First things first, I suppose

Well, I guess it would have to happen.  This tour "Staying Alive" ran through my head numerous times.  What does that mean?  Well, that a code was immanent.

Much is happening, but with the iPad, it does not work to post... boo blogger for being so iPad unfriendly.

Anyway, at 04:58 this morning the echo call came in.  My Basic Life Support (BLS) partner and I boogied to the scene and the volunteer fire department were attempting to do CPR.  The patient was in asystole and the woman in the house had refused to do CPR when the dispatcher asked her to.

Fuck - why is a code always a shit show?

Anyway, long story short, the Advanced Life Support (ALS) crew got there, the paramedic took over and I went with them to lend a hand.  I did at least 30 mins of CPR, sweated like a pig, wiped brown liquid that was coming from his nose away from his open and increasingly bloodshot and filmy eyes.  The paramedic gave 3 rounds of epi and atropine then a final blast of sodium bicarb, one final minute of CPR and TOD was called at 06:19.

My tour ended this morning at 07:00 so by the time all was said and done I had a bit of overtime and some reflection to do.  I wished the patient well in wherever he is going and whatever he needs to do next.  I did my best to try to keep him here.

I came home to see my beloved dog so gleeful to see me which always brightens my heart :) I decided to go out and buy a half decent but relatively inexpensive bottle of bubbling wine (Henkell Trocken) and decided to celebrate life.  I will buy a bottle every time a person codes and does not come back.  Perhaps morbid or incredibly positive.

This job reminds me to celebrate every single fucking moment, until I forget (or become petty about the stupid small shit that does not matter)... and am faced with a genuine life or death situation.

Puts all the stupid shit into perspective.  Makes me grateful for whomever or whatever machinations lead me to my profession.

Ching, ching, la chaim, to life, etc etc etc

ps - been accepted into paramedic school a couple months back.  start in september.