04/13/2026
There is a moment you never really train for until it happens in real time at 30,000 feet. No backup team. No fully stocked crash cart. Just you, your judgment, and a life depending on it.
When I heard the call, my heart dropped before my training kicked in. The passenger was decompensating and every decision suddenly carried weight far beyond the usual. The pilot needed an answer. Land now or continue. That choice did not just affect one patient, it affected every person on board.
Starting an IV with equipment I was not used to. I noticed the air bubbles in the line and feeling that surge of fear, knowing how little room there was for error. The emergency kit had only a half liter of fluid and it was clear he needed way more.
So we improvised, and used whatever was available. Even the plastic cover from blankets became part of the solution to hang fluids. Every step required focus and trust in my training. It had been at least a decade since my last shift in the ER.
In those moments, I had to remember: Do no harm.
Not perfect. Not heroic. Just safe, thoughtful, and right for the passenger. It was a humbling and sobering experience. I had to make critical decisions in an environment where I had so little control. But I leaned into my training, my instincts, and my responsibility.
We all hope that when it matters most, we choose well. In this case, the passenger was taken to hospital immediately after landing 🤲
