***updated, stupid Blogger font glitch fixed*** “I don’t need to be here. I wouldn’t be here at all if she hadn’t made me.” He’s short, stocky and just a little belligerent. The kind of belligerence that hides fear. He wouldn’t have let his wife browbeat him into coming to the hospital if he wasn’t scared. “So tell me what’s going ...

and regaining some of the respect of this gun owner. Jim Zumbo writes an open letter to Congress. Go here to read it. Hat tip to Quidni Pro Quo.

Laid Back Male Nurse: Is that the urine on Bed Four? Ambulance Driver: Yep. LBMN: Doc wants a urine glucose on her. AD: Okay. (dips finger in cup and licks it) Pretty sweet. I’d definitely say she’s got the osmotic diuresis going on. Thin Anemic Nurse: (Speechless. Just looks horrified) LBMN: Nice try, but Doc wants a quantitative analysis. AD: ...

1. Patient rapport. I just know how to talk to people. I can’t explain how or why, but I just instinctively know the right tack to take with people. My speech patterns and demeanor change with every patient. I can keep it real with a thug from the block and then, without missing a beat, walk across the hallway and ...

For those of you who don’t follow the gun blogs, you may not know this guy: Allow me to introduce you to Christian Trejbal, Asshole Extraordinaire. Mr. Trejbal is a columnist for the Roanoke Times who apparently had no personal qualms about printing the names and addresses of all CCW permit holders in the state of Virginia. Aside from his ...

AD: Hey, Thin Anemic Nurse? TAN: Yeah, Ambulance Driver? AD: Any particular reason you have a space heater running in here when the ambient temperature is 80 degrees? TAN: I’m cold. AD: Okay. Any reason the rest of us have to stew in our own juices because your personal thermostat is stuck on LOW? TAN: I’m cold. AD: We’ve established ...

“I didn’t call no ambulance.” The guy is short, surly and in no mood to talk. He grimaces, leans his balding head against the door frame. He squints his eyes as if his head hurts. “We got a 911 call at this address for an unconscious person. Is it possible that someone else called? Someone at home with you, maybe?” ...

A timely excerpt, and not just because I’m feeling lazy today: His name is Frankie Maryland, and he’s 25 years old. He comes around to visit me occasionally, usually when I’m feeling pretty cocky. He reminds me that I’m fallible, that I make mistakes. I believe that every paramedic has his own personal cemetery, a dark little corner of his ...

Marko at The Munchkin Wrangler graces us with as sensible, reasoned and civilized argument for an armed populace as I’ve ever read. Go give it a read.

The reciprocal blogroll has gotten longer, and many thanks to folks who have linked me. I’ve added two links to my daily reads list. Medic scribe’s first book sits in my bookshelf, and at first read a number of years ago, I was struck by the fact that it is a true representation of EMS, and darned little “look at ...

That’s the official Christmas carol for narcissists, by the way. And speaking of narcissism, here’s a great rant on John Edwards, Husband of The Year. Love that hair, John. Hat tip to Dad Gone Mad. It’s one funny blog.

Posted near the entrance of any Emergency Department, you will find the pertinent language in EMTALA that notifies all patients of their right to a medical screening exam. Most hospitals have two notices, one in English and one in Spanish. Found scribbled on our Spanish language notice today were the words: Lern the langage! *sigh* While we’re clamoring to pass ...

I read PawPaw’s blog fairly frequently. He’s got a lot of good gun stuff, political commentary and just observations on life in Louisiana. But I suspect somewhere along the way, he got a raw deal from the health care system and it left him with a bad taste in his mouth about health care providers in general. He vents some ...

An email from Philip Romano: Dearest friends, I am writing to you to ask for your help in shedding light on a perplexing situation I find myself contemplating. I have selected you as a group to aid me because you have known me for years and I value your opinion. Your religious experiences are varied and that is important to ...

“Cough. Runny nose. My throat feels like I’ve been gargling glass…” Have you gargled glass before? I mean, so you can make an accurate comparison?I fix a concerned smile on my face and nod to her to continue. She doesn’t need the encouragement. “…and this horrible sinus headache that makes my entire face feel like it’s going to detach from ...