medik8

I have to ask.

So what is underdog anyway?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underdog

LMAO! U are such a silly sally...Yeah Dust...sort of...'cept I'm not blonde, and I don't do it in the parking lot. :shock: I just take the kiddies in the back of the truck and they take turns on the cot while I hook them up and print them off. And, of course, you have to leave the sound on the monitor.....beep....beep....beep....beep....beep....beep.... They get a kick out of that...

xoxo :wink:

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PS...Thanks Michael.. :oops: Conscience, huh?

LMFAO!!!! 8) I can see PRPG doing some of this....especially the "spanking" moves during "You Can't Touch This"... Although, the music is a little lame in spots. Now, you put PRPG on the stage and play the Ludicris CD....ohhh YEAH.....

THAT would be "worth a million ga-zillion fa-fillion dollars."

Word. :rr:

xoxoxo

Luv,

8

=D> Very well said, Race. I agree....completely...

xoxo :wink:

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Actually....I haven't.....but.....*ahem*....PRP, if I can talk you into possibly going into the kitchen naked again, well...we might be able to work something out. Just a thought...

TPBM has tried to fit someone else into their underwear WHILE they had them on. :shock:

Guilty. Hasn't everyone? :dontknow: I mean...seriously.....at some point?

TPBM has made chocolate chip cookies naked.....

Well said, Hammer! =D>

Hmmm...I always start my talks with... "Does everyone know the difference between a question and a story?" Clear that up first. Later, when you ask if anyone has questions...it will eliminate all the little ones going, "This one time...my aunt fell down, and we had to call an ambulance...blah blah..." or "When I was little (LMAO), I fell and hit my head and there was blood everywhere and my mommy...blah blah..." You get the picture. These are cute stories, but the little ones love to talk, and they eat up lots and lots of time, and no one learns anything.

I LOVE talking to kindergarten or preschool classes. They are usually very attentive, great listeners, interested, and excited. And, they DO love you...because you have the trucks there, the uniform, etc. They like surprises and special treats. I usually try to play a game with them, and we talk about 911 and safety. I tell them about my job and what I do. I show them equipment, and then we go to the ambulance. If the class is not too big, I hook each one of them to the heart monitor and print a strip to show them their heartbeat. They LOVE this!! Then, we all get our picture taken with our strips (and the crew in the middle).

It's a great time!!! Don't be intimidated. Have fun!!! :wink:

xoxo

8

You are not going "soft". You are just being a human with feelings. We all go through this. Around Christmas, I was a basket case. I had lost a baby, and had several successive deaths...in the days before, ON and after the holiday. My partner wasn't much help because he was in just as bad a shape as me. It was a few here on the City that talked to me and helped me out. That's what we're here for...please don't ever hesitate to talk to me about anything. I also think I can speak for everyone when I say that any of us would help you out. Just say the word...

There are tough times, indeed. You WILL get past this and it WILL happen again... You just have to take comfort in the fact that you were there, you care, and you did all you could do.

:wink: It will be ok...I promise...

Here if you need to talk...

xoxoxo

Luv, 8

AVVN: In answer to your question... I don't mean to discourage you when I say that most relationships in this business do not make it. Mine didn't. However, I will say that a lot of this can be prevented. As Rid and others have said, counseling is a start. Ignoring it won't help either of you. You both have to be open minded and willing to communicate well with each other. That is the key.

Now, I will tell you, restricting her or telling her that she can't do this for a living WILL NOT help your marriage. You will most likely lose. This job almost becomes an addiction to most people. Once it is in your blood...you can't ditch it easily. Being supportive and trying to understand it is a better option, along with working on your relationship and strengthening your relationship. She will love you ten times as much if you support her and work with her instead of working against her. Trust me on this. That way, you can have a great relationship and she is happy all at the same time. Then, everyone wins. If you would ever succeed in getting her to quit, you may feel better, but she will resent it, and you. Hence, you lose anyway...

As far as partners go...Imagine this...You are in some of the worst situations that you could ever be in in your life. People dying, bad scenes, trauma, emotional situations, situations needing support, and the only person you have is the person next to you. You go through all of this together. They become (and don't take this the wrong way) almost LIKE a spouse, of sorts. My partner and I are VERY close. Yes, he is a guy. We have each other's backs 24/7. Has anything intimate ever happened between us? No. Would it or could it? I suppose...but I won't go there. I refuse to date people I work with....EVER. You have to try to trust your wife. I'm sure some girls would play on this, and there are many situations where they do, but if you have a strong marriage and/or relationship at home, it's not going to happen. Please don't mistake her being close to these guys as unfaithfulness. It's a world that I cannot explain, but it's as close as you can get to someone, in a lot of cases, without the marriage. That's not meant to upset you....I'm just trying to be honest. It's like working with your best friend. Not for everyone, but in a lot of cases. And, even if you aren't very fond of your partner, you are still close in a lot of ways. Also, the relationship between us and our partner is important for patient care, etc. When you work together on things that serious, you begin to think alike, complete each other's thoughts, etc. In fact, when it's good it's very good. My partner and I rarely talk on a call...I go to grab for something and it's in his hand 2 inches from me. I go to ask him to do something and it's already done or in progress. It's a great thing...

As far as the joking...well...that's just part of the firehouse/station atmosphere. It's fun, good camaraderie....just a good time. We play jokes on each other, annoy each other, talk about not-so-pleasant things..you get to know everyone's habits, good and bad, pleasant AND gross...unfortunately. The best way I can describe it is, it's like family. You live and work with these people a good part of your life. Family indeed...

Work this out with her, talk to her... The main reason marriages fail is because the spouse fails to try to understand the job and the hours/mentality/etc., then the other spouse resents it and it just goes south from there. You CAN both be happy and have the best of both worlds. It just takes good, strong, old-fashioned love and commitment. You will have a happy marriage and a happy wife. Remember...she married you first. Don't give up. Talk to her, but don't be demanding and overbearing. Explain that you worry about her, but don't try to exercise control and tell her that you won't let her do it. Have a good heart to heart and choose your words carefully. Explain your concerns out of love and not anger and jealousy. Nagging DOES NOT work. If she loves this job and is committed to it like most of us, it will only drive her further away...

By asking all these questions, you are showing that you care and want to understand. That is the first step...and I'm proud of you for coming to us to ask for help and advice...

Best of luck to you...

xoxoxo :wink:

Luv, 8

Like I said.....I knew you had a good reason...just as I suspected.... That's why I gave your five points back that they took away! :wink:

xoxo

luv, 8

Well said, Dust. I feel the same way about this board. If you stay on the non-defensive side of things and just open your heart and mind to all the wisdom and advice here, I have found that sometimes I have a whole new outlook on certain issues. I've learned that by giving everyone a fair chance...well...it's what makes us all important in our own way. We all have something to contribute to life, and to our beloved EMS career. Let's continue to appreciate and learn from each other. And let's not forget to be thankful for the very privilege of being able to express our thoughts and ideas here. Sometimes we take those simple things for granted...

Mucho thanks and love to you! I'm very proud of you for going. You will represent our country well. I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

:salute: :brave:

xoxoxoxo

Luv u!

8

Oooh! The force is strong in this one!

The fact that you just typed a coherent paragraph, complete with punctuation, capitalisation, and proper spelling is a very positive factor in your favour. And yes, I am being quite serious. Not only does it demonstrate literacy, but it clearly demonstrates that you took your high school education at least half-way serious and that you recognise the importance of clear and intelligent communications. You will probably be an exception within your class. :thumbright:

Both of the above pieces of advice are excellent, and really cover the question quite well. Do remember that studying a topic is not the same as simply memorising facts and terms. It is more important that you actually understand concepts. You can't pass the NR exam just memorising protocols and drug names. You have to clearly understand physiological functions and pharmacological actions in order to make intelligent clinical judgements. Consequently, Lithium's advice is spot on. Spend at least as much time understanding organ functions and physiology as you do simply memorising anatomy. And I hope you are planning to take formal A&P courses, and not simply read the book and hope for osmosis. That one effort will put you WAY ahead of your peers.

Don't waste any time at all trying to learn EKG's or IV's or Intubations or any other monkey skill ahead of time. They are simple and given more than adequate time and attention in class. Getting ahead of yourself skill-wise offers you zero benefit in the long run. Concentrate on theory. That is where medics are made or broken. That is what fails students out of class.

Best of luck!

Dust...baby....you misspelled capitalization...and recognize...and memorizing! (Unless you have decided you have a thing against z's...I'm sure you have an explanation for why you were consistent with this change.) LMFAO!!! That's your minus 5 I think....but I'm gonna add five (+5) back on for you because as careful as you normally are, I say you are allowed to misspell a word here and there.

Anyway...What Dust said....is right on!! I agree 100%, and will add in, prepare yourself for not having much of a life during school. It's important that you understand that this has to come first, ALWAYS. Study, Study, Study....and make sure your family, friends and loved-ones know that you will not be able to give much of yourself to them, and that it's not personal. Explain to them what they should expect, so that when you are scarce, they will not think you have changed or become arrogant and no longer have time for them. Some people will not get this or understand this no matter how much you tell them, but explaining up-front DOES help.

Good luck...we're here if you need us!!!

xoxo

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Yeah, it never seems like you have enough room or AC in the ambulance during a code.

DEFINITELY not enough AC!! My partner always teases me and says that by the time we reach the hospital, I'm half naked. LMAO!! Thank goodness for being able to dress in layers. The clothes usually go flyin....I don't work well when I'm hot...

xoxo

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Well...I dunno if "congrats" is the right word...but you have reached a new level of your career. They never get "easy" so to speak, but it does get better in terms of being able to deal with these situations. I'm glad you vented. That's what we are here for...to help each other learn, to give advice and to provide support (at least that's how I see my role on here)...and most of all to just be a friend who understands your job and what you do, more than most people in our own lives.

The hardest thing for me is to remind myself that I can't save them all. It sure would be nice if we could, though.

If you should need to talk more...I will listen.

Take care....

xoxoxo

Luv, :wink:

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It's my suspicion that most people who say they DO NOT wear the seatbelt in the back have never had an "incident" to make them put it on.

I used to roam freely too...until a quick stop (from someone who ran a red light who we were trying to avoid hitting) launched my small body backwards and halfway across the back of the ambulance, scraping/cutting my back along the way and coming to rest by slamming into the back doors and then hitting the floor. I'm thankful that the doors didn't open or it would have been..."Medik8...this is Mr. Asphalt. Mr. Asphalt...meet Medik8." Hmmm...... My mind races at the possibilities of what could have came after that...possibly....meet Mr. Dodge Ram....how about Mr. Goodyear...?? You see where I'm going with this... :shock:

You don't realize how fast and forceful objects move around until you see it happen. In a car...we don't think about our bodies continuing to move after the car stops because we don't really see it. As well, there's not enough space in a car to really visualize object flying through the air. In an ambulance, there's much more space, which is more deadly. I've had things whiz past my head before (not to mention what I said above about MYSELF; and the point Dust made about the monitor (for the record...mine is also seat-belted in on a shelf)).

It's not worth it. To each his own....you have to do what makes you comfortable. Whatever that is...PLEASE be careful. I don't want to be reading about any of you guys....

xoxoxo

Luv, 8

Dust... :love7:

PLEASE be careful over there!!! I know you will do a bang-up job and that you will be much appreciated. In addition, I am very proud of you for what you have chosen to do. I'd be right along side of you if I had never given birth...LMAO...but...

Stay safe, keep in touch and remember who luvs ya baby!!! Will be looking forward to your safe return. Besides, we still have that secret, wild meeting planned between the two of us that... OOPS.... :shock: Did I just say that out loud? :oops: LMFAO....

Seriously...be careful honey. Post long (yes, I said long) and often. It wouldn't be the same here without you. I'll be thinking of you...

xoxoxo :wink:

Luv, 8

The biggest hurdle is the cost. If you can't convince an administrator that you need less expensive equipment, like KED's or 12 lead cardiac monitors, how in blue blazes are you going to talk them into spending five to six figures for this?

THAT...is a very good point, AZCEP. It's going to be interesting, at the very least...

xoxo

8

At one of the services I work for...we have LOTS of ATV accidents, so, unfortunately, my experience with these is very disturbing. One in particular about a year ago...I don't even want to talk about. In fact...I'm dreading summer because of the volume of these types of trauma calls (even though I love them...it's sad...)

I believe that education would help, however, get people drinking, barbeque-ing, and the testosterone overrules any good common sense that may be upstairs. Education, in these situations, is not going to help. I'm not sure what the answer is, but I know in my neck of woods, I sure do keep the helicopters and trauma centers busy in the summer. :roll:

xoxo

8

It's SOOOO warm and fuzzy and comfortable, and it looks incredible with my newest pair of heels. The only problem is...I'm going to have to do a few more loads before I have enough to cover...ahem...certain key areas. :shock: But until then....

The person below me has a pair of marshmallow underwear.

I've read several articles on this technology over the last few months in JEMS and EMS magazine. A lot of the bigger cities already have the technology...I believe I read...areas in New York, and California, as well as a few others.

The idea is that a lot of information and pictures can be sent directly to the ER from the truck. For example, pictures can be taken of MVAs at intersections or whatever and transmitted back to the docs to show the mechanism of injury, give an idea of what kind of situation the patient has been involved in. If a woman is in labor and is having a complicated childbirth, an obstetric team and/or her perinatologist can view video from the back of the truck to assess the patient's appearance, as well as what's going, and can direct us regarding interventions that are more complicated in these situations.

I know that a lot of people are looking at this like, "big brother is watching"...and that crossed my mind as well. However, these cameras are not an ongoing mandatory technology. They are meant to be used in certain situations, not in all...and on an as-needed basis, if you choose to need to do so, or if the doctor requests. It's virtual medicine...in a sense. I think once we get used to it, it will seem second nature.

Personally, as long as they don't take it too far, and use it as a tool to help patients and not to take control of our jobs, I think it's an excellent idea. After all, I'm all for advancing the EMS business. If this is what is takes to allow MD's to see the kind of situations we are in, and possibly for us to have our level of practice expanded even further, under their direction, then let's go....I'm ready.... If it spins us in a more positive direction with more room to further our playing field, then I think it's great. It's what EMS needs.

Not to mention...maybe it will help eliminate some of the rude, non-compassionate and unprofessional asshole caregivers who won't want to be discovered on camera. Hmmmmm....

It will be interesting, at the least, to see where this goes. I'm for trying it out....I think it's exciting...and a lot of docs are talking very positively about it. One even referred to it as "the cutting edge of the future of emergency medicine and technology"...going on to give Paramedics and EMTs actual credit "gasp" :shock: for what we do and the situations we are in...and realizing that we ARE on the "front lines" of emergency medicine and where it all begins...

WHOOOOO HOOOOOOO!!!

SAY CHEESE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :mrgreen:

xoxo

Luv, 8

Hmmm....yeah...I agree with everyone here. Hard to tell whether he was faking or not, at this point. From what you said, it sounds like he may have been having some problems. In either case...you did the correct thing and the outcome was good. Good job!! It's easy for us all to forget the "boy who cried wolf" story, but even hospitals need to learn that just because someone is a "frequent flyer" it doesn't mean that they can't eventually have a real problem, sickness, emergency, etc... Treat every call as if it is an emergency. You can ALWAYS back down from interventions, but it's kinda hard to "wish" you had done them later when it's too late. Besides, like someone already said, the bottom line is, faking or not, he needs help in either case.

Funny story before I go....We had a big time faker one day. Now, I'm not a fan of this stupid arm test either. (I have to admit, I tried it a couple times in my career...just cuz... :dontknow: Thankfully, most all were fakers so I had no other injuries to worry with.) Anyway...back to my story...I knew this guy was faking like nobody's business, and I wasn't going to do anything like that to him. So, I proceeded to think of a clever way I could catch him off guard. About that time, my partner (driving) decides to take matters into his own hands. He bellows from the front of the truck in his most believable voice, "OH MY GAAAAAADDDDDDD.....A WHOLE truckload of naked women...LOOK at this!!!!!! HOLY CRAP.....Are you LOOKING at this? WHOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!" Before I fully knew what was going on, I noticed my patient's eyes were like this... :shock: and suddenly...I had his FULL attention. This was one of those "had to be there" moments, but I've never seen anyone recover so quickly in my entire life. Even the usually professional me could not stop laughing in the back of that truck... Good times.... :D/

xoxoxo

Luv,

8

It seems like I've posted my thoughts on this before somewhere....maybe on the one that discussed a restraint system....don't remember.... anyway...

Are you kidding me? I ALWAYS wear my seatbelt. I put it on when I get in the truck before we leave. I definitely wear it home from the hospital, ALWAYS. And in between, for patient care, I buckle every chance I get. I agree, it is a pain and it is difficult to do sometimes, but I still do it. This may mean putting it on and taking it off a million times...but I see no other way. Now, obviously, if my patient is really bad and I'm moving around a lot, then of course, I can't. However, any other situation, I wear it when I can. I would certainly hate for my family and friends to think that I COULD have survived the all-too-often ambulance crashes if I had only worn my seatbelt.

In addition, anything bulky laying around on the floor gets stowed before we go en-route to the hospital. If the jump bag just got thrown in the back of the truck and is on the floor, I direct my partner to properly stow it in the cabinet, etc...before we move. I don't want 50 lb torpedos full of drugs, airway and IV equipment to smack anyone in the head should we have an accident. Not to mention, even a small bang up can cause this stuff to fly and cause injuries that wouldn't have possibly occurred otherwise in a minor collision.

Safety is #1 to me. I'm not just saying that. I love my family and friends...and I'm not even close to ready to check out...

Please be careful, everyone...just talking about this stuff gives me the heebeejeebees... :shock:

xoxoxo :wink:

Love,

8

I'll pass on AK in the marble bag. :dontknow:

Doesn't count, Jake...you're a male.... 8)

Ummmmm NO!!

The last thing I need to see is AK's moose knuckle. :puke:

Peace,

Marty

:thumbleft:

LMFAO @ moose knuckle. :shock: OMG...the projectile throwing up.....reminds me of my patient recently. Ugh... I'm not feeling so well... :sad4:

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