Monday, August 17, 2009

If you're crazy and you know it clap your hands...

So in the ems system I work in, there seems to be an unusual amount of psych / suicide threat calls. Those unfortunate enough to have to put up with the clawsen system, you know this code as a 25B. These calls are usually a patient who for a number of reasons has made some sort of suicide threat and requires a supervised ride to mental health. Well another sign the call is going to be less than emergent is when dispatch advises "PD is already on scene and scene is secure." Our brothers in blue have a habit of offering evaluations to everyone they meet and therefore, generate a fair amount of non emergent calls for us. So, the other day we receive this call for a 25B. We drive over code one (no lights/siren)and as we park here comes a police officer. This is one of our newer rookie cops and he appears to be a little pale. He is talking fast to my partner on the other side of the rescue. As I come around the corner of the truck, my partner tells me to bring the trauma bag. I am sure I gave a strange look but grab the bag. As we walk up to the apartment the pale faced cop tells me that the patient has cut off her ear lobes. I confirm this with my partner as we enter. We immediately find our patient who is bleeding profusely from (you guessed it) both ears. Inspection reveals that she has cut off both ear lobes and they do not appear to be in the immediate area. My partner doesn't flinch and goes to work applying bandages and dressings to her ears I ask her a few questions. When I ask why she did this, she tells me it is her birthday today. And every answer is followed by a disturbing evil laugh. When I ask what she used she tells me her mom's scissors. Ha ha ha. She tells me that she needs psychiatric cheeseburgers. ha ha ha. The answers get a little more disconnected so pale faced cop and I go looking for the missing ear lobes. As I am searching through several trash bags full of bloody tissues I realize that this is my first expierence searching for body parts. I start recalling several stories told by my coworkers involving all types of searches for all types of appendages. The second and third trash bag we located in opposite closets and contained ear lobes. Since we are in another room, just for fun I turn around and wave them at pale faced cop before I place them in a small container for the ride to the hospital. Cop left. The patient had given herself this very special birthday present several hours before we were called, so I doubt they are re-attachable. My final question was what psychiatric disorder, if any, she was diagnosed with. He response: Rob Zombie. this response was followed by more laughing and talk about cheeseburgers. She goes to the hospital with private ambulance and we clear for another nearby call. As we respond to this other call my partner and I realize that Rob Zombie is playing on the radio. Couldn't make this up if I tried.

4 comments:

  1. I live in a town that has a large mental hospital in it. Growing up, you learnt to deal with those who have no ear lobes. They can be scary when you're little. Hopefully she gets the help she needs

    ReplyDelete
  2. Now I know what to get myself for my birthday!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Gross. I have a sheltered life. I don't have to worry about searching for cut off earlobes. Hopefully she DOES get the help she needs. Speaking of blood, HF followed a blood trail the other day. It was a bloody nose.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi I Love My Job,

    I’m the editor of EMS1.com, the leading online news and resource site for first responders, paramedics, and emergency medicine professionals. To further engage our active and growing membership of 65,000, we are proud to announce that we have just launched our new EMS1 Blog Directory.

    Based on the subject matter of your posts and the dedication to your site, I would like to invite you to participate on the EMS1 page as a featured blog. By being featured, you would not only guarantee a dedicated and passionate audience, but a significantly increased readership as well.

    To reciprocate, we ask that you place an EMS1 widget on your page to promote interaction of the EMS community. The news and Twitter widgets provide the latest breaking headlines and tips in the EMS industry. They can be found in our Blog Directory or emailed to you if that is more convenient.

    Please let me know if you would like to participate and if you have any questions. I look forward to having you as part of our community.

    Sincerely,

    Shannon Eliot
    EMS1 Editor
    shannon.eliot@ems1.com

    ReplyDelete