tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27691111.post3479867836045519805..comments2023-07-18T07:27:08.516+00:00Comments on Siren Voices: Fiona in greensSpence Kennedyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11183848895584919812noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27691111.post-20506200639000733632009-04-20T06:24:00.000+00:002009-04-20T06:24:00.000+00:00Cheers for that, Cogi! :)Cheers for that, Cogi! :)Spence Kennedyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11183848895584919812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27691111.post-54038026810847724392009-04-19T23:55:00.000+00:002009-04-19T23:55:00.000+00:00I don't need to say it do I Spence? Nut I will non...I don't need to say it do I Spence? Nut I will nonetheless...beautiful writing as ever...Oh god when you write the book(s) I'll buy it(them)...<br /><br />Thanks for posting...cogidubnushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03542717738481600745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27691111.post-5870144409975096442009-04-19T22:08:00.000+00:002009-04-19T22:08:00.000+00:00Yeah, they eventually diagnosed it as 3rd degree A...Yeah, they eventually diagnosed it as 3rd degree AV block - I'm an expert on it now! Ethel was so lucky you managed to catch it on the ECG, sometimes it can take months to diagnose. <br /><br />I've been reading the blog for ages now, and I love it. :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27691111.post-70863379068754306652009-04-19T18:44:00.000+00:002009-04-19T18:44:00.000+00:00Thanks Wren!
I got the feeling that Ethel would do...Thanks Wren!<br />I got the feeling that Ethel would do well. She seemed incredibly resilient, keeping her chin up despite feeling awful and despite all the fuss. <br /><br />BTW - is your avatar 3D? It has the same quality as a hologram! (Or are my eyes even dodgier than I thought?) x<br /><br /><br />Thanks for your comment, Anon!<br />So is your condition an AV block of some description? The thing that was striking about Ethel was that her ECG was mostly normal, then bradycardic - then fell into that spell of asystole. <br /><br />Anyway - really glad to hear the pacemaker is working. And yes, Ethel was a little older than you. 93! ;) xSpence Kennedyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11183848895584919812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27691111.post-54109956967840930712009-04-19T18:26:00.000+00:002009-04-19T18:26:00.000+00:00I had that problem, and nobody in A&E/cardiolo...I had that problem, and nobody in A&E/cardiology could find anything wrong until I had an implanted monitor, which showed episodes of up to 30 seconds of asystole. Now I've got a pacemaker and I'm good as new. Only difference is I'm 21, and judging by the name 'Ethel' she's probably 60 years older... :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27691111.post-22077593973989017442009-04-19T17:55:00.000+00:002009-04-19T17:55:00.000+00:00Beautiful writing on another wonderful story, Spen...Beautiful writing on another wonderful story, Spence. Incredibly evocative; I could feel your boredom, see those ladies tee-hee-ing, and the building itself -- oh, my, what a fine description that was.<br /><br />The end was surprise -- a good one. I hope Ethel survived and was able to rejoin her giggly friends.<br /><br />Congrats and all my best to Fiona.Wrenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09285813981508179421noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27691111.post-11291839584077246962009-04-19T09:51:00.000+00:002009-04-19T09:51:00.000+00:00Thanks v much Kathleen.
I think one of the reaso...Thanks v much Kathleen. <br /><br />I think one of the reasons I like this job is the contrasts you're always coming across. Even at the end of a long day - the shifts are 12 hours - and in the context of a job that seems on the face of it to be quite straightforward, there's always the chance that something'll happen to give you a little shake! <br /><br />I know Fiona's not looking forward to a long stretch of light duties (extending into maternity leave after the birth, of course). She needs to take it easy, but I think it's going to get pretty frustrating for her. <br /><br />Thanks for your comment, Kathleen.Spence Kennedyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11183848895584919812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27691111.post-14785660975061154052009-04-19T09:30:00.000+00:002009-04-19T09:30:00.000+00:00I don't think I have commented here before but I j...I don't think I have commented here before but I just wanted to say that I love your writing. This story made me cry - not the story so much but the way you wrote it. Thanks for bringing this to us and thanks for the job you do - and yes, my very best wishes to Fiona.Kathleennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27691111.post-68702982881841216372009-04-18T20:36:00.000+00:002009-04-18T20:36:00.000+00:00Thanks TA7!
BTW - that's the first time I've seen...Thanks TA7! <br />BTW - that's the first time I've seen someone go straight into asystole rather than via the usual route (course then fine VF). And I've used a precordial thump before, but that's the first time I've seen the trolley drop trick work like that.<br /><br />Thanks Grace!<br />You're right about the circle of life. Sometimes in the ambulance you're conscious of it - this was def one of those times!<br /><br />Thanks Liv!<br />I don't know what the diagnosis was. She was our last job of the day, and my last shift for a week (in house training - pah!) So I'll prob never find out. She had no cardiac PMH, though, so it was all quite strange. It could've been some kind of electrolytic imbalance knocking her heart into deadly rhythms. Something to do with her potassium levels? No idea! <br />They were a great laugh at the flats. In retrospect.<br /><br /><br />Thanks for all your comments! :)Spence Kennedyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11183848895584919812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27691111.post-79565212685097695352009-04-18T19:23:00.000+00:002009-04-18T19:23:00.000+00:00Excellent post Spence! What was the eventual diagn...Excellent post Spence! What was the eventual diagnosis or are you not sure? What is it about hairnets and quilted dressing gowns which instantly mean flapping and being flighty? Get it all the time at the Care Home :)<br /><br />Liv xxxloveinviennahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08061067320547283159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27691111.post-7661861913934973012009-04-18T18:27:00.000+00:002009-04-18T18:27:00.000+00:00That was very touching ... the imagery of the "res...That was very touching ... the imagery of the "resonant mark of doom" for Ethel and the new life growing in Fiona. It is the circle of life. Once again, thank you for moving me.Gracehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17620037783027233100noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27691111.post-44713854941532855492009-04-18T13:56:00.000+00:002009-04-18T13:56:00.000+00:00I like this one, Spence. Really strong writing, go...I like this one, Spence. Really strong writing, good prose. A very enjoyable story, all the more enthralling for knowing that it really happened.<br /><br />But that asystolic episode, and shocking her out of it by dropping the trolley. Now *that* is frontline prehospital care. Put that in an episode of Casualty, nobody would believe it.<br /><br />Keep up the good work, and good luck to Fiona +1.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com