"Karyo"

In this business, you get thrown into all sorts of tragedies that can wear down the spirit. Last night's transport was one of the rare, uplifting exceptions.

A few months back, we responded to an urgent call where a regular patient was de-saturating (SPO2 = 46%) and was clearly in bad shape. There was little that could be done except drive like a bat out of hell and administer high-flow oxygen via non-rebreather mask and hope that the patient doesn't go into cardiac arrest.

The last I saw of the patient was when he was endorsed at the ER and we left with the sinking feeling that we would never hear of him again.

This was why I got the surprise of my life when we were called to bring the patient home. I was assuming that if he lived, he would at best, be in a vegetative state and we were simply taking him home to be given pallative care.

I was not prepared for what I saw when we entered the patient's room. The man was propped up on the bed with his eyes open and was responding to simple questions and when I called out, "Hallo, uncle!", he raised a hand and silently waved at me!

While in transit, I talked to his private nurse and asked what had happened the last few months and I could not find the words to describe how incredible his experience was but I felt a sense of pride (which I try to avoid), that we had a small contribution to the extension of this man's life.

I have little doubt, that I have found my calling.