Emergency Response by Dave Greenberg

Author:Dave Greenberg
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780143771678
Publisher: Penguin Random House New Zealand
Published: 2013-04-08T04:00:00+00:00

DOUG’S PARTNER TRISH and their 10-month-old daughter had headed to Paraparaumu to pick up Doug’s mum as soon as they knew John was being flown to hospital. Trish had watched the helicopter fly past her as she drove north and she wondered if her baby would ever get to know her granddad. Once they arrived at the hospital, and I knew his other siblings were on their way, I knew Doug had support for the moment, so I headed off.

I went back to work for a while, on the pretence of doing my paperwork, but more just to give myself a little space. Normally an ambulance job is not stressful for me, but right then I was stressed and upset and I wanted to prepare myself for the worst.

An hour or so later, once I was feeling a bit better, and ready for whatever was to come, I returned to the hospital to wait with the family. I had watched the same scene hundreds of times, but now I was part of the group supporting each other, sharing stories and praying that John survived.

Finally, hours later, word came that John was out of surgery and was doing okay. The hugs and tears of happiness flowed. We had all prepared for the worst, but hoped for the best, in our own way.

John was eventually brought to ICU and the family was allowed in to see him. He had a breathing tube down his throat, tubes and wires running around his body, and was swollen and pale. I spend a lot of time around patients looking like this and it never bothers me, but that day it did. If I was troubled by it, I could only imagine how it was making the others feel.

A while later I went home to grab a shower and have something to eat. It had been an exhausting day and I was drained.

Around 10pm, I got a huge surprise when Doug called to say that his dad had already had the breathing tube removed and he was groggy, but awake. This was the best news any of us could have hoped for. Things were looking very positive.

I went to sleep around 11pm feeling happy that I was part of a team that not only did great things, but today we had helped save someone very close to me. It was a great feeling.

As I went to sleep that night, September 11, 2001 was one of my best days ever.

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