When people ask me this question I seem to remember one call in particular. It may be because the family sent me a letter after or because it was a terrible accident that should never have happened.
I just finished dropping off a patient at a hospital when I was dispatched for a head-on collision about 15 miles from where I was. (It was out of town on a rural road, and it was snowing) We got there quickly and were the second ambulance to arrive, which meant we get the most critical patient. It took about 30 minutes to extricate out patient, all the time we were working on getting an IV and airway established. She was breathing very badly and was not responding to any questions. We got her extricated, on a backboard, and into our ambulance. It was snowing (yes, it happens in las vegas) so we could not get the helo there(we were about 20 miles from the trauma center). The first thing I can really recall is that her right leg was, uh, all over the place. The other thing I really remember is that she kept trying to motion to us with her right arm but it was flopping all over from the elbow up. It was not a concern due to her other, much worse injuries, so we let her keep doing it. Long story short, she recovered after much treatment and rehabilitation. This is the letter I received from her family over a year later:
Letter from the family:
It was one year ago that Sarah was involved in a horrendous car crash when she was hit head-on by a drunk driver. When you look at the picture of Sarah's car, it is hard to imagine that anyone survived, let alon progress as well as she has. Sarah's injuries were a broken neck, a broken shoulder, broken left wrist, a lacerated liver, and her right leg was broken in several places including a compound fracture above her ankle and her knee cap and ankle were crushed.
For several days the doctors did not know if Sarah would survive. Sarah spent three weeks in U.M.C. Trauma Intensive Care, six weeks in HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital, two months on home health care, and a total of five months in outpatient physical therapy. Now, one year later, Sarah is back in school full time, and she celebrated spring break by taking a trip to San Diego.
We feel it was the grace of God that allowed the paramedics to be so close by, and they responded with the proper care that allowed Sarah to be romoved from the car without any further injury. We were blessed with skillful doctors and nurses that took such excellent care of Sarah.
After a year of recovery Sarah is still working hard to get stronger every day. After seven surgeries, Sarah has metal throughout her body. Sarah's neck was fused and she has a metal plate atteching her sping to the base of her skull, her wrist has a pin holding a bone graft together, a metal rod was inserted in her femur, a metal wire surrounds her knee cap, and a metal plate and screws is attached to fuse her rught ankle. Sarah has lost half of the movement in her neck, walks with a limp, and has trouble walking long distances, and suffers from ached and pains that will be with her from now on. Sarah's personality has not changed since the crash, and she has a positive outlook on her future and a wonderful smile that can light up a room.
Words alone will never be able to express how thankful we are for everyone that has helped us through this. Every one of you played an important part in Sarah's recovery and have allowed our family to come out of this with our sanity intact. We will never be ale to repay you for all the things you have done for us. You each hold a special place in our hearts and your kindess and thoughtfulness will be remembered forever.
A personal note written on the letter:
Thanks for all of your
help. Also thanks for the
birthday card and the
stuffed bear.
Alan, Diana, and Sarah
That is a long read, but it is the only letter or thanks that I have gotten in my five years of being a paramedic, that I have ever gotten that stuck with me.
I have received a few other letters of thanks, but this is special. I will never forget that call.
Just as a note, the other driver was killed. His six children and wife, that were in the van, were OK.
If I could get my scanner working again, I would show you a pic of her car
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