After five weeks away from working on a truck I managed to land my first job back attending a genuinely sick woman. She was [tippy title=”hyperglycaemic” URL=””] Hyperglycaemia: This is where your blood sugar count reads over 15 – for an extended length of time. Diabetics who aren’t managing to control there levels will inevitably end up with high counts (the normal being between 4 and 8). A fraction of the symptoms can be lethargy and fatigue, excessive hunger (polyphagia), excessive thirst (polydipsia), excessive urination (polyuria). If left unchecked a coma can be expected and eventually death. [/tippy] and feeling in a bad way.
To make matters worse – for me anyway – it was a night shift and I had a throbbing headache. And I hate nights!
The [tippy title=”MRU” URL=””] Motorcycle Response Unit: These are similar to FRUs but obviously go round on bikes. Big bikes. 1300cc I believe. And they carry a lot of kit on them making the bikes very very heavy. So it comes to no surprise that there is lots of mirth and laughter when news befalls everyone that an MRU has dropped their bike. [/tippy] gave me a good hand over and as he did so I frantically tried to keep up and write the information down on my note pad (the back of my gloved hand). The poor lady was an insulin dependent diabetic and her [tippy title=”BM” URL=””] A terminology used for measuring someone’s blood sugar count in their blood. Usually done for Diabetics but in the emergency services, done to . . . . um, anyone really. Very useful for diagnosing certain problems – like Hypo and Hyperglycaemia . . . or for ruling out diabetic problems with someone who is drunk or is suffering a CVA. [/tippy] was in the thirties. She also had a chest infection and had been vomiting lots. Put this all together and the poor lady was exhausted and certainly needed to go to hospital. Continue reading →