Resusitation

8/16/11

When we arrived you were lying half in bed, unconscious. The dispatch was for "unconscious/unresponsive" but thats a common dispatch and this wasn't a common call. Within the first couple of seconds it was clear you were pulseless and not breathing and the resusitation began.

The intubation simple, IO line placed and Asystole on the EKG. I didn't expect much here but my partner and I with the help of the firefighters did our best. At about 15min in there had been no change an I took your wife downatairs, sat her down and gave the first part of "the speech."

 "When we arrived your husband wasn't breathing and his heart wasn't beating. We are breathing for him, doing CPR and giving him medicine. At this point its not working. If nothing changes within the next few minuets were going to stop. But, there is a slight chance something will and at that point you'll see alot of acitvity and we'll take him to the hospital."

The second part didn't happen in your case. First your heart went into VFIB which is still dead but progress. 360J later you had a pulse. My partner and I knew we were moments away from 'calling it' but now we were in a brisk rush of sucess we were going to the hospital.

I watched to make sure nothing got pulled, a few breaths got thrown in duing the carry, the hospital was notified, and someone saw to the wife and then we were off. 

I doubt you'll walk out of the hospital but your a rare case of field resusitation and I wish your family that it gave them a chance to make peace with you in your end. As I cleaned up and my partner documented I said to him "We may not be the best of friends but we run a good code." He agreed and our day continued.