Famous last words
Another one from the ER.
Medics called in report on an AMI (Acute Myocardial Infarction, AKA "The Big One"). We got ready for them.
Upon their arrival, most of the staff was waiting for them in the room, including the MD. We got him on our stretcher and I started to do a 12-lead EKG. I'm in the middle of hooking up the leads when he goes into VFib (Ventricular Fibrillation). Well, we weren't prepared for that. While waiting for the LifePak (defibrillator) to be hooked up, I asked the MD if he wanted me to "thump" the patient. He said "Sure."
"Thump" is what we call a "Precordial Thump", where you pound on someone's chest in absence of a defibrillator. It actually works. I don't know why we don't do this in the field anymore. I can tell you that if someone went into VF in the back of my unit, and I didn't have the pads on him, I'd do it.
I thumped the guy, but immiediately realised I'd not done it hard enough. He was a large man, about 275lbs I'd guess. So, I slammed my fist back down on his sternum, and lo and behold, he came out of it.
He was obviously a bit shaken but speaking coherently. We tried to calm him down and re-assure him. I attempted to finish the 12-lead EKG while one of the RNs placed the defib pads on him. The man then looks up and distinctly says, "Oh shit, I think I shit myself." He had. He then proceeded to go back into VFib. We shocked him into Asystole, where he stayed, despite CPR and drugs.
I'll always feel sorry for him having uttered those last words. on what would be his deathbed, in front of so many witnesses. Fortunately for him, we all knew that the occurrence was perfectly natural.
Medics called in report on an AMI (Acute Myocardial Infarction, AKA "The Big One"). We got ready for them.
Upon their arrival, most of the staff was waiting for them in the room, including the MD. We got him on our stretcher and I started to do a 12-lead EKG. I'm in the middle of hooking up the leads when he goes into VFib (Ventricular Fibrillation). Well, we weren't prepared for that. While waiting for the LifePak (defibrillator) to be hooked up, I asked the MD if he wanted me to "thump" the patient. He said "Sure."
"Thump" is what we call a "Precordial Thump", where you pound on someone's chest in absence of a defibrillator. It actually works. I don't know why we don't do this in the field anymore. I can tell you that if someone went into VF in the back of my unit, and I didn't have the pads on him, I'd do it.
I thumped the guy, but immiediately realised I'd not done it hard enough. He was a large man, about 275lbs I'd guess. So, I slammed my fist back down on his sternum, and lo and behold, he came out of it.
He was obviously a bit shaken but speaking coherently. We tried to calm him down and re-assure him. I attempted to finish the 12-lead EKG while one of the RNs placed the defib pads on him. The man then looks up and distinctly says, "Oh shit, I think I shit myself." He had. He then proceeded to go back into VFib. We shocked him into Asystole, where he stayed, despite CPR and drugs.
I'll always feel sorry for him having uttered those last words. on what would be his deathbed, in front of so many witnesses. Fortunately for him, we all knew that the occurrence was perfectly natural.
posted by S. @ 7:16 AM
3 Comments:
At 10:00 PM,
MedicChris said…
HA! Perfect last words, for so many in fact. We don't thump in the field because it is so much more fun to shock them. And, as you saw, it almost always results in a stable, if asystolic patient. Still chuckling, but then, that's just the sick field medic in me.
At 10:50 AM,
Anonymous said…
That's a good one. It reminds me of another time...
There we were, off the road in a creek/bog at a place we call "where the accidents happen" ('nuff said). One of my firemen was trying to help a victim whose previously-ejected body came to rest next to his wiped out TransCamaro in the woods. The guy was unconscious and very badly injured. My fireman, while holding the back of this guy's head together said: "Dude, if you can hear me, just say anything!" The victim slowly opened his eyes, looked at the fireman and said: "FUCK YOU!", and dropped dead. There was a smell of alcohol in the air and "Free Bird" was still playing on the wrecked car's stereo. It was beautiful. No, "beautiful" is too wierd. Better to say that it was a conclusively perfect death for a certain type of redneck in our area.
Nice blog, S.! Thanks for letting us non-bloggers post. I'll be reading.
DTXMATT12
At 6:50 PM,
Anonymous said…
Don't feel bad, you gave him 7 more words of life.
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