While on vacation, coming home from visiting family in his hometown of Beirut, Lebanon, Dr. Firas Kawtharani and his family were called into action mid flight after connecting a flight in the country of Turkey. A young lady with Type One Diabetes, experienced a full blown Diabetic Ketocidosis. The young lady lost consciousness and the situation turned grim. Dr. Kawtharani and his wife Shana, who is an experienced nurse, turned the plane into a makeshift Emergency Room. Shana secured an IV and the pushed Liraglutide and multiple rounds of insulin. Through this swift action, the young lady’s glucose dropped from 600 to 320. Vitals also somewhat stabilized. A Medical Resident, a CRNA, and a IM Physician assisted in the emergency.

An emergency landing was requested in Dublin Ireland, and once on the ground, an EMS Crew took over and transferred the young lady to the hospital. By the time she was being transferred, the young lady was slowly, but surely regaining consciousness.

Quick thinking, and swift action in a very unusual situation by the Kawtharani’s and the other medical personnel on board the flight, saved this young girls life.