Thanks for your comments on past posts.

We all have repeat calls to people. Some of mine stand out over the years and have stayed with me for various reasons.

Roy L. was a drunk. We got called out to lots of drunks at all times of the day or night. Classic conversation, "How long have you been drinking," slurred answer, "All my life." Roy would call us at 2 or 3 in the morning. Difficulty breathing. The first time I responded I put the O2 mask on with no result and realized he had a stoma. He was a smoker, as well as a drinker, and would plug up the stoma smoking through it. We would have to clear it to get him breathing and send him off to emergency.

The large lady had back issues. She came in at about 350 pounds. Her husband was 140 soaking wet. Once again the calls were in the middle of the night. He would be outside waiting and she would be in their waterbed. The bed was king-size and had a full size mirror in the canopy. Using a backboard and sometimes waiting for the paramedic unit for extra help we would somehow get her loaded up for the ride to the hospital.

"Three-shopping-carts" was a homeless guy. Most homeless in San Jose had one cart loaded with their stuff. Three-carts had 3 shopping carts in tandem; fully loaded he moved around the city. He received a benefit check once a month and would buy gun magazines to read. He slept on grass strips and citizens would call in thinking he was dead. I got to where we would just pull up and hit the air horn to wake him up. I always worried one day he would pull an Uzzi from his stuff to thank us for our concern.

"Guy-in-hole" was part of a family with lots of woes. When I first went into the home/trailer, I thought why is that guy standing in a hole, then I realized he had no lower torso.

You see some surreal things in the middle of the night.

It is hard to keep your compassion over the years. One day I was leading one of our repeaters down some stairs by his canula and he was running to keep up with me and keep the mask on..when my driver brought it to my attention. By that time I had responded to over 13,000 Code 3 calls and realized it was time to think about retirement.