There’s a first time for everything, and today a sweet patient of mine showed up to her appointment, dead.
The secretary clinic called me, stating a cab driver had appeared at the door, asking for help getting the patient out of his yellow cab.
I stepped into the flurry.
The secretary clinic called me, stating a cab driver had appeared at the door, asking for help getting the patient out of his yellow cab.
I stepped into the flurry.
The driver had taken out her walker, which was waiting patiently near the car. I peered into the backseat.
She was slumped over, jaw slack. She had no pulse and her eyes were fixed and staring.
I yelled for the driver to call 911 and began 1-handed CPR, cradling her head.
She was slumped over, jaw slack. She had no pulse and her eyes were fixed and staring.
I yelled for the driver to call 911 and began 1-handed CPR, cradling her head.
A nurse came out with my stethoscope and I listened to her: silence.
Her physician came out and continued compressions, leaning over my shoulder in the yellow cab backseat while I held her in my arms.
She was a large woman and we couldn’t move her alone.
Her physician came out and continued compressions, leaning over my shoulder in the yellow cab backseat while I held her in my arms.
She was a large woman and we couldn’t move her alone.
He stopped to flag down the fire truck that arrived. I took the quiet moment to rub her hands and tell her that she’s ok and sing You Are My Sunshine.
The cab driver, staying warm in the front seat, raised his eyebrows.
The cab driver, staying warm in the front seat, raised his eyebrows.
Six EMTs got her into a gurney, compressing as they rolled her into the ambulance. They stayed for 15 minutes, coding her. Then they left, sirens off.
I checked on the driver- was he ok? Turns out he was irritated at having his car boxed in because he needed to get back to work.
I checked on the driver- was he ok? Turns out he was irritated at having his car boxed in because he needed to get back to work.
I shivered and rolled her walker into the clinic.
The patients, whose noses had been pressed against the full-length windows of the clinic, watched soberly as I entered the clinic and sat down to call her son, who the driver said had helped Mom into the car 30 minutes ago.
The patients, whose noses had been pressed against the full-length windows of the clinic, watched soberly as I entered the clinic and sat down to call her son, who the driver said had helped Mom into the car 30 minutes ago.
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