Stretchers going from two man to one man to now power-operated.
Airway adjuncts like bougies, LMAs, and of course capnography.
Life Pack 5s to Life Pack 10s to LifePack 12 with 12-leads.
EZ-IOs.
I discovered another one just the other day:
18 month old has just had a febrile seizure, and while alert, she is very cranky. We have a neat gadget called a Pedi-mate which is a rollup car seat, that straps onto the stretcher and then attaches the baby just like a car seat.
It’s great! But while her physical safety is now assured, we still have some emotional issues.
The child still would clearly rather be held in mama’s big warm arms. Little Kiesha is crying and throwning a general fit. Now, having my own twenty-month old daughter at home, I know the key to ending a tantrum is distraction. Kids that age take everything in and as soon as they lock on to something new, they go from crying to laughing in a moment.
We have Tough Book computers for our electronic run forms. My service also has an internet aircard so our computer has access to the web. I have a new little notebook computer I use at home I bought so I could watch my daughter in the living room, while still staying connected – I can follow the Red Sox or check my email. I made the mistake of one night showing her U-tube so now whenever I open up the notebook, she comes over and says, “E-I-E-I-O,” which is her way of saying, “Play that Old McDonald had a Farm video for me, Dad.” Or she’ll say “row, row, row” for the Row, Row, Row, Your Boat video.
Back to the crying 18-month old. I realize I have on the bench seat next to me -- my Tough Book computer -- a compter with access to you-tube. The light-bulb goes on.
A few taps of the computer screen with the stylus and some quick typing and there we are:
On the screen, Elmo, the red furry little red monster from Sesame Street, is tickling the ivories and singing to his buddy Big Bird, “La-la-la-la, la-la-la-laa, Elmo’s song!”, and over the course of our transport a host of speciaal friends drop by --, Elmo, Barney, Dora and Diego, and others -- and Mom, me and Little Kiesha are all E-I-E-I-Oing and doing the itsy bitsy spider going up the water spout.
La-la-la-laa. La-la-la-laa. No more tears.
***
Postscript. Don’t have a service issued computer with internet access? Check with your partner, who may have a Blackberry or I-phone. They work well too.
Elmo's Song
Old MCDonald Had a Farm
Row Row Row Your Boat
Itsy Bitsy Spider
