"What is more satisfying than a successful intubation? Saving the patient from having to be intubated at all"

Happened to me last duty, lung CA patient with persistent hemoptysis, O2 sat as low as 62%. Attending told me it was my call to intubate or not.

I decided to manage the patient conservatively before I fully commit to the intubation (thankfully, he improved). A few hours later the attending did his morning rounds; patient was stable with no hypotension nor tachycardia. O2 sat was at 97%