Press enter or click to view image in full size Photo by Samuel Ramos on Unsplash I was new to the community paramedic team, and an easy hydration call quickly set me back on my heels. I knocked. My patient answered the door. A dried, bloody makeshift splint wrapped around his chin and over the top of his head, holding his jaw in place. His eyes sagged, drooping. He looked sick — thin, weak, like the disease was consuming him from the outside in. He introduced himself and welcomed me into his home. I was scared shitless. Did they send the right person? His appearance scared me. And if I’m being honest, I assumed he would be mean. Ugly face, ugly person — that’s how my brain was wired. I started setting up in his living room — I can still see it. He sat across from me on the couch. I sat in one of two chairs facing him. I pulled out a 24-gauge IV catheter, the smallest one made. Being new to community paramedicine, I was still operating on emergency room logic — start the largest gauge possible.…