Randy Cassingham's Blog

Posted by Gerry, College Station, TX on July 13, 2009:

Couple of thoughts. First, 10 years on the street, and the number of times I was thanked by family was in the 10% range, but I agree: The stress of the moment, and being in a larger city environment, didn't lead to thanks. And then again, I didn't do it to get thanked (but it was nice when it happened).

Second, having spent a few years in-hospital, doing cardiovascular research, rapid defibrillation is a key element to survival. But effective CPR is wonderful. Becky, you did good. Whoever taught you how to do CPR did good, too.

Dale, your experience in the cath lab during ablation is one I'm sorry to hear about. Something like that's stressful, and not what you needed at that point. Wish they'd dialed up the drugs a little bit and let you forget it all!

And finally, Randy (everyone else stop reading), I guess an 18's better than a 22 butterfly, but real men use a 14 for a cardiac patient! ;-)

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I'm pretty sure a 14 wouldn't have fit the vein that popped up. I figured a patent 18 was better than a blown vein, so that's what I went for. I looked for another one on the other arm on the way in, but nothing presented itself. -rc

Posted by Josh, Richmond Va on July 14, 2009:

First Responders such as you are a Godsend in rural areas. When I was an EMT in Staunton (STAN-TON) Va in 1985, we had TWO calls come in at the same time. One, a shortness of breath and the other for a nursing home that said they had the patient on Oxygen (Which usually meant they were doing CPR). We sent First Responders to the Shortness of Breath and we took the nursing home call. The calls were in OPPOSITE ends of the county. The nursing home call was routine, but the First Responder call was a FULL CODE when they got there. 47 minutes later, we arrived to administer the FIRST shock. To our amazement, we got a good pulse. The guy went home on Christmas Eve and is STILL alive today 24 years later! I take NO credit for his save, it was the First Responders who saved this guy's life. I'll never forget this call.

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Man: 47 minutes is an eternity to do CPR, and it's amazing you got him back. Awesome! But it figures: you were probably bored all day, and then got two at once. Fate seems to like to pull that one! -rc

Posted by Rick, Frankfort, KY on August 13, 2009:

As a Hospital Corpsman in the Navy I understand what you did and the importance of your educational efforts here. I'm really glad that things worked out for your patient. Most of my emergency experience was in Vietnam so I was usually not able to follow the patient as long as you have here. I will tell you that, even more than 40 years later, I sometimes wonder how some of them did later.

Good work!!