Rescue

[KP the nut]

This was the first of her books that I've read but I may read others. I have so many books downloaded ready to read, the only books I tend to buy are the ones for this forum.

I enjoyed it a lot but I have no inside knowledge of medical procedure, so maybe that helped me.

 

[p-no]

ClairBear, I agree. I found it real good in the beginning, but now it's slow and a bit dull, as you said. I was wondering that he was only 21 -- I had pictured a guy 40+! Oh, well, took some time adjusting the picture in my head.

Another thing, I'm having trouble with the (medical) acronyms/abbreviations: EMT (I think I got that), EAD (I think it was; when the 72-year-old man had a stroke), and many at the beginning. Does anyone know of a list with medical acronyms/abbreviations on the web that just gives the acronym and the words written out?

Thanks!

 

[ClairBear226]

I'm an RN, so I guess I hadn't really noticed the acronym issue. Most of them, I know. Thing is, the medical stuff doesn't seem to add to the story. He could be a pharmacist or a carpenter, and it wouldn't matter much, except for how he and Sheila met. There are LOADS of abbreviations - I can decipher most if you like. EMT (or EMTA) = Emergency Medical Technician. EMTB usually refers to a Paramedic (one step above EMT) but different states seem to use different terms for that one. As for EAD... not sure about that one. Was it AED, maybe? That would be an automatic external defibrillator. The thingie you can get at the local shopping mall, if someone has a heart attack, geared for the non-medical person to be able to use evaluate a cardiac rhythm and zap them if appropriate. I don't recall where that may have been in the story.

Shreeve definitely did some research to get the paramedic thing down, but I don't think she has a medical background herself. There are terms such as SOB (shortness of breath) and ETOH (alcohol) that are frequently written, but not really used verbally. I've worked ER, med surg and hospice, plus married to a medic, and in 20+ years of healthcare, can't ever remember those terms being used verbally. You can't really CALL someone a SOBer without them thinking you mean the other meaning, lol. Minor fumble, but something you would think a good editor would catch.

I'm at the point now where Rowan is a teenager, has come home drunk once, and he has located Sheila after 15 some odd years, thinking she can help. Sheila is a painter, and declined to help. It seems... strange to me. I have two girls from my first marriage, and am very estranged from their biological father, and that just doesn't compute to me. If my child were sick enough to be so concerned about alcohol poisoning, I'd probably push fluids, possibly take her to an ER. But contact their father, thinking he would fix it somehow? Never. That seems absurd and very reactionary to me. A guidance counselor might be appropriate. But churning up stuff that has the potential for disaster when you're already concerned? Seems like asking for trouble.

The writing is still very slow to me. I'll probably finish it, but I'm glad I've read other books of hers, otherwise it would probably not be an author I'd read again. "Testimony" was much better.

 

[ClairBear226]

But I'm determined to try to confront it

Have you read any more, Bloom? How did you find the story? And was it difficult with details of incident scenes? My hubby worked a bus accident in 1995, where a school bus was hit by a train, and 7 kids were killed. I thought of him when they referred to the bus accident.

 

[p-no]

Thanks, ClairBear!

I'm an RN

What's an RN? (I'm German.)

the medical stuff doesn't seem to add to the story

Funny you should say that. At the beginning I found the book interesting because of that or the whole Rescue matter. I've been waiting for the climax to explain sort-of why this story was written and published. Hope it'll still come though.

Was it AED

That one I know for a change; we have one of those at work. Unfortunately, Germany is way behind in social matters; I do not know of one public place where they would have these, but my workplace, however, that's not too public a place.

And, no, it was ETA (just checked again).

Do you know what this means:

"the .2 moon"(not medical I assume ;))
"DUI"
"d.t.'s"
"ETA on the PD"

And what's so funny about Keezer's being Geezer's? (Although that's not a medical question either.)

I'd say, finish reading it though. Once I went to see a movie, "The Human Stain". It was pure luck, it was a "mystery preview"; once a week those are on, pretty late at night and you don't know what you pay for. Well, the movie started and I was happy because I had wanted to see that movie anyway. Then, about halfway through it, a man left the theater; he didn't like it at all. He should have stayed. There was a twist that made the movie worthwhile (if you didn't already like it), minutes before the end. So, you never know.

 

[ClairBear226]

.2 moon - dunno. Never heard that term. However, I have planned days off around a full moon, lol.
DUI = Drinking Under Influence, aka DWI, Drinking While Intoxicated (driver was drunk)
DT= delerium tremens, the shakes an alcoholic will get when they stop drinking.
ETA= Estimated Time of Arrival
PD= police department, maybe?
RN= Registered Nurse (NA/ Nurse's Aid, then LPN/ Licensed Practical Nurse, then RN/ Registered Nurse, then BSN/ Bachelor's of Science in Nursing in order from less education to more)
Geezer is an old person.

Yea, I agree, I'll probably finish it. Not a favorite book so far, though.

 

[p-no]

DUI = Drinking Under Influence, aka DWI, Drinking While Intoxicated

Drinking Under Influence? :D :eek:

 

[BloomInWinter]

ClairBear, I remember that accident. How awful! I hope your hubby is doing ok. The kid calls never have left me. *shudders*

I am about halfway through. I realize I had to put it down because it was stirring up a bit but I'm taking it slower.

• The .2 moon = Legally drunk people getting hurt & hurting others during times when there is a full moon
• DUI = Driving Under the Influence
• D.T.'s = Delirium Tremens of alcohol withdrawal for those with several physical addiction.
• ETA on the PD = 'Estimated Time of Arrival on the Police Department'

Wow. I haven't used these terms in over a decade yet they're apparently still right there in my brain.

Others we used in my day:

• 10-50 = The 'ten code' for vehicle accident
• 10-79 = Coroner needed.
• 10-10 = Fight.
• 10-23 = Arrived.

This is really sparking some memories. I can't wait to hear the discussion on the book!

 

[p-no]

Thanks, Bloom. I hope you'll get through the book alright. And it's just a book; if you don't finish it, you don't finish it. :)

Legally drunk people

I have reread this several times but don't understand. Does the "legally" refer to "drunk people", and if so, how can someone be "legally drunk"? Sorry, no clue...

 

[BloomInWinter]

I had to think about this some more.

Actually, the .20 was 'twice the legal limit' at that time. I forgot about that. It used to be .1 but it changed to .8.

I picked up many people injured by drunks who weren't considered 'legally drunk' but had caused a terrible accident which likely would not have happened had they been sober. So there was 'drunk'/'impaired' then there was 'legally drunk' which would get the person charged with DUI.

As a general reference:

• .1% = Tipsy.
• .2% = Drunk.
• .3% = Very Drunk/Blacked Out.
• .4% = Should be at hospital.
• .5% = Dead.

It's interesting how the main character describes his wife's different states of impairment.

 

[safenow]

I read it, but it wasn't my favorite read. It read very quickly for me, perhaps because I've had a lot of experience with drunks. I felt for the dad though when he accidentally found her diary and made the mistake of reading it. She was basically a good girl, she should have given her the benefit of the doubt. But that's my opinion. I'm glad she got squared away.

 

[ClairBear226]

Bloom, we live within 2 miles of where that accident occurred. The high school where those kids went is also where my two daughters went to school, and is maybe half a mile from me. My hubby has not shown signs of PTSD, but there are other firefighters, EMTs, police, paramedics and hospital staff who have. There is a small memorial there now, and it has been dubbed Seven Angels Crossing.

I finished the book last night. Rowan getting hurt was not something I saw coming, but the rest of the ending was fairly predictable, I thought. I found the whole thing rather stale. I've begun reading February's book, Low Pressure, and already like it better.

PS: I really like the name Rowan for a girl. There's a bagpipe tune called "Rowan Tree" that is a sweet, easy little tune, and I've always liked it. Might have to put that on the list for future dog names or something, lol.