Sixty One

Talking to a Paramedic after a particular stroke call a few weeks ago, I just heard that the call was coming in and did not know the entire story.

Crusty ER Tech: Dude what happened?

Paramedic: "Got toned to an elderly woman having a stroke. Got on scene to this woman who was all contracted in bed. Breathing like 6 times a minute. Family says that they decided to take her out of the nursing home she was in. After a night or two at home she starts acting altered. Family decides fuck it she's tired lets put her to bed. Ten hours later they check on her and she's like this. They had no clue about her history or meds. They acted like they did not even care, no one even asked what hospital we were going to. I asked them when they tried to get her up and they said 'We got her up when we got her up'. Goddamn that place was a hell hole.

Crusty ER Tech: They should have left her in the nursing home. If it ain't broken don't fix it.

Paramedic: This is my first call of the day on a 24 hrs shift. Humanity is not my favorite species right now. This family was something else.

Crusty ER Tech: Sorry bro, hard times, anything I can do for you?

Paramedic: Nope, we're a truck down today and I gotta get back in service ASAP.

With that he split. I've stated before that for the most part I like patients. Although sometimes there are exceptions. I have no way of knowing the whole story, it's just damn tragic no matter how you cut it.