Teen Death

[BoneheadNW]

I went on a particularly depressing call late last night. The call came in just before midnight for an unresponsive teen. On the way out there, we were advised that the father of this 16 year old girl was performing CPR (that is good for an extra 20 mph en route). We arrive to find the mother hysterical with the father attempting to perform CPR. We hooked her up to the AED/lifepack and took over CPR while the medic prepared to insert a breathing tube. After several minutes of getting a "no shock advised" from the AED (meaning that the machine does not detect any electrical activity in the heart), the medic ordered us to stop CPR and called the time of death. The last I heard, an autopsy was to be performed but everything points to "natural causes". How can this be? She was only 16 years old. I could tell that this run hit all of us hard. It was difficult to look at the parents and all I could think of is, what would I do if this ever happened to me? My kids are what I live for.
Bone

 

[Junkman]

Bone...... I did the ambulance runs from the time I was 15 til I was 31 and you never get used to death, no matter how old or young the person is. One of the last calls that I was on was a MVA with two DOA. The night before, I came upon an accident on the New Jersey Skyway that connects Newark NJ with the road to the Holland Tunnel. That MVA I was the first on the scene of a DWI head on collision and there were 8 DOA's. That weekend was when I decided that I needed a rest from responding. I walked away and never went back. Today, I can't even fathom the thought of doing any of what I used to do routinely. I know that someone has to do the job, but it isn't for me any longer. Today, you have better equipment to resuscitate than we had back then, but just the same, it still takes a toll on your mental capacity to do the job day in and day out. Now, I just drive my historical ambulance for the fun of it. Times sure have changed, but once you have experienced rescue work, you never forget the calls...... both good and bad.... Thanks to people like you, the job does get done and done well....
Junk..

 

[HGM]

I went on a particularly depressing call late last night. The call came in just before midnight for an unresponsive teen. On the way out there, we were advised that the father of this 16 year old girl was performing CPR (that is good for an extra 20 mph en route). We arrive to find the mother hysterical with the father attempting to perform CPR. We hooked her up to the AED/lifepack and took over CPR while the medic prepared to insert a breathing tube. After several minutes of getting a "no shock advised" from the AED (meaning that the machine does not detect any electrical activity in the heart), the medic ordered us to stop CPR and called the time of death. The last I heard, an autopsy was to be performed but everything points to "natural causes". How can this be? She was only 16 years old. I could tell that this run hit all of us hard. It was difficult to look at the parents and all I could think of is, what would I do if this ever happened to me? My kids are what I live for.
Bone

Bone,
Although I havent done it for a living, I have responded to an accident in the country simply because no one else could(for a while)..She was trapped in the car, but not too severly injured, we talked to keep her calm untill the cavelry got there and she was ok.. I have had freinds over the years that were firefighters and parametics and can tell you that I completely respect what you do.. It takes a different individual to deal with these things, I guess you need to realize that if you didnt do what you do, many more people would die on a regular basis.. Its sad, and I dont know how I would deal with a child(which is part of why I didnt pick that career) but the law of averages are in your favor.. The world is a much better place because you guys do your best, some things are beyond your control.. Sorry to hear about your last call, but thank you(and everyone else that does what you do) for being there..

 

[ddrane2115]

I could tell that this run hit all of us hard. It was difficult to look at the parents and all I could think of is, what would I do if this ever happened to me? My kids are what I live for.
Bone

BoneHead.

I have been in that families shoes. My daughter died in her bed on Jan 12, 1999 of natural causes. It took 5 months of "auguish" to find out the cause of death, which was never determined. My wife and I were even investigated for murdering her, but we did not know this at the time. One of the medics that was here that night, I ran into him right after we got the results, he was still not dealing with it very well. We still dont know what caused our Auty to pass on to the eternal world, and we never will know.

We do know that her cornea's were used to give eyesight to one little girl and to one police officer, in our town even.

God Bless you!

 

[Doc]

Danny, I'm very sorry to hear of your loss. I can't imagine how tough that would be to go thru.

Bone, I agree with the others who have said THANKS to you and all that do what you do. I used to have a very weak stomach. I came close to fainting just from the smell of a hospital. I've hardend some with age, but I could not do what you do. It would be very tough to handle calls like the one you had last night.

 

[Dargo]

Oh man, I can't even imagine, and don't want to. I could never begin to imagine what Danny went through; I'm so sorry to hear. And Bone & Junk, I could never make ambulance runs.

Although it's no deep dark secret, I actually changed my major in college because of this reason. I was planning on majoring in biology and going on to medical school. I consider myself a pretty tough guy, and blood & guts don't really bother me at all. Except, if it is that of a child's. Then I don't think I could handle it. Or, more correctly, I chose not to be in that situation to find out the hard way.

I wouldn't say that I have any obsession with it, but one big fear is that one of my kids (many of you know I have a house full) may be seriously injured. The oldest of my three daughters is just now getting to the age where she is wanting to date. No way! Not yet!! But, that day is getting closer. A reoccurring dream I have had is that one of my daughters comes home one night all beat up by her boyfriend. I guess it's because of the fact that I see such things in the newspaper frequently.

I don't react very well to that at all. I don't know if I need help or what, but I can't picture myself just calling the kid's parents or the police. I'm on my way there for a personal visit, and I'm not exactly going to talk. Although it would not be with as much violence, if I were to work as a physician or an EMT and I were to be on a scene where someone has beaten a child, I don't think I would react very well then either. And, Bone, I do realize that what you spoke of had nothing to do with a beating. I still don't think I could cope with what you saw very well.

It takes a well trained and a certain sort of person to be able to deal with such things; especially on a frequent basis. My hat is off to those people. We definitely need them. I'm just not cut out to be one. Again, I'm really sorry to hear about Danny's loss and to hear about Bone even having to see such an awful thing. You guys are tough.

 

[XeVfTEUtaAqJHTqq]

I remember when I was at a camp as a kid that one of the kids died right in front of me. We were running along a trail and he literally flipped over and died right there. Apparently, he had a heart condition but that doesn't prepare you for the sight of it or how fast it can happen.

These lives we live are strange things. I think this stuff with kids as victims is a lot harder for those of us who have our own.

 

[BoneheadNW]

Danny-
Your experience is my worst dream. I am so very sorry for your loss. After wednesday night I have been following my kids around and hugging them more often. I don't know how you could ever deal with such a loss.

There have been several tough calls in my short firefighter career, some of them involving kids, and some of those where the child has died. I think this one bothers me because they still don't know why she died. The father said he heard a noise and went in to check on her and found her on the floor. While she had some medical history, there was nothing serious enough to be a factor in the death. That is what gets to me and that is what you must have gone through Danny. I am sorry to open up old wounds, although I'm sure the memories of your child will never be far from your thoughts. You and your loss will be in my thoughts.
Jay

 

[OhioTC18]

Bone,
Hopefully some day they'll figure out what happened to her, she was too young to go like that.
I have to give thanks to the guys who have responded to my calls here at home. And to all the guys who respond to ALL the calls for help. I have no idea if their treatment actually saved me or not, but they came when I called. I have taken them Thanksgiving dinner to show my appreciation. And I want to again soon, just because. One time they transported me, it must have been hours later, but when they brought another patient in, they found my wife, just to ask how I was doing. It takes dedication to do the type of job that you do and I admire you for it.

 

[BoneheadNW]

An update: An autopsy was performed on the teen and they found that she did die of natural causes. She apparently had some heart defect that led to her sudden death. I guess on the positive side, it was sudden (she apparently died very quickly), and was not caused by any drugs or outside influence. That is about the only positive thing I can say about it.
Bone