Start the dopamine. A 45 year old man comes into your emergency room by ambulance, virtually quadriplegic. He is otherwise healthy. This morning, when the alarm clock rang, he couldn't get his arm over to turn it off. His wife finally came in and called EMS after ascertaining that this was for real.
Reflexes are down, but sensation is pretty much intact.
You are the orthopedic resident on call. It is a call from the charge nurse on the joint-replacement floor. She's lying there, screaming at people who aren't there, thrashing around, and scaring her neighbor in the bed next to her. You mumble incomprehensibly. You are called to the ER to see a 35 YO man who was moving a refrigerator up some stairs with his friend when he had the sudden onset of terrible back pain radiating down both legs.