A is for Apple

By

Jane Royce

“Roy, pass me an apple would ya please?” Requested Johnny as he settled himself down on the couch to read the newspaper in the station dayroom. Johnny enjoyed the times during the day when he could sit on the couch and not compete with Chet and Boot, it was rare, but at that moment the engine was out on a run.

Roy tossed his partner an apple and smiled wondering if the day would ever arrive when Johnny would do for himself.

Roy’s thoughts were interrupted with the sound of the tones indicating a call for the squad. Johnny had just enough time to take one large bite of his apple before he jumped up to respond to the call.

With all of the confusion in getting into the squad and writing down the information about the incident location, Roy failed to notice that Johnny was not behind him nor was he in his spot in the squad.

“Johnny, we’ve got a run!” Shouted Roy “Johnny, where are you, we’ve got a run!”

Johnny couldn’t answer; he was numb while mutely grabbing his throat as he lay on the dayroom floor.

“Johnny!!” Roy continued to shout. Johnny could tell by the changing location of Roy’s voice that his partner was quickly checking the station for him. ‘He’s taking a long time’ was Johnny’s last thought as darkness overtook him.

“JOHNNY!” Screamed Roy as he entered the dayroom and found his partner lying on the floor struggling for breath.

Roy quickly dropped to his knees to check out his fallen partner. His first observation was the position of Johnny’s hands, close to his throat, and the bluish tint to his partner’s lips. Obstructed airway! Roy quickly opened his partners mouth and did a finger sweep of his mouth, nothing. ‘Dammit Johnny!’

Roy ran to the squad and grabbed the biophone, the oxygen and the drug box. He returned to his partner in a matter of moments.

“Rampart this is squad 51, how do you read?”

“Squad 51 this is Rampart base, we read you loud and clear.” Answered a professional sounding Dr. Early.

“Rampart this is Squad 51, we have an incident at the station and are unable to respond to the call just dispatched to us by LA County, please advise them. We have a code I at this location and am unable to proceed to the previous call. Please advise LA County to dispatch ambulance to our location at the station.”

“10-4 Squad 51, we will advise LA County. Please advise of your present situation.” Dr. Early replied as he turned to give Dixie the nod to contact LA county dispatch on the landline.

“Rampart I have a male paramedic, 32 years of age. He was found unconscious with the universal chocking signs present. He has weak breath sounds, weak pulse, BP is 120/80, and his lips are cyanotic. Mouth sweep was negative for foreign bodies. He took a bite of an apple just as a call came in, the apple may be lodged.” Roy reported.

“Squad 51, administer oxygen at 6 litres and start an IV of normal saline solution TKO and transport immediately, what is your ETA?” Dr. Early inquired.

“10-4 Rampart, ETA is approximately three minutes, the ambulance has just arrived.” Noted Roy as he signalled the attendants into the dayroom from the garage.

The ride to Rampart was a quick one, and Johnny showed no signs of improvement. He was breathing and struggling, which meant there was a partial obstruction. The minutes were precious thought Roy to himself and wondered what happened after the tones sounded that day.

“Lets get him into treatment 1 Roy” nodded Dr. Early as soon as the ambulance doors opened and Roy began to emerg.

“There’s been no change doc, he’s getting some air but not enough and he’s made no signs of return to consciousness.” Roy instructed.

“OK Roy, lets get him on the table here and I’ll use a ENT kit to take a look.”

With one quick movement, Johnny was on the table and Dixie worked to set his IV on a pole and get the ENT tray ready.

“OK Roy, I could use a strong pair of hands here, I need you to hold his head while I get in there. Dix, call for ENT just in case I can’t get in.”

“Will do Joe” and wit that she turned to the wall phone to place the page.

Dr. Early worked to hyperextend Johnny’s neck and let it hang slightly off the table being held steady by Roy’s hands. Dr. Early gently manoeuvred a large pair of narrow forceps and a suction catheter into Johnny’s throat. Everyone in the room breathed a sigh of relief as the suction obviously grasped something, with further manipulation; the apple piece dislodged and was pulled out with the catheter and forceps.

Dr. Early quickly lifted Johnny’s head and placed the head of the table beneath him for support and administered more oxygen, within moments, Johnny sputtered and coughed painfully. He rolled onto his side as the coughing spell wracked his body. Roy gently rubbed his partners back and mouthed a silent ‘thank you’ to Dr. Early and Dixie. His partner had managed to live through another close call.

*****

Two days later Johnny joined Roy back at work for his regular shift.

“Roy, hand me an apple will ya?” Johnny asked as he settled himself on the couch to watch television.

Roy nodded and walked to the refrigerator and removed a large container, he opened it and poured a small amount of the contents into a bowl and silently walked to his partner and placed it in front of him.

“What the heck is this?” Johnny asked.

“Well, JoAnne and I gave this to the kids when they were toddlers because they chocked on solid apples.”

“I am no baby Roy!” Shot Johnny as he stared glumly at his bowl of applesauce.