't tend to freak out easily. however, i imagine that everyone has a WTF point. anyway, you all really help ease my nerves as i make my way through this class.


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## kevinemt662c (Oct 17, 2006)

Cool Story!!!


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