The Un-Dead

    Got called out to a shooting victim call, and as usual, the ambulance had transported the victim to the hospital.  I think that they would transport dirt on an archeological dig if they thought they could bill Medicare. 

 

    Anyway, I get to the hospital and the nurses (who see the badge) point me to the trauma care room.  I walk in, and there are a few people still around the body.  I saw that an x-ray was up on the wall, what looked like a broken-up .22 bullet was inside the skull.  The victim looked to be a 50-ish woman, who looked to be well-dressed and in good shape (other than the .22 caliber hole in her head).  I looked close at the hole in the head: right side temple, contact wound.  I then looked at the heel and fingers of her right hand: small, pin-pricks of blood were on the top of her knuckles. 

 

    I called the Patrol Sergeant at the scene and found that the scene and witness all pointed to suicide.  The evidence on the body pointed to a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.  I then set about photographing the evidence on the body, which included me diving in with gloved hands to lift hair away from the wound, and also picking up the right hand to photograph the blood.  As I held the hand to take the picture, the body suddenly squeezed my hand.  After I did a little “Guh guh guh” move, and put near tossed my camera through the defibulater, I realized that the machines were still hooked up and the victim was still breathing.  The nurse looked over at me with an amused look and said, “We are leaving her hooked up to life support until the family gets here.”  Thanks for telling me. 

 

    I won’t ever complain again at a smelly, rotten one ... at least the only movement is the bugs.