The days were hot. Bushfires raged. Ruby’s neighbours had chosen to escape the heat and head for the coast. Ruby didn’t know or didn’t tell. She was determined to be in her own home.
She was found by a neighbour – on the floor, next to the airconditioning unit. Continue reading Ruby – Dr Simon Judkins
A needle goes into her leg for medications while we continue with CPR. The monitor shows no heartbeat at all. It’s a well-practised drill. We know what to do and we do it: chest compressions, adrenaline in, a tube in the airway to breathe for her, more adrenaline. A bit more of this, more of that. We go for twenty minutes, maybe thirty, there’s no heartbeat; we’re not winning. Ten more minutes . . . this is bad, very bad. Continue reading Everything we can – Dr Simon Judkins
Another cough. I look up from the care plan. There’s a look of distress. And blood, lots of it.
We stare at each other. It’s a brief glance, but also the most meaningful unspoken exchange. The sheepish grin turns to a look of fear, horror – finality.
He knows. I know. This is it; this is dying. Continue reading Dignity – Dr Simon Judkins
It’s the smell that you can never really get out of your head. It’s the brutal insult to the human body and the trauma to the human psyche, for the patients, the family and the staff. The combination of all these factors makes this horrible. It’s a combination of burnt flesh, burnt hair and singed clothing. It sticks with you. When we get the call, … Continue reading It stays with you – Dr Simon Judkins
‘I’m going to die,’ she moans. This time it’s more guttural, almost like a bad exorcism movie. Her hands, like clamps, clutch onto me. I manage to extricate myself from the vice-like grip.
‘Ooohhh, my heart. Ohhh, sweet Jesus, take me now!’
More and more, on and on. Continue reading The Dizz – Dr Simon Judkins
Real ED Stories 