Photo A.J. Heightman
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Providers as Patients
In the March JEMS From the Editor, “Chance Encounters,” Editor-in-Chief A.J. Heightman, MPA, EMT-P, told a tale about how a meeting with San Diego Fire & Rescue Firefighter/Paramedic Andrea “Dre” Dominguez ended up being more than just a one-time event. Dominguez, who suffered a severe asthma attack that was featured in the March article “Breathless,” recently joined the JEMS editorial team as a judge at the asthma station in the final scenario of the JEMS Games Clinical Skills Competition at the EMS Today Conference & Exposition in Baltimore. We posted “Chance Encounters” and “Breathless” on the JEMS Facebook fan page (www.facebook.com/jemsfans). We also asked you what kind of a patient you would be, and if you’ve seen an increase in asthma patients recently. Below is your Facebook feedback.
Sometimes, even as a paramedic, it is hard for me to comprehend how far the world of medicine has come. Even 10 years ago the outcome might have been very different. Dre, I have no doubt you will continue to improve and do more for those you so courageously serve!
Debi Whitt Buchanan
Wow, amazing story! Although I’ve never been that bad, my severe asthma attacks and allergic reactions have put me in the hands of my friends and colleagues. I can tell you that I am a horrible patient!
Andi Sherek
I know a certain ER that I will never be allowed back into as a patient.
Greg Wright
Wonderful story. I know when I had my motorcycle wreck, the first thing I did was tell the crew I needed a helicopter and they wouldn’t listen and insisted on taking me 20 miles BLS with a liver laceration. It took enough meds to knock out a small horse for me as well. We medics don’t like to give up.
Lila Carlen
Dre’s story is awesome and I am truly glad that she shared it with each person she can. Now that’s a true miracle.
Lauryn Dewald
I have a whole hospital that trips out when they see me come in on the unit working. They will never let me be a patient there again.
Donna Pebbles Willis
I’ve been an asthma patient...
Evelyn Allen
Where I come from, about one in every 10 people are asthmatic. I have not had anyone with severe attack yet, although at least every day we have at least two callouts for asthma.
Kenneth James DuPlooy
A great story. So glad to see a positive outcome!
Amy Corcoran
Had one while working standby the other night. MDI hit 10 times with no relief, so he decided to walk to the parking lot. Transport rig got to RSI and he coded at the ER. Heard he got to walk out of the hospital this week.
Mary Edwards
We’ve seen a few, one or two severe. Thankfully our local ALS rigs carry albuterol and nebulizers.
Adam Wade
We’ve had more than 15 already—three that got a tube en route and another two that got tubes when they got to the ER.
Kristen Stafford
We’ve seen lots of SOB this winter. My kids. Patients. Lots of asthma. A few really severe.
Stuart Rhinehart
One earlier this week. But I will never forget the one a couple years ago that waited six hours to call and coded right as I kneeled beside her.
Eric Hatcher
This article originally appeared in April 2012 JEMS as "Letters."
