Team Alchemist Blog

Merry Christmas!

Just finished up with another Flu patient last night when the nurse rushed in.

“Louisville Fire is coming emergent with an airway obstruction!”

It has been a Christmas tradition in years past.  I usually work Christmas Day.  And someone always dies on Christmas.   I don’t know why.  Maybe too much ham.  But that’s how it goes.

I prepared the room for the ambulance arrival, and barely had time to grab a pair of ring forceps when they pulled in.  When they wheeled into the ER, the lady was gray, weakly gasping for air, and heading for the barn.

Apparently, she was eating her Christmas dinner when she started choking.  They performed the Heimlich right away, but only got some mashed potatoes out.   The medics had her sitting upright, so I left her that way and wedged a laryngoscope between her teeth.  I was able to pry her mouth open enough to see some green beans, which I fished out with the ring forceps.  I kept working my way down, and vaguely saw a chunk of something sitting way down on her epiglottis.  I was just able to clamp an edge and pulled.  And pulled.  And pulled.  Aaaah.  Jackpot.  Well, the grim reaper will have to wait for next year.  Merry Christmas Alchemistas.  We’ll see you in 2015!

A square meal.