Wait

She stripped off the non-rebreather, reached deep, turned her head my way and coughed. Not a polite little clear your throat cough, rather a full on clean out the lungs job. I looked out the rear window of the rescue and focused on the car that was tailing us. Her boyfriend.

"Cover your mouth!"

Years of training and experience reduced to scolding a petulant patient with the audacity to call 911 for a free ride to the hospital. What possesses people to call? Do they think they will "get in faster?"

I walked her past the ambulance triage, through the treatment area and into the waiting room.

Cough in my truck? Not today.