Helpless

On Saturday I was at a popular nationwide-chain arcade/restaurant/bar and playing around trying to win enough tickets to get a stupid little trinket.

I heard a bit of a commotion. Apparently a young girl fell to the ground off a seat and her mom and little brother were screaming and crying (respectively). I rushed over because it didn't look like anyone was really helping (though there was a small crowd gathered). The girl seemed unresponsive.... I felt for a pulse and put my ear to her back to see if she was breathing... she was. I asked the mother what happened... she said it looked like she had a seizure, though she was a healthy kid and never been sick in her life. I made sure someone had called 911 and really didn't know what to do next. I'm pretty used to dealing with rough situations in the operating rooms, but in a restaurant I have no equipment, no IV, no drugs, not even any monitors other than my own senses....

The bartender came over and said he was also an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) I let him take over, some other doctor came over, but I didn't catch what kind of doctor she was. I let him step in because I figured he was used to those situations, and besides she was breathing and had a pulse so I really didn't think i would do anything different otherwise.

I hovered a bit until the ambulance arrived and she seemed to be waking up a bit.

The rest of the evening was uneventful, but I couldn't help but wonder if she was okay, and also knowing my own weaknesses outside my usual work environment.

Mini Mall

Ever heard of grand mal seizures? It's the type of seizures most think about as seizures, with unconsciousness and violent jerking movements.

I'm in clinic today. On her history form she has written "mini mall seizures".

I usually shop at mini-malls, but I think she means petit-mal seizures. These are also known as absence seizures and not associated with jerking motions.