Well, Paramedic School is in it's 7th week here on the Kenai Peninsula in beautiful Alaska and we're all starting to get in the swing of things with our clinicals. I had my first Emergency Department clinical rotations a week or so ago. Most of what I saw come in was not exciting and uneventful. Did a few I.V.'s, some assessments, some interviewing, and I got introduced to the world of Foley Catheters (soemthing I don't want ot do again, but know I'll have to). However, we did have a code roll in through the ambulance bay doors. I was given the task of ventilations. It all went smooth, of course my heart was pumping like crazy. But despite our efforts, the patient died. My preceptor had me stay and watch the grieving process of the family, and I believe it was a great learning experience. Though, I can't help but think, what if this was MY patient, I was able to stay unattached to the event, but what if this was MY patient, one that I picked up, one that I worked to the hospital, one whom I returned a pulse to (forgot to mention that earlier, return of spontaneous heart beat), what if? Just wondering about your experiences and how you all deal with death, dying, and the grieving process of other human-beings.