My Life, Their Lives: saving lives at the roadside
Saturday, 31 October 2009
Great to Be Recognised and Remembered
So, I'm in the back of an ambulance at 2am this morning, and the paramedic says to me: "You'd better sit here, facing front. I remember you, you puke if you face back, don't you?" Ah, fame!!
an all too familiar story for those of us who have done pre-hospital work ...
done many a level3 transfer with the anaesthetist going gradually greener and greener whil the crew and myself look after the patient incluyding that 'oh damn' moment that you realise you didn't quite give them enough meds to make the destination hospital and have to give a further dose while hurtling through urban traffic on blues and twos
I am a BASICS Doctor. I am one of a select group of doctors who give up their time to provide medical care at the roadside. My son has nagged me to put some more details in, so you can blame him.
I am married, and we have 5 kids. My wife is a photographer, and I'm only occasionally jealous of what she does! Our eldest wants to be a doctor. I'm trying to persuade him to find a proper career. The only problem with that is he sees how much I enjoy what I do.
Our daughter, second in line, is the artist of the family. She will be VERY famous when she is older, I have no doubt.
Our younger three boys are, fortunately, too young to have to worry about careers - much more interested in TV and computer games than anything else - ah, the joys of youth!!
I am an A&E Consultant of a fairly large District General Hospital. This helps me keep up my trauma skills, as we are very close to both the M1 and the M25.
Well, it's better than "You're the useless bugger who botched x, y or z", isn't it? In the great scheme of things.
ReplyDeleteJust saying, there are worse things to be known for.
I think you need to teach yourself to ride facing backwards. Edinburgh to London on the train might be a good start.
ReplyDeleteFee right tho atleast your known for something funny.
Ooo I am so with you, I travel by train quite regularly and I still can't travel backwards totally freaks me out...lol..x
ReplyDeletean all too familiar story for those of us who have done pre-hospital work ...
ReplyDeletedone many a level3 transfer with the anaesthetist going gradually greener and greener whil the crew and myself look after the patient incluyding that 'oh damn' moment that you realise you didn't quite give them enough meds to make the destination hospital and have to give a further dose while hurtling through urban traffic on blues and twos