Changing hats in the hospital

I got up a little after one in the afternoon. I was not sure what I was going to do today, so I decided to get some work around the house done. I went to Ace hardware and got a battery charger, a gas can, some two-stroke oil, and a few other items. I started to weedeat the driveway area as well as the area around the house. But it started to rain so I had to get the battery charger out from the rain. It was on the lawn mower.

I then put on my new hose and started to make some weed killer mix and put in my new two-gallon sprayer. I went through four gallons of weed killer around the driveway and then around the house as well. The back yard is in really bad shape. I need to do more work on that yet. I spent about four hours working on everything in total.

I got some pizza and then went to the fire station. Ken and I had the pizza and then we talked about life and how God has a plan for you. And how many times you don’t see it until after something happens. Ken talked about how he tried to get a job somewhere else and each time he was turned down, something would happen that day that let him know why he was supposed to stay.

Bryce came in to have his dinner and we started to watch Caddyshack. It was funny because I did not get to finish watching it last night. We were nearing the end of it when a call came in. It first was a person who was not breathing. Then they said, that it was an echo response for CPR in progress at an assisted living place in Colfax. Ken took off to it and I stayed at the station. I did not plan on going as I was on call for the coroners office. But when no one else showed up other than the Chief I decided I would have to go. I asked if the Engine had a defib, because we were sort of waiting for someone else to show up. He said it did. I knew that we had to get the defib on the patient right away. They put out a second tone and Milt showed up. We flew down Main Street and got to the scene within one minute. We took in the cot and the defib we had. We hooked it up, but there was not shock advised. I was in my shorts and tee-shirt because I had not planned on going. Tim was on scene because he came POV. He was doing compressions. I could see what at the time, I thought was a large pool of urine on the floor. Tim did not have gloves on so I took over compressions as he got gloves on.

I saw the stomach was distended and I was worried it would blow vomit everywhere. I kept going at one point I felt a rib give way under me. I paused for a second and then kept going.

When the defib was set up and the lead were put on the patient we stopped CPR to analyze the rhythm. No shock was advised. I said they we needed to PUHA. Which means to “Pick Up and Haul Ass.” We got her on the cot, I continued doing compressions to the ambulance. Then Tim took over compressions. I started doing the ventilations for the patient to the hospital. I did the ventilations into the hospital and the whole time the patient was being worked on in the hospital.

The doctor pushed some drugs and did a few other things, but we never got a heart beat nor a rhythm that we could shock. He called the patients death. Then they talked about calling the coroner. I asked a few questions. Then I said that I would be back in a few minutes. I told them I was the coroner. I told them to call Whitcom and start the process.

When we got into the ambulance I checked us back in service. Jamie was working at Whitcom and asked if she needed to page me to make it official or if we were good. I said we were good and that I would check in service soon. I called the funeral home on the way to the station and they got my truck and checked into service.

I went home got my equipment and went to the hospital. Bryce was there. I started my investigation. I got all the paperwork from the hospital that I could. I talked to the doctor and then the funeral home to the body to the funeral home were I did more checking and drew blood. I went to he residence and looked at everything there and talked to the people there. Then I went to the SO and wrote up my report and printed out the report and turned it in. I ended up getting a hold of the family and I talked to them for about thirty minutes.

I went home as the sun was starting to come up and I was ready to go to bed.