Since joining the local rescue squad back in April, I have been one extremely busy chick (per Sandyquill). With teaching school, volunteering with rescue, and church and its various activities, I've had no extra time. Like today, for instance. I've been here at or with someone from the station for about a little over 56 hours now. We had two standbys--one last night, an afterprom for a high school (11:30p-5a), and the other from 9a-noon for a March of Dimes walk-a-thon thing, which we had to leave in the middle of to run a call. Counting said call, we've also had four other calls to run. I've quickly learned that when you join EMS and run calls, you are never guaranteed opportunity to eat or pee. Seriously, my bladder and stomach are slowly coming around to this way of life. Also, my body's had to learn to work on little sleep, or at least 1-2 hour power naps at a time. But I do love every minute of it, even the bad calls.
Take last week, for example. (I sent this to myself in an email, because I was at school and could not access mindsay to post it as a blog, Written May 2):
Well, yesterday was a very interesting day. First we had a Code Red at school, meaning there was a medical emergency and students are to remain in whatever class they are in until an "all clear" signal is given. This is mainly to keep them outof the way for medical personnel ( a.k.a. EMTs and Paramedics). Then I got to the station and thought the day was probably going to be like Monday night and that we wouldn't get any calls. Wrong. We had two, well, technically four, while I was there. The first one was a patient refusal, the second one came and I babysat while some of the other folk ran that call, the third call came in for a sports injury to the neck, but there were a lot of us and we all didn't need to go to the hospital. But the last call takes the cake.
At about 11:30 last night we got a call, and I can't release details, but I did have a lot of firsts last night. It was first time performing CPR on a person instead of a manequin, my first time running a code, and my first time driving an ambulance. It was both exciting and scary, and also sad. And I did cry...a couple of times, because it was a sad and scary situation, especially for the patient's family. But I am fine. And I am so ready to run another call. I just can't today because of work and church tonight. Oh, and I do LOVE driving the ambulance. It was awesome. :)
Anyway, I must go now since my last class is coming in. Later.
And then today, we had to run a GSW (gun shot wound) that we found out to be a suicide. What tore me up the most about this call is that the guy shot himself in front of his son (late teens, early 20s possibly). I did get a little weak in the knees and had to sit in the front of the truck for a few minutes to collect myself. I can't really go into details, nor do I want to relive all the graphics. But everyone was great about the whole situation, telling me that I didn't have to help or look or anything if I didn't want to; however, if I am going to eventually be an EMT, which I am, I need to learn to get a handle on these things. So I braved it and didn't do too bad, although, I did decline to help with the body. I just couldn't do that yet.
Anyway, so life for me is crazy, but wonderful. Now, if only I could win the lottery to catch up on all my bills...life would then be outstanding! ;)
rescue squad
