10-1 Medic in need of aid! St. Louis Fire Department Paramedic Liz Smith!
Liz has been with the city for 10 years assigned to Medic 5. The significance of this assignment is that every medic and police officer( back when they waited for the ambulance) who was critically injured from work has been assigned and/or transported by Medic 5. As a dedicated member of our community we wanted to show her we appreciate her service. On February 22, 2020, Medic Smith responded to urgent care for treatment of what was believed to be bronchitis or pneumonia, but was misdiagnosed. Due to untreated CoVid-19, she deteriorated into respiratory failure and on February 28, 2020, Medic Smith went into cardiac arrest and coded 3 times. From the dates of February 28- March 27, 2020, Medic Smith was kept in a medically induced coma. Her lungs continued to worsen due to comorbid infections of MSRA bacterial necrotizing pneumonia and bacteremia causing septic shock. Medic Smith became ventilator dependent requiring placement of a tracheostomy. On May 7th 2020, Medic Smith convinced doctors to release her in the care of her parents and fiancé RJ on a portable ventilator so she could continue to recover at home. After 2 months of intense home therapy and rehab, with the help of her family, fiancé RJ and friends, she was able to come off the ventilator and breathe on her own with supplemental oxygen.
Despite being released she still requires care and assistance by friends and family. Due to the severity of her condition, irreversible lung damage, and chronic complications requiring multiple re-hospitalizations she will never be able to return to work as a Paramedic. Medic Smith has been working with top Pulmonologist between Mercy and Barnes. Barnes Critical Care Transplant Team has declared Medic Smith ineligible for lung transplant due to lack of viable remaining lung tissue. Medic Smith is now going for consultation at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota hoping for another solution. Medic Smith now stands to lose her private medical insurance at the end of the year because her Workman's Compensation Claim was denied and suit dismissed because of lack of medical documentation to meet the burden of proof. Medic Smith was denied a CoVid-19 test until discharge on May 7th 2020, because "she tested positive for Influenza B, so we can't waste 1 of only 10,000 available test kits on this patient". Medic Smith was denied SSI-Disability because this was viewed as the responsibility of workman's compensation fund. All sides of the system have failed Medic Smith.
Liz is a fun, loving dedicated medic who is committed to her community. No matter what the situation is she will find a way to help others, including her THIN BLUE LINE FAMILY. Medic Smith loves her St. Louis Blues and T-Rex dinosaurs. After graduating from Bayless High School, Medic Smith always made it a priority to show up on career day in her medic gear just to see smiles on the children's faces.
Medic Smith has over 1 million dollars in medical bills with extreme out of pocket costs to come. She is unable to return to work in any capacity due to her immunocompromised state, increasing oxygen demand, and chronically evolving complications.
***UPDATE*** 02/05/2021***
Barnes Transplant Team Intake Coordinator called and scheduled me for Dual Lung Transplant Evaluation beginning March 1st 2021 through March 4th 2021! I will have a candidacy decision by 5pm March 4th 2021! This will also include alternative pulmonary rehabilitation programs and treatments!

Medic Liz Smith

10-1 EMS Aid Call

10-1 EMS Aid Call