From: st871622@pip.cc.brandeis.edu (you're reading what?)
Subject: puking at Ground Round
Date: Sun, 1 May 1994 18:18:50 GMT

My unit received a call to respond to a local 'Ground Round' restaraunt.
Now if you aren't familiar with 'Ground Round,' they're just a chain
of restaraunts that push 'safe, family dining.' Usually you can find a
clown or magician making the rounds in these restaraunts - entertaining
the kiddies. They also have a habit of serving freshly-popped popcorn as
a munchie while you wait for your order.

The call came in as '55 year-old female, complaining of chest pain.' When
we arrived, we were met at the door by the fire department, the restaraunt
manager, and 'Bobo' - the multi-colored clown. We were led to a table in
the rear of the restaraunt, where two elderly couples were dining. An
elderly woman in ther mid-fifties (dispatch was right for once) looking
pale, a little diaphoretic, complaining of 'heavy' chest pressure, and
slight difficulty breathing. She already took her nitroglycerin - five of
them, over a ten-minute period. "Five?" I said, getting out the bp cuff.
"Well, they didn't seem to be working," was her reply. Usually, people are
instructed to take _three_ of their nitros - maximum, and over fifteen
minutes. My guess is that her blood pressure was pretty low after taking
five of them in only ten minutes.

An aside:

When strange things happen in public places, isn't it strange that people
ignore the situation, and carry on as if nothing is happening? The other
diners at the restaraunt, pointedly ignored us and the woman - although 
some sneaked side-long peeks. Some of the children just stared at us - until
they were told by their parents not to...

I had just placed the cuff on her arm, when she said that she felt like
vomiting. After making sure I wasn't in the line of fire, I quickly looked
around...and saw nothing handy to grab. That is, until, a waitress rounded
the corner carrying a tray loaded with baskets of freshly-popped popcorn.
In one fluid motion, I grabbed one of the trays, dumped the popcorn on the
ground, and slid the basket under the woman's chin just in time to catch her
first heave. I then handed the basket to Bobo, who didn't look very happy 
to be receiving a partially digested 'surf 'n turf.' 

We then negotiated the woman onto the stretcher, and started to wheel her 
out, navigating through the sea of tables and diners. We were just passing 
by a table with a family, when the patient puked again - this time on her
lap. The children at the table looked at this woman in fascination, while
the parents eyed each other - then their plates, and called for the check.

As we passed through the front doors of the restaraunt, I noticed Bobo
standing outside, having another cigarette. As I passed by him, I said,
"Hey Bobo, can you do a trick for me?" "Fuck off," he hissed under his
breath. Ah, everybody loves clowns.

- Tae