I actually have missed typing a blog. It has been over 2 years, and I know someone probably has missed reading it. Although, te views are very low making me wonder if anyone actually read it, or just skimmed over it.
I don't know where I left off, but I know that alot happened in the past few years.
I remember working a shift with a paramedic, who knew his stuff, he was the go to guy. He had been doing it for several years, and learned it young. We were en route to a call for a two vehicle accident quite a ways out in the county. It was about 15 miles away. Arriving on scene we find the fire department has the patient in the back of their equipment truck. The driver had been driving a delivery van, and the semi truck with flatbed in front of him, had swung out into the Northbound lane, while turning back West to give himself enough turn radius. The driver of this van wasn't paying attention and ran into the side of the trailer as it was going into the drive. The driver was ok, but the funny part of the story is en route to this call, we approach a curve, lights and sirens going, I have to pass a vehicle that is pulled partially off the roadway, I go to go around, and another vehicle is coming at me, the driver takes the shoulder as they should, but the medic I was with, put his feet on the dash and thought we were going to get it. The funny part of this is, he was always the wild one, drink any hard liquor you would offer him, drink coffee so dark, you would think it was syrup, and try about any sport where violence was involved. Just shows you you can scare the ones that sometimes are fearless.
I recall a DOA call, we were dispatched out to load the body and transport to the coroner. We responded to the location which that we had been told to go, the only problem is once we got to the area, we didn't find the coroner or the address we had been given. My partner called on the radio to the dispatch who had given us the address. The dispatch advised us on the address, this time they mentioned a key detail, the road name had OLD in front of it. The road was nearly 10 miles difference. The road name with OLD in front of it was a North to South road. We went to the East - West road several miles North. My partner was upset, not to mention we had a student with us that night. And it was a full moon, and halloween night. My partner got off the radio, and instead of clipping the mic in the holder, he threw the mic down to his right, it striking the console area between the driver and passenger. We arrived at the correct location, and were teased about the delay in arriving. My partner was hot. We loaded the body and proceeded away.
I can honestly say, that after being out of EMS, I feel alot healthier. I don't have chest pain or aches like I used to. I remember those days of hoping for sleep. I dreaded work on lack of sleep. I was thinking the other day of a few episodes I once had. I don't know what caused them, too much caffiene, lack of sleep, exhaustion, or all together. I recall a few times where I would be sitting at the desk, and have a sort of deja vu', I remember feeling like I didn't know what I was doing, or where I was for a few minutes. Like I had left my body for a few minutes. Maybe that was my sign to leave EMS? I think I ignored it, at least that time.
There are always opportunities for advancements. I was called into the office just before I quit. They wanted to offer to pay for my paramedic school. I advised them I wasn't really interested. I didn't want to try something and fail. I hate failure like everyone else. I know you cannot fail if you don't try. They wanted me to think about, and advised they paid a portion of the tuition, and that the upcoming class was going to be within 60 miles, and would be like a 1 day a week class, and they would work around my class. They were pretty sure they wanted me to go further. I know my personality probably was good, but I just couldn't stand it. I like people and helping them, but I just didn't feel at home. I left a few months later as a bigger and better option came open. I stayed on part time for a while and they wanted me to try working 1 shift a month. I tried that, and then after a few months of no openings when I was off, the supervisor called me and told me they had to cut me. I didn't care, relieved me to know I didn't have to make trips in to check the schedule. I make more money now, and have benefits. For healthcare providers, EMS sure lacks in their own healthcare benefits. A couple guys I know, are new into EMS. One of them went into EMS about the age of 18, the other one was a little older. The younger guy, worked for a couple smaller agencies a few years as he worked on moving up the EMS levels. He spoke to me a few months ago, he is now working in a Metro area. Good luck to him, I feel bad for his future. I don't know I would have the guts to work in a high crime area where he is located. The other newbie, also started as an EMT-B about the same time as the younger guy. He also worked for an agency which provided Basic service to a pretty sizeable area, mainly rural. He came out of class book smart. I have spoken to him a few times lately and he is so high up the clouds, I never know if I am talking to him. He tries to sound so sophisticated with everything he says. And he refuses to admit he is wrong when it is pointed out. He recently changed to working for my former agency. I had the pleasure of seeing him in action..... well, not too impressive, he looked like a puppet, given he is rather new to the service.
I can remember being new, and wishing that I had that special connection some of the other shifts had. The partners that knew what each other wanted, and when, how they would do something, and finishing each other's sentences. I thought when will I have a partner like that? Will I stay long enough to build that bond. That is one thing I do miss. My first partner left after a few months of working he left for bigger and better, went to another service. The next partner was the same way left town, for another job, with more pay same profession. The third partner was temporary, then got moved the next shift, and I got a new partner yet again. And then I had another partner. In my total years of 5, I had about 6 partners who were regulars and not just fill in's. I can remember a few times, where a couple of those, were used to other partners and not familiar with how things had been done before. One of my partners liked to start IV's en route to the hospital, while the next blamed me for us making it to the hospital before they had an IV started. One liked to hurry on scene and keep scene time low, some liked to "camp" on scene. Some would rather talk to the patient in the house, than to ask in the truck. Everyone you work with is different and its so hard to get used to changing. I remember my last partner told me he had requested to work with me, he got along with me, and didn't want to have to work along side some of the others who could have been chosen as her partner, because actually we had drew names for partners. He had told me He was working with another medic, whom was later teminated after I left, whom was more concerned with a temperature on someone, that was complaining of chest pain, or something with no relation to a temp. He had told me that, he had done this several times.
I am probably rambling by now... so for now enjoy and we will be back in a few days, or weeks hopefully.
I don't know where I left off, but I know that alot happened in the past few years.
I remember working a shift with a paramedic, who knew his stuff, he was the go to guy. He had been doing it for several years, and learned it young. We were en route to a call for a two vehicle accident quite a ways out in the county. It was about 15 miles away. Arriving on scene we find the fire department has the patient in the back of their equipment truck. The driver had been driving a delivery van, and the semi truck with flatbed in front of him, had swung out into the Northbound lane, while turning back West to give himself enough turn radius. The driver of this van wasn't paying attention and ran into the side of the trailer as it was going into the drive. The driver was ok, but the funny part of the story is en route to this call, we approach a curve, lights and sirens going, I have to pass a vehicle that is pulled partially off the roadway, I go to go around, and another vehicle is coming at me, the driver takes the shoulder as they should, but the medic I was with, put his feet on the dash and thought we were going to get it. The funny part of this is, he was always the wild one, drink any hard liquor you would offer him, drink coffee so dark, you would think it was syrup, and try about any sport where violence was involved. Just shows you you can scare the ones that sometimes are fearless.
I recall a DOA call, we were dispatched out to load the body and transport to the coroner. We responded to the location which that we had been told to go, the only problem is once we got to the area, we didn't find the coroner or the address we had been given. My partner called on the radio to the dispatch who had given us the address. The dispatch advised us on the address, this time they mentioned a key detail, the road name had OLD in front of it. The road was nearly 10 miles difference. The road name with OLD in front of it was a North to South road. We went to the East - West road several miles North. My partner was upset, not to mention we had a student with us that night. And it was a full moon, and halloween night. My partner got off the radio, and instead of clipping the mic in the holder, he threw the mic down to his right, it striking the console area between the driver and passenger. We arrived at the correct location, and were teased about the delay in arriving. My partner was hot. We loaded the body and proceeded away.
I can honestly say, that after being out of EMS, I feel alot healthier. I don't have chest pain or aches like I used to. I remember those days of hoping for sleep. I dreaded work on lack of sleep. I was thinking the other day of a few episodes I once had. I don't know what caused them, too much caffiene, lack of sleep, exhaustion, or all together. I recall a few times where I would be sitting at the desk, and have a sort of deja vu', I remember feeling like I didn't know what I was doing, or where I was for a few minutes. Like I had left my body for a few minutes. Maybe that was my sign to leave EMS? I think I ignored it, at least that time.
There are always opportunities for advancements. I was called into the office just before I quit. They wanted to offer to pay for my paramedic school. I advised them I wasn't really interested. I didn't want to try something and fail. I hate failure like everyone else. I know you cannot fail if you don't try. They wanted me to think about, and advised they paid a portion of the tuition, and that the upcoming class was going to be within 60 miles, and would be like a 1 day a week class, and they would work around my class. They were pretty sure they wanted me to go further. I know my personality probably was good, but I just couldn't stand it. I like people and helping them, but I just didn't feel at home. I left a few months later as a bigger and better option came open. I stayed on part time for a while and they wanted me to try working 1 shift a month. I tried that, and then after a few months of no openings when I was off, the supervisor called me and told me they had to cut me. I didn't care, relieved me to know I didn't have to make trips in to check the schedule. I make more money now, and have benefits. For healthcare providers, EMS sure lacks in their own healthcare benefits. A couple guys I know, are new into EMS. One of them went into EMS about the age of 18, the other one was a little older. The younger guy, worked for a couple smaller agencies a few years as he worked on moving up the EMS levels. He spoke to me a few months ago, he is now working in a Metro area. Good luck to him, I feel bad for his future. I don't know I would have the guts to work in a high crime area where he is located. The other newbie, also started as an EMT-B about the same time as the younger guy. He also worked for an agency which provided Basic service to a pretty sizeable area, mainly rural. He came out of class book smart. I have spoken to him a few times lately and he is so high up the clouds, I never know if I am talking to him. He tries to sound so sophisticated with everything he says. And he refuses to admit he is wrong when it is pointed out. He recently changed to working for my former agency. I had the pleasure of seeing him in action..... well, not too impressive, he looked like a puppet, given he is rather new to the service.
I can remember being new, and wishing that I had that special connection some of the other shifts had. The partners that knew what each other wanted, and when, how they would do something, and finishing each other's sentences. I thought when will I have a partner like that? Will I stay long enough to build that bond. That is one thing I do miss. My first partner left after a few months of working he left for bigger and better, went to another service. The next partner was the same way left town, for another job, with more pay same profession. The third partner was temporary, then got moved the next shift, and I got a new partner yet again. And then I had another partner. In my total years of 5, I had about 6 partners who were regulars and not just fill in's. I can remember a few times, where a couple of those, were used to other partners and not familiar with how things had been done before. One of my partners liked to start IV's en route to the hospital, while the next blamed me for us making it to the hospital before they had an IV started. One liked to hurry on scene and keep scene time low, some liked to "camp" on scene. Some would rather talk to the patient in the house, than to ask in the truck. Everyone you work with is different and its so hard to get used to changing. I remember my last partner told me he had requested to work with me, he got along with me, and didn't want to have to work along side some of the others who could have been chosen as her partner, because actually we had drew names for partners. He had told me He was working with another medic, whom was later teminated after I left, whom was more concerned with a temperature on someone, that was complaining of chest pain, or something with no relation to a temp. He had told me that, he had done this several times.
I am probably rambling by now... so for now enjoy and we will be back in a few days, or weeks hopefully.