People watching

[forgop]

Originally Posted by markem

Your compassion is overwhelming. No, let me rephrase that... I cannot believe that you are allowed anywhere near a person in need. I really need to know what hospital that you are at so that I can put in my living will to never let you near me and if you get close to just shoot you.

But that's just me.

Likewise, it says a lot for someone that even PRETENDS to know what we see and do on a daily basis to make such an assumption. That IS you.

Contrary to what you may think, I love my job. I love helping people and after losing both of my parents 4 years ago, I changed careers to find a way to give back because I was unable to care for them myself. I only wish I had done this 15 years ago because I have met so many awesome people, whether they're my patients or co-workers. It's a great feeling to know you've helped a person rather than just some corporation's balance sheet from your efforts.

But what do I know? I'm the guy standing in a pool of blood and inflating/deflating the cuff on the guy with an arterial arm bleed keep him from bleeding out while restoring enough flow so he doesn't lose his arm while we wait on a spot to open up in the OR. I'm the one speaking to the teen girl who overdosed on aspirin because her step mom has her do cruel things and try to make sure she gets the counseling she needs. It's only a miracle some kids are as resilient as they are because their parents completely screw up their entire perspective on life. I'm the one who second guesses myself every single time we have a code and lose someone wondering if I had just done something faster or better that maybe they'd still be alive when I walk out the door each night. You never forget what the gaze looks like of the person you're doing chest compressions to save their life. I'm the one assisting to make the plaster casts of the deceased infant's feet and hands to give the grieving parents so they have what little keepsakes they can hold onto. I'm the one advocating on a couple's behalf and ask the physician to transfer their newborn to another facility because we're 10 minutes away from one of the best pediatric hospitals in the country.

And at the same time, I see a lot of the same people so often that I spend more waking hours/day with them than my own family because they come into our facility so frequently to support their drug habit. They're the ones who complain frequently and loudly that you're not getting them their morphine or dilaudid quickly enough. They're the ones that tie up significant time and resources to determine they don't have kidney stones for the 3rd time this week and their back MRI (they're "disabled" of course) is much better than my own after 2 surgeries myself. They're the ones that come to the emergency room at 2:30 am via ambulance because they want tested for a STD or pregnancy and then immediately complain for food and a cab voucher to get back home. They're the ones that yell and threaten physical harm at me because they're mad I took away their buzz after administering Narcan after OD'ing on narcotics.

I guess the difference is I do it in real life and you think you know enough about what I see and do to make your uninformed decision because you enjoy watching some sitcom on TV.

[markem]

But don't forget that you find it funny.

I've done my share of code 99s in the ER and have done chest compression and ventilation for people who are flat lined. I've also done search and rescue to find the rapidly decomposing body of someone who lost their footing on a trail and have risked my life to find a lost group in whiteout conditions at 11,000 ft, not to mention handling broken femurs and arterial bleeds 3 days out from the nearest road. Of course I know nothing. I also don't make blanket statements that if you want to people watch and have a good laugh, spend a little time in the ER. Even if I had some humorous stories, I'd never make such a callous and uncaring statement.

Yes, you know it all.