Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Seasonal Changes

I had just laid down on my bunk, my tootsies just starting to get warm under the dry covers. The tones hit, sending us to a gas station located on the border with next town. The RP was reported to be at the payphone, right away we knew this is likely a call involving a homeless person. As it is cool and rainy, we know that these types of calls are going to increase. We speculate on who it might be as we near the scene.

 Not Lloyd. Not today. File Schmotograph

Someone guessed correctly, it was Lloyd. Lloyd is new to the area, but we have gone on him twice in the last 10 days. I think the other two shifts have gone on him as well. Tonight, just as last week, Lloyd felt like he might be getting ready to have a heart attack.

We asked Lloyd about his last trip to the hospital, he told us that his last episode ended up being an anxiety issue and that he ended up over in the ECU (Emotional Crisis Unit) for a few days. We asked him how tonight's event compared with last week's episode. He replied that it was the same, he felt that a heart attack was imminent.

We opened up the toy box and hooked up all of the gadgets to Lloyd. We obtained his history,meds and allergies. Oddly enough, all were psych meds,both the ones he was taking and the ones he was allergic to. His only history was bi-polar disorder and anxiety issues.

The ambulance arrived quickly and Lloyd was soon on his way to the ER. It is likely that Lloyd will evaluated and will be shipped over to ECU again, which what I think what Lloyd wants.

I usually get annoyed with homeless people who game us, but Lloyd really doesn't bug me. First of all he tells us the truth about his history and meds. Second, I believe he gets a little cold and wet and starts to truly believe that he is going to have a heart attack. The more he thinks abou it, the more anxious he gets. I don't think that he is gaming us, I just think his issues are gaming him.

The other factor at play here is that Lloyd does not do a good job taking his meds. As he is homeless, it is pretty difficult for him to get his scrip filled, so he goes without.

It appears that Lloyd will be calling us on a regular basis, probably when he is cold and uncomfortable. Sooner or later, he will die or he will move on. Until then, If I could just get him to use the payphone across the street, then he would be the Next Town Fire Dept's customer.

It's a good night to have a home.

Thanks for reading,
A toasty Schmoe

3 comments:

  1. We used to have a similar caller who used the payphone at our train station. He chose us because the previous station is in the catchment area for a hospital he doesn't like; and the next station, while closer to his favorite hospital, has no phone.

    After we learned this, someone explained to him that the ambulance base is right next door to the next station. He could walk over and knock on the door, thereby skipping the middle man. We haven't seen him since.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Allegedly, Train Station Shuffle is a game played between LAFD and Pasadena FD. I have been told that train fare has been "donated" to certain customers to get them to the next station.

    It might be a waste of money though, As I doubt they stay there. The forces of meals/handouts bring them back.

    Thanks Mack505 for the comment.

    ReplyDelete
  3. BTW, you also threw me with ECU. The nurses I know use it for the Eternal Care Unit, aka morgue.

    ReplyDelete