Re: Looking for 'save' stories for Texas EMS Magazine!

March 9, 2011

Please define " Save "

I " think " I had a save once, but not sure if the person walked out of the

hospital or not. She was dead, D E A D. when we got there, and my partner did

CPR for a full 25 minutes. There was a misunderstanding with the family member

who was on the phone with 911. They were arguing with her. I loudly said MAM,

put the phone to my ear! I told 911, This is Mike Herring with National Star

EMS, I HAVE CPR IN PROGRESS!!

" OH My " ....they said, and THEN dispatched HFD. We had showed up for a routine

transport, and when we got there, family was waiting out side with worried

looks, saying " she's not breathing " . We grabbed all our stuff and ran inside.

Turns out the Adult Mask was missing. I had to improvise, using a pedi mask, and

smashing it around her nose and mouth. The exhale was a death rattle. Family

estimates that we did CPR for 25 minutes, before HFD arrived. The captain was

livid when he found out how long the response took, because of 911's failure to

communicate with the family. I will tell you this much though.....

We were doing CPR the old two man way, 5 compressions to one breath, then

switching after a while. After MICU arrived, and started advanced level care, I

stumbled out into the grass and literally collapsed. I was exhausted.They put O2

on ME. I asked HFD if that was considered a save, and they said yes, because she

had no heart beat when we got there, and she had one when she was loaded onto

their unit almost half an hour later. So I earned the right to go buy my " I made

CPR count " pin. The Grandaughter thanked and hugged me, and said, she may not

make it, but thanks to you, she has a chance now.

Had it been under the current CPR protocols, I dont think she would have that

chance. We would have exhausted much earlier, quit, and she would have died.

That company is no longer around, and I would have no way, to know how to even

contact the people we helped. I still dont know if that is REALLY considered a

" save " or not. I never knew if she made it, only that she was alive when HFD

took her away.

Mike

I'll keep my Guns, my Freedom and my MONEY,

You can keep the " CHANGE. "

Subject: Looking for 'save' stories for Texas EMS Magazine!

To: texasems-l

Date: Wednesday, March 9, 2011, 10:51 AM

Â

Looking for stories of saves!

Have you had a call that made a life-changing impact on a patient? Texas

EMS Magazine is looking for stories of patients who survived the odds -

thanks to EMS and the trauma system - and want to tell their story. Send

your stories to Harrell at kelly.harrell@... by March

21. Please give us the basic story plus the patient's name and contact

information. We'll take care of the rest!

Harrell, CMP

Editor, Texas EMS Magazine

Texas EMS Conference

Direct line

Fax

March 9, 2011

I know you were not looking for the story to be posted here, but Sat morning we

are leaving on a ski trip to NM and will not be back till after the deadline you

posted.

Mike aka Cougar!!

Now....back to cleaning and packing