The Other Side of the Gurney: Stories and Reflections of a 911 Paramedic

Have you ever called 911? Have you ever needed the care and support of an emergency responder? What is it like to be on “The Other Side of the Gurney”? With the “knife and gun club” area of a large centrally located California city providing the backdrop, this collection of true stories explores the question of what it’s like to be the person who responds to 911 calls. Twenty-five years of experience working as a Paramedic and a Registered Nurse exposes the true-life drama, laughter, excitement, and pain of the patients who ended up on the gurney and the human side of the people who treat them.
Humor is paramount and an integral part of the retelling of the stories ranging from the overweight, spandex loving, ‘frequent flyer’ with a “spida’ bite” to the gang member who cried because he didn’t want his Mother to find out he had been shot. Fundamentals of love are manifest in the story of the couple married for 80 years. The all too often sharing of grief with strangers is buffered by the joy of childbirth in the surprise birth of twins. The woman who shared her home with over 200 cats exemplifies profound denial. These stories illuminate a very human journey shared and lessons learned by those on both sides of the gurney.