Under the Christmas Tree
by

Working on Christmas Day is always a bummer. However, working Christmas Day shows you that death and stupidity take no holidays. Which is why we in EMS should not take a holiday either.

One Chistmas Day we got a call to a residence for an 'unconscious person'. Upon arrival we found a modest home with about 25 people packed in the front room - all relatives. They were gathered around an elderly gent slouched in a recliner, with a Santa hat on his head. He
also had whiskers drawn on his face. Immediate assessment revealed cardiac arrest. We cleared the room and put him on the floor by the Christmas tree, where we commenced to work the Code.

After intubating, I asked the family for a medical history. They stated long-term cardiac events, etc. A middle aged women, then piped up and interjected angrily- "I told them there was something wrong with him an hour ago, but they didn't believe me. They just kept on putting those stupid hats on him, and taking pictures. " Another relative said, "we thought he was just sleeping, until 'Suzy' drew those whiskers on him and he didn't wake up."

Two guys working with us from the engine crew burst out laughing. I tried to look stern and concerned. I glanced down at the coffee table and saw about 20 Polaroid pictures of the elderly gent in repose slouched in the recliner, with his sons, daughters, grandchildren, doing "finger horns" above his head. There were also several pics of the dearly departed in Santa hats and baseball hats, accompanied by his kin with tongues sticking out. That was the first and only Code I ever took to the ED laughing.

The gent was in asystole the whole time, and was not resuscitated at the ED(no duh). I always wondered two things about that call.

1. Did the family save the pictures for the "Family Foto Christmas Album"?

2. Was the elderly gent glad to leave this earth, so he could get away from a bunch of bozo's messing with him every time he laid down to take a nap?

-aloha,
Mikey - Somewhere in the Southwest