Toothache

I do a lecture called MiniMe about assessing and treating the little adults, who aren't, known as pediatric patients. Near the beginning I always ask participants, what is it about children that you do not care for that EMS responders have become known as allergic to children and I usually get the varied responses of too little, they don't communicate the same way as adults, different equipment needs which we often are not familiar with, and so on.

My response, who cares? I have yet to run a three year old for being too drunk to find his bed and I have yet to be called because the kid's stomach has bothered him for three weeks and he decides to call at 2 A.M., or even a toothache at 3 A.M.

I don't want to be rude, but if your tooth hurts, why would you wait until 3 A.M. to call 9-1-1? I don't want to be rude and I won't be, but consistently when people call for the goofy stuff I wonder where their priorities are for themselves and their families. You stayed up all day having a good time, but you wouldn't take care of your responsibilities or basic needs until you decided someone else could do this for you. Nice, thanks for the call. You are now spending $1000 on an EMS transport because you wouldn't take care of yourself.

Don't get me wrong. It is always nice to be busy and even have the numbers to make your numbers at the end of the month, but this was pretty high on the 'you have to be kidding me scale'. Thanks for letting me vent and I hope you feel better buddy!