Today was an ordinary day. We were at the station doing our usual daily duties. Checking off the squad, drink coffee, plan lunch, answer the phone, Go check on the controlled burn someone called in, drink more coffee, etc.
At my station we have an average of 1 run per day. Saying that some days we have none and some days we have 2 or 3. You just never know. Today was an ordinary day as I said. The usual until 15:50. 1 hour and 10 minutes before quitting time. A call came in for Chest pain. Now most of the time we take the patient to the hospital and go through the protocol for chest pain. ( Oxygen, asprin, nitro, monitor (12-lead) and sometimes but not often Morphine.
Today, when we got to the dispatched address, someone met us at the driveway and said that he is hurting real bad. Again most times that means little. This time when we got to the patient he was diaphoretic, grasping his chest and pail looking. On the scene was myself, my partner and two volunteers. First, place 02, NRB 15L. Upon attempting the 12-lead, the ECG patches would not stick because of the sweat. They would not stick long enough for a 3-lead. He had an elevated BP and irregular pulse. This guy was not obese and he was only 54. As the volunteers brought the cot in, I said let's get him in the squad and get going. After getting him in the squad, and getting enroute, Volunteer driving, I made the decision to "Light them up", the usual took place. IV, nitro, asa and dry him off to attempt 12-lead again. This time we got the 12-lead. He was having a septal STEMI. He then said the pain would not let up. I gave him a second nitro and went for the morphine. Then the pucker factor set in for real. He went unresponsive and the monitor said V-fib. ACLS went into full swing. Long story short. If you can call this short. After 2 shocks and one round of drugs and a brief period of CPR, we got a pulse back and he sat up. I never did get time to give the Morphine. Upon arrival at the hospital, they did their thing and raced him off to the cath lab.
Sometimes in this business, there are so many "bandaide" runs and you get kind of "tired" of the Crap that you have to put up with. Every time I think there is so much crap that it is not worth all the hours of training and working on our skills, then today happens, and you really make a difference. Bottom line is that if not for the Medic crew on station today, that man would be dead right now. I don't know if this guy will make it back home or not, but he has the best chance anyone could have. He was in the cath lab before we were done with the report. If you are a person who prays as I, remember him and his family tonight and remember all the Medic crews out there who put up with the crap day in and day out just to make a difference once in a while.