Necrotizing Fasciitis

On the 16th of November, I was in paramedic mode again. We started the morning with an Emergency Doctor Mission right after breakfast.

A few small injuries around the day just before a “bomb” dropped (not a real bomb, but a mission that wouldn’t be that easy).

The doctor’s car and “my” car were called to an interhospital transport from. The control centre called to let us know that elevated hygiene measures need to take place because of a highly infectious patient.

The diagnosis placed on our terminals showed “Necrotizing Fasciitis”. I heard that term before on Grey’s Anatomy.

A quick search on the internet proofed my first thought. I’ll save you the medical definition. Basically it is an infection caused by bacteria that are eating your fascia and necrotizing the skin (= the skin dies off).

Nothing to joke about. I talked to our trainee (the girl I’ve written about a bunch of time by now) that she should stay a little further away from the patient. She isn’t a fully trained paramedic yet and so some handling stuff isn’t in her muscle memory yet. Also, I didn’t want her to get injured.

We arrived at the ICU (intensive care unit) a few minutes later to collect the patient.

A woman probably in her 50s and painful look on her face. The doctors around her were working on her so that she would be ready for transport.

All only wearing long clothing and gloves. I got goosebumps. We were alarmed at the higher hygiene rate and they were just working “normally”.

It turned out the patient had the infection only in the region near her vagina. So she could be handled normally as long as you didn’t come near that part of the body.

An hour drive later we arrived at the large University Hospital. As the surgery was already planned a bunch of people awaited us.

Thinking about it, it probably was a rare case. I saw at least one Professor and at least a dozen students waiting.

Now I’m at the part I originally wanted to talk about. The one Professor.

White hair, white beard and a large stomach. Just like the one you see in Independence Day played by Brent Spiner.

I have to admit it put a little smile on my face.

Later I heard from our doctor that if the women won’t be operated the same night she probably wouldn’t survive the night.

Seconds later we talked about eating something as soon as we would arrive back at our Homebase. Yes, bizarre but that’s just how a paramedic’s brains work.