City of New Orleans 9-1-1.
Do you see anything like a fetus or tissue?
OK, so do you see, like, tissue
or anything, or just blood?
OK, ma'am, I'm sending this call to the dispatcher now.
Don't flush the toilet, OK?
[inaudible] a 20-year-old female in her first trimester,
spotting, [inaudible].
You're past your first trimester?
I am way part the first trimester.
You are with child?
Yes.
I wonder how far along she is in her first trimester.
I mean, it could also not be an issue,
because some spotting is normal.
It depends on how much, and what color, and is there any pain
associated with it.
Being pregnant myself, my heart goes out to her.
This could be normal spotting, or it could
be something more serious.
Right there?
I'm guessing so.
That's it, right there.
I'm gonna just see what's going on.
Hi, baby.
We here for you?
OK, what's going on, love?
OK, is it somewhere?
OK, it was in the toilet.
As awkward as it is, part of our job
now is to see what is in the toilet.
Is there tissue?
Is there blood?
Does it look like she had a miscarriage?
How far along were you, baby?
I think that's a miscarry.
So, when we look down in the toilet,
we see expelled tissue that is bright red in color.
In the first trimester, mostly you're going
to see nothing but tissue.
I'm pretty confident that this patient has miscarried.
Where was your OB doctor, what hospital?
Have you seen anybody yet?
Hey, well, look, I think you most probably need to go and--
Just let them check you.
--get checked.
OK?
OK, they need to-- they need to make sure,
one way or another.
OK.
And you want to grab your stuff?
I can't imagine, emotionally, what's going through her mind.
You got family you want to call or anything?
No?
OK.
Knowing that there was this life inside of her that's not there
anymore, it's heartbreaking.
Let's walk to the truck, baby.
And I got your key.
I'll lock your door for you.
She is just so brave.
She is attempting to hold it together,
but I can tell that deep down she's hurt.
She's upset.
And at times like this when our job becomes not just
about the medical side of things,
but we also now have to treat the emotional side of things
and just try to be there for her.
I'll take a quick set of vitals on you.
Go ahead and lay back.
There you go.
Now, let me see this finger--
one finger over here, my babe.
It's OK.
All right, baby.
Is this your first pregnancy?
OK.
I hope that this patient remembers
that this is not her fault. This is nothing that she did.
She didn't cause this.
And I hope she knows that this doesn't mean
that she's not meant to be a mommy,
and that one day she will be.
[sirens blaring]
We can't definitely say that you had a miscarriage.
They're going to have to do an ultrasound,
and they'll check to see if there's a heartbeat there,
you know?
And then they'll take it from there, whatever they see,
all right?
[music playing]
Yep, there's the 26.
Hey, girl.
Those calls always kill me.
Yeah.
I'm always sad.
I can't say I know how she feels, because I've
never been pregnant.
And I've never lost a child, you know, a-- a unborn child, so--
Yeah.
But I'm sure, you know, it--
it does a number to your head, so--
I can't imagine--
Well, I'm-- I'm sure--
--being her.
--you can't.
I mean, those first couple of months
were definitely the scariest, the most stressful.
Don't want to say anything to anybody, just in case--
Right.
--something happens, so.
Right.
She'll survive this.
You know, it was her first pregnancy.
I know it's tough.
I hope she finds somebody to, at least,
be able to talk to and--
She'll be OK.
You deal with so much loss and so much sadness,
that you have to depend on your partner to be there emotionally
and physically for you.
And I know that Lori has my back.
And if I need a few minutes to cry, Lori will be there,
and we'll be on to the next one.
All right, girl.
I guess we'll go out there and get another one.
Let's do it.
All right, girlie.
[music playing]