Personally, I've spent a pretty decent amount of time in ambulances. Blood transfusions, pneumonia, anaphylactic shock, all the good stuff. Paramedics have this magical aura about them. Every paramedic I've ever had in an ambulance has been a man and it's always been a very personable guy. I can get that kind of vibe from Jeff Ennis. He seems personable and he seems like somebody that would have been able to calm a 12 year old me down as I get stabbed with IV's.
Ennis' main anecdote is about a bit of a puzzle piece of a patient. A paramedic only has so much time to figure out how to treat a patient and what a proper diagnosis is. Ennis states that he thinks that the damage that went to this young man's brain was too much and that he probably couldn't have been saved. However, Ennis seems to be at peace with this. He says the man had healthy organs that could save 7 other lives. He states that this kind of thinking allows him to sleep at night.
As a lifeguard, I can't imagine this kind of pressure. The worst EPA I've ever had I was completely alone. A 70 year old man was in the steam room and he suddenly hunched over and couldn't talk. I ran into the room and as a 15 year old I was pretty much clueless on what to do. I thought it was a stroke but I didn't really know. I thought about how I was supposed to ask him to smile or to raise his arm, right? Did I get that right on the test? Was that even for a stroke? I ran back to the guard room, grabbed a bucket (in case he vomited) pulled the emergency button grabbed more First Aid supplies. What the hell was I supposed to do? Why the hell did I think to grab a bucket and not get him some water? I called 911 and grabbed all the paperwork I didn't really know how to fill out and tried to calmly explain the situation.
Finally, my manager came out. She asked all the questions I didn't know how to ask and did all the medical things I didn't know how to do. I can't imagine having this kind of panic every day and it amazes me that Ennis still has such a positive spirit.
Food for thought...
Do you think Ennis is able to keep a positive spirit because he only gets the first sight of patients? Kind of like he gets to assess and do what he can and then pass the patient on to the trauma center? Maybe he feels a different kind of stress than the doctors do.
Hi Cori,
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear that you are so familiar with ambulance rides! That is pretty scary that you can relate so easily to something as serious as that. When it comes to Jeff Ennis, I feel that I would be comfortable leaving my life in his hands as well. He has this very personal, yet impersonal relationship with all of his patients that soothes me in a way.
When it comes to your lifeguard situation- wow. I felt as if I was right there with you trying to save the man's life. In those situations, it's difficult to know how to react and what to do. I think you did fine! Especially since your boss was there to help.
I do feel that Ennis is able to keep a positive spirit because he is the first to assess what's wrong with them, and even if he gets the assessment wrong, he is still able to have the patient looked at by a few other doctors. In that aspect, it would be easier for me to keep a positive spirit, because I know that if I got an assessment wrong, there would still be a chance for the patient to live. I'm assuming that's how he feels as well.
Good job Cori!
Hi Cori,
ReplyDeleteYour job as a lifeguard seems very stressful, and I wonder if it was your employer's fault that you felt so unprepared to deal with that emergency. That is cool how well you recalled emergency procedure and were able to alert 911 while in a panic.
In response to your food for thought comment, I agree that Ennis probably doesn't feel the stress that doctors feel while dealing with patients because he often doesn't have to see them through until the end. If they live, then he can feel good, knowing that he played a role in their survival. If they don't make it then he might only hear about it, rather than watch them dying and be unable to help them any more.
Cori,
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear that you have such a long history with ambulance rides. I hope you don't have any more ambulance rides for a very long to come! Even though its such a bad experience to have, it's interesting to hear your input on a paramedic from personal experience.
In response to your times as a lifeguard, I can relate with having the sort of panic, stress and helplessness you felt when the man fell ill. When I was playing baseball in little league (age 12 maybe?) one of the men who was helping out our team had a seizure and cracked his head open on the bench in the dug out. I walked in and was the one who discovered him and was a state of panic. Luckily, my father, who is a doctor, was there to handle the situation. Bottom line is I can relate to that same sort of panic that you felt.
More than enough engaging writing here to make up for the fact that it's a little disorganized about the podcast and Ennis's work experience.
ReplyDeleteI echo your classmates' concern, by the way. Even I realize medical emergencies are more important than correcting run-on sentences!
Really looking forward to your creative writing later in the semester.
Grade: 1/1