Haven’t had much to blog about lately but the events in Boston yesterday have stirred me.
Of course the first thing you think of when you see those horrifying images of people who lost limbs is the overwhelming sadness and disgust with the event itself. However, as an ER doctor, I immediately start thinking about what it would be like to be working at a hospital nearby (Like the Brigham). How many really badly injured patients did they get? How many people were working. How in the Hell would I handle that huge bolus of unstable patients were I there?
But then I remember that when the shit REALLY hits the fan like in this circumstance, everyone goes from a whiny, grumbling, complaining about everything (drug seekers, bogus pts, etc) mode into superhuman mode. The adrenaline surge takes over, your mind becomes razor sharp, and you become a machine. You work harder than ever without a break and you don’t even think about it. You become more efficient than usual and your skills increase. You are at your best when you are needed most. You put that fire out.
Just like after that tragedy in Joplin,MO after that tornado that nearly destroyed a hospital, I look forward to hearing stories from the ER staff and other firsthand accounts from EMS and Police. I’m sure they’ll be impressive. I’ll wonder how I could ever do something like that but then I remember that they would be thinking the same thing were they the ones reading the stories. The worst does indeed tend to bring out our best.

Two guys drink themselves to within 10 g/DL of 500 then drive themselves into a pole. Luckily their smash in the car was at low speed compared to how smashed they were.
They spend the night in the ER making drunken jokes in Spanish to each other.

A). I walk in the room and you greet me with “Yo, what-da fuck up cuz!?”

B). You’re a drunken dope who cut his face and you keep telling me “Don’t fuck this shit up, I’m a model!” while I’m suturing you.

C). You say “Fuck this shit don’t work!” and you throw the Motrin offered to you on the floor.

D). You say “Oh my God, I’m gonna vomit!!” and then you stick your finger down your throat and then throw up.