He crushes patients' groin for a living and loves it
There are tons of intriguing jobs people do that we are unaware of. Like Pete Schiavo from US, whose job is to crush people's groin after their surgeries. Pete, 52, works in Pennsylvania Hospital, as a hemostasis expert, and applies manual pressure to the femoral artery in patient's groin, after heart procedures to aid in clotting. And, he loves his job. Here's his story.
But first, where is the groin located in your body?
Before we start Pete's story, here is a basic definition of a groin. The groin is an area of your hip between your stomach and your thigh. It's located where your abdomen ends and your leg begins. It is also known as the inguinal region.
Pete applies pressure to patients' groin for 20-40 minutes
Pete often meets patients after they have come out of a coronary procedure, in which the blocked coronary artery is opened, and blood flow to the heart is restored. He explains to them that after the catheters are pulled out of their femoral artery, he will be applying pressure to their groin for 20 to 40 minutes to aid in clotting.
Pete's patients love his service, donates money in his name
The 5'2" tall Pete has been bestowed upon some names such as 'Petey Pressure', 'Pain in the Ass Pete', 'The Groin Guy', 'Crusher' for his job. However, Pete's patients and their families don't forget the way he touches them, physically and emotionally. He has won several awards and had money donated in his name. Former patients often ask him for drinks or dinner.
'I am holding someone's groin, they tend to remember me'
"I am holding someone's groin for 20 minutes, they tend to remember me and nobody else," Pete chuckled. Patients like 73-year-old Patricia Walter love Pete's sense of humor. "What you are doing is really crazy," Walter said to Pete, adding, "You put your whole heart and your whole body into this. You have a gift and talents that is unique."
Pete explains why three-finger method works best for his job
According to Pete, he has crushed "well over 10,000 groins, without even a sweat" during his 15 years at Pennsylvania Hospital. He said he has learned that a three-finger method works best because using your whole hand will "fatigue out in minutes." Due to his short height, Pete sometimes uses a stool to stand above patients, while applying pressure.
Pete was in Navy, learned survival tactics, attention to detail
Pete grew up in South Philadelphia, and joined the US-Navy after graduation. He spent six years in the service, during which he saw conflict in Libya and was put in alligator-filled swaps for survival training. Pete said it taught him attention to detail, which helps him in his current job. "If I'm not attentive to detail here, somebody is going to die," he said.
Pete also received paramedical training while working for General Electric
Pete then worked in General Electric (GE) as a welder. When four of his colleagues died of heart-attack at the plant, GE offered to put employees through paramedic school to help them train and avert such situations. Pete applied. When the GE plant closed, Pete was hired in Pennsylvania Hospital where he worked as critical-care tech for three-years before his current position opened up.
Pete has two daughters and likes to cook and fish
Apart from his interesting professional life, Pete's personal life is full of happiness. His wife of 29 years works as a nurse at the same hospital, and the couple has two adult daughters. When he is not working, Pete likes to make his own wine, cook and fish "downashore". "It takes too much energy to be miserable. It's easier to be happy," he said.
