The three days I worked over Christmas, I did a lot of vomiting calls.
Here’s a question: When you ask how many times have you vomitted, what are you really looking for? The number of times you have vomited or the number of vomitting episodes?
I woke up yesterday not feeling too well. Soon in a race to the bathroom.
I hardly ever throw up — I go years and years without vomiting. Yesterday I found myself pondering that question — episodes versus times. My final tally was five episodes, 18 times. The vomiting started shortly after my breakfast of a power bar and lasted till five in the evening. Only then did I finally get some nourishmant down — gatorade, rye crisp, two jellybeans, green tea and a slice of apple.
When I get sick I always feel like I am never going to be well again in my life. I guess its a good lesson for a paramedic. It helps teach compassion — to understand how miserable a sick person can feel.
Still I didn’t call 911.
Not this time.