Nature Calls

Tonight we had a very exciting call.  It was sent out as 45 year old male in respiratory distress, priority 1.  When we arrived on scene we found the home dark and completely locked up.  Fire pulled up and started walking around the house shining their lights in the windows looking for our patient.  As they did this, we asked dispatch to do a call back and find out where our patient was.  After a couple worrisome minutes waiting and watching the firemen prepare to break down the door, if needed, we finally got word that our patient was a quadriplegic in the back bedroom.  We were told to make as much noise as possible and see if we could wake the dog, which in turn would maybe wake the patients nurse or sister.  If that didn't work, we had been given permission to smash a window.  After a short time banging loudly on the window and door the dog began to bark and a very stunned and sleepy woman came to the door, gigantic dog in foot.  As the door swung open, the other medic I was with froze too scared as he came face to face with the full size St. Bernard.  I had to smile when I saw his tail waging away and I quickly explained to the woman about the call we had received.  The woman, who turned out to the in home nurse, turned and ran to the man's room, as another woman (the patient's sister) came in sleepily dawning a robe came into view.  I slid past the dog and began heading to the patients room, as the others stood hesitantly waiting for the sister to take care of the dog.

Upon entered the room, I found an agitated and apologetic man lying on a big king sized bed.  His nurse at the bed side hastily preparing a foley catheter (tube that goes up the urethra to the bladder).  Apparently, our patient just really needed to goto the bathroom.  He had been lying in bed for the last couple hours trying to get a hold of anyone, but had been unsuccessful.  His desperation finally grew enough that he decided to just call 911.  When you got to go, you got to go and unfortunently for this guy, his state doesn't allow him to go unless someone puts a foley in him.  Be happy that your organs work like they should.