A hot heart, code three
Cath lab one hour away
Run East towards help

During my 7+ years on the coast, I called in about 4 possible drunk drivers while on duty.  None of them were actually drunk.  Here's one such event... 

Heading back South to our district, we got in behind a car being driven badly.  The car was swerving, changing speeds not appropriately to the posted speed limit, and frequently would straddle two lanes (when there were two lanes).

I called in to dispatch and set up an intercept.  We continued to follow the car for about 15 miles, observing the same behavior.  When law enforcement was finally in place, they pulled the car over, and we pulled over as well.

Turns out nobody was drunk.  The driver was taking his ex-wife down to the county jail to visit their son who was a guest there.  Apparently the conversation was so stimulating that he failed to operate his motor vehicle in a safe and normal manner.  They got a verbal warning and I got shut out - again.

About a week later, I was dropping off a patient at one of our hospitals.  One of the patients already there was in some extremis, and the ED staff could not obtain IV access, so they asked me to give it a shot.

Not A Problem.

So I entered the curtained-off 'room' and the nurse told the patient what I was there for.  He laughed, saying,

"I hope it's not that same damned medic who turned me in for DUII last week!"  

The nurse laughed politely. 

"You don't drive a brown & tan Camaro, do you?"

"You Son Of A Bitch!" 

Laughs were exchanged.

And I got the stick.

We're still slowly getting settled in.  We made another run of stuff up yesterday, and are anxious to have only one household. 

Thanks to a former co-workers referral, I had a family portrait shoot yesterday.  One of the ED nurses just retired after 26 YEARS at the same place.  Her sons gathered for the celebration, and they hired me to capture some family images.  It was fun and I'm pleased with the results.

I went downtown yesterday afternoon for a uniform fitting.  Hopefully the uniforms will be ready by the end of our orientation week (next week), and I'm really looking forward to starting my ride-alongs/training.  The company gives me an initial $300 for uniforms, and $250 every year.  Got my photo for my ID card, too.

I also got my annual TB test this week, and had my blood drawn to check for Hepatitis B titer levels.  Turns out I'm no longer immunized.  It's been 20 years since the initial series of immunizations, and it appears that I need a tune up.  So, for you oldtimers out there, you should consider getting your titers tested to make sure you are covered.

We're headed off to the Farmers Market and perhaps a little exploring. 

There we were - deep in the heart of the jungle...

OK, actually I was in Germany.  West Germany.  Back when there was a West and an East Germany.  I was attached to the 3rd Armored Division as a Military Policeman.

This particular story took place during a German-American Fest.  The military would on occasion host a big party on the post to improve relations between the two peoples.

There was always a big beer tent (this was Germany, remember?), and obviously the beer was flowing.  We'd already removed several people kicking and screaming from the beer tent.  But, overall, this was peaceful and the attendees were having fun.

I was over at the gate that led into the fest grounds.  With me was my partner Terry.  We were taking a break and watching the people stream in and out of the grounds (usually an armored vehicle holding area). 

Hey, what's that?

I glanced over at what my partner was looking at.  I could see smoke drifting from a large pole barn across a field.  Just then, an older German fellow ran across the street with a fire extinguisher and disappeared inside the barn.

Terry & I looked at each other and ran over to the barn.  I was on the radio, telling the Desk Sergeant to call the German Fire Department (Feuerwehr).

As we came around the front of the barn, the volume of smoke was increasing.  We could see the old German inside, emptying the fire extinguisher at a large combine which was burning furiously.

Ducking under the smoke, we ran in and grabbed hold of the German.  He started to protest.

Ist fuer!  Ist fuer!

No shit Herman... 

I tried to argue back.

Ist grosse fuer!  (It's a big fire!)  Not real brilliant, but that exhausted most of the pertinent German I knew.

With that, we each took an arm and drug him towards the door and sunlight.

Here's the Johnny & Roy moment:

[I was an avid Emergency! fan, and was always struck that when Johnny & Roy rescued somebody from a burning building, the building would always explode just as they hit the door.]

Just as we stepped outside with the old German, something (probably a combine tire - as tall as I am) exploded inside.  We were knocked over - either from the blast itself, but possibly because, hell - we were in the Army, and that's what you did when something blew up nearby, but also possibly because that's what happened on Emergency!.

Nobody was hurt, the old German was some kind of mad, and the Feuerwehr was screaming down the street to save the day.

As the truck screeched to a stop, the driver and officer both jumped out and ran around the front of the truck.  Their paths converged and they ran into each other, knocking both to the ground. 

Dusting themselves off, they gathered their wits and got the engine ready to pump water.

But only if they could make it to the fire.

Dragging hose downhill to the barn, the firefighter got tripped up in the hose and fell to the ground, rolling to the bottom.  Eventually, with some screaming from the officer, the firefighter extricated himself, charged the hose, and put the fire out. 

We were supposed to get a medal, presented by the mayor of Gelnhausen, for our efforts, but Terry and I were never officially awarded anything.  The paperwork fell through the cracks. 

It's a memory that Terry & I will carry with us, though.  We know what we did (which, in the grand scheme of things, wasn't really all that much), and we know that we might have saved that old German guy from injury or death.

We'd been dispatched to "Injuries From A Fight", right around the corner from quarters.

As the ambulance turned up the street, we were greeted by what was probably 3/4's of the on-duty law enforcement in the county.  There were police cars everywhere.

Seeing one of the officers flagging us down, the ambulance pulled to a stop.  We gathered our gear, and I walked over the Sergeant.

He told me that they had to pepper-spray one of the people involved, and that she had asthma.

Not a problem.

Yet.

As we meandered through the multitude of cars in the lot, he also said, in a heavy, 'This Is A Real Mess' tone of voice, "I Think She Broke Her F***ing Leg".

Cool.

We found our patient sitting on the ground, handcuffed from the back.  His legs were splayed out, only one was a lot more splayed - as in bent 45 degrees at the knee, and not as designed.

He was also having some problems breathing.  He was crying and the snot was pouring out.

I knelt down beside him and reached out to touch his leg.  It was very hard to the touch.  Plastic, in fact.  A prosthetic.

Apparently during the initial disturbance, he decided to help out somebody (I'm not sure who or why), and was arrested for his efforts.  In the process of being taken into custody, he was 'helped' to the ground and his fake leg came apart, but still encased in his pants.

We moved him to the ambulance, cleaned him up, got him a breathing treatment.

Oh, and briefed a now very relieved Sergeant.  Not quite as much paperwork for him tonight...

These flags were flying in Newport over the past weekend.  They are part of a "Field Of Honor", created by a veteran, and in town for Loyalty Days.

I'm writing this from the lobby of the hospital, waiting to pick up Hilda after her shift.  The hospital has wi-fi, and since our television/internet hasn't been hooked up yet, I'm availing myself of any opportunity to surf.

Not that there's been much time.

We're slowly but steadily getting the new house set up.  Our dining table set has been picked up and pieced together.  The master bedroom set has been moved and put in place.  We found and purchased our living room furniture, and brought all but our couch home.  It's on backorder for a week or two, but they had our cuddler in stock, and so we can relax in that.

I highly recommend these - they're awesome!

It's 80 degrees here today - a gorgeous day and a delightful evening is promised.  I think we're gonna really like it.

I stopped by and saw a buddy from Depoe Bay Fire Dept., who also moved here, got his Paramedic, and is working for the fire department.

Things are going quite well, and we're very happy so far.

My shifts on the coast are over, and I'm thankful for that as well.  I'm a little sad to be leaving some really wonderful people behind, but our future beckons...

Well, Hilda should be showing up anytime now, and the grill is waiting!

More updates (and perhaps a war story personal EMS reflection to boot) on Wednesday.

"I'm bringing in a 58 year old female with a chief complaint of productive nausea..."

L-O-O-O-O-O-N-G silence from the radio

Finally a giggle and a faint 'copy'