firedoc5

We had a demonstration one day of a new model of a "Thumper". We never had one in the first place. But afterwards we were like "Are you nuts?" I think my Capt. burst the salesman bubble when he said it was another contraption to take up space and something else to go wrong.

I guess I should have mentioned that I was quoting a doc friend of mine that had a great sense of humor. I've been treated very well by most, and very badly treated by a few. Peace, 'zilla.

Did you see that movie "Skin Deep" with John Ritter? The bedroom was pitch dark and Ritter was getting ready to make love to his wife and all you could see was his glow in the dark condom which was red. Then his wife's lover appeared but all you could see was his blue glow in the dark condom. The two start fighting and it looked like it was just the condoms fighting each other, bouncing up and down and moving around. It was like to miniature light sabres. I laughed so hard I thought I'd either pass out or puke.

I saw that a couple of years ago and every now and then I've thought about it and I start to get tickled. If someone is close by they may notice then I have to tell them the whole story.

"Paradise By the Dashboard Lights" - MeatLoaf

It helps greatly just to have water. Without the water his chances would have deminished greatly.

On stabbing one night the medic "in charge" :roll: called in that the patient had an evisceration. The doc on the other end asked what kind of evisceration. The medic was like, "you know, an evisceration". I finally spoke up and said to tell him it's an abdominal evisceration with intestine and partial stomach exposed. The medic was like "Ohhh".

I know things have changed almost everywhere in the past ten years, but we couldn't pronounce even if they were decapitated. Had to wait for ME or Deputy Coroner to arrive. I know some places just automatically swears paramedics in as Deputy Coroner just for that reason. But there were just a select few that just talking on the phone or radio to the ME was sufficient.

I hate "real life trauma drama".

I'd buy the dog, forget borrowing.

"Just f#$k the Ranger, Boo Boo. Take the pic-a-nic basket" - Imitator of Yogi Bear

I too started early. I became an EMT-A (B other places), the summer between my Jr. and Sr. years in high school. Actually made my first run the day before my 18th birthday, the State gave me the one day. I can honestly say that starting out young may not be the best way for everyone. I look back now and don't know if it was the best way to get started. And like some others have said, EMS is not for everyone that wants to do it. Like a lot of people want to be an astronaut, but they can't. Same as in EMS and/ or Firefighting. I think your location has a lot to do with it, not the best place to start. If you are really determined you may want to think of relocating. But I'm telling you now, lack of sleep, being over-worked and under-paid, exhaustion, adrenaline highs and lows, long hours, it's all part of it. If you don't think you can tolerate these things, then EMS is not for you. And there is no shame in it at all. Just be proud that you became an EMT and attempted a career in it. Anytime you need to vent or need advice, don't hesitate to post-up.

You have to remember, all docs have to take "Jerk 101" in med school.

Either they have too much time on their hands or they are like Monk of TV.

"Can't You See" - Marshall Tucker Band

I'm not intending to read all the posts, whether positive or negative about the performance by fire fighter and/ or medics. There are those of us who do/ did both and proud of it. I was a Paramedic before becoming a Firefighter. When people asked me why I did both I told them that my heart was in EMS but the fire fighting I did for kicks & giggles. And when the opportunity came where I could do both professionally I couldn't pass it up. But I can see there be a riff between EMS and non-EMS firefighters. But there shouldn't be any if the fire fighter is also at least an EMT. And most Fire Depts. you are required to do both. And actually, it is news if someone who is not trained to deliver babies does so. As medics it's expected of us and public knowledge they think it's old hat and that we do it all the time, when in fact some medics never have done it. So to the public it's no big deal if a medic does it. (off my soap box) The last baby I delivered was very early on Labor Day morning. It almost ruined my tee time for a golf scramble I was drafted into. Some people asked me where the baby was born and told them at home on the couch. And they were like, "EEWWW" they'll need to get a new couch." I told them nope, it just matched the rest of the furniture.

I think we've all had our moments. But it's easier talking about someone else's. Like one day had a rookie medic say that "the patient has good neuro deficits". Or the veteran medic report that the patient had good pedal pulses bilaterally, when in fact his left leg was a prostetic limb. I myself one day for some reason, I think I was laughing, couldn't pronounce "post-ictal" and just said that "the patient seemed out of it." She was obviously faking it, that's why we were laughing.

We've had similar incidents, but not three days. A few hours or one day, but not three.

A number of times I've been on extrications of vehicles that were so mangled that I myself, and sometimes one other, would be inside the vehicle with the patient and they just cut everything away from us. A lot of metal and glass flying. Even though you have some tarps or some kind of covering over you, you still get peppered by stuff. One day we had the usual flip over with the car settling on all fours but the roof was needing to be cut back. Another Paramedic and myself were inside the car and stabilizing the patient and doing what pre-packaging that we could. To make a story a little shorter, to peel back the roof you sometimes have to "crease" it. Some rookie stood on top and "WHAM", used a sledge hammer to dent the roof. When he did he caved in the roof right above Marc's head. If Marc didn't have a helmet on he would have been cold cocked. Needless to say that by the time the patient was extricated and we had got out, that rookie was no where to be seen. Marc is one of those types that will get in a fight with a Coke machine, and win. Geez, come to think of it that rookie is a police officer now.

More truth than fiction.

"Dreamer" - Ozzy

How is the young Lass doing these days? Better I hope.

I found out quickly that having bunker gear was important. For EMS only it doesn't have to be fire rated, but it's nice if it is. If your on a budget you can get it for less if it's only Duct-material. When you are also doing rescue you never know what kind of situation you may get into.

Not personal at all. It was causing me to have syncopal episodes. When I did the doc took me right off it. At first they thought it couldn't have been the Chantix alone, that there had to have been an underlying problem with my heart. But after all the heart tests and etc. everything was negative, so it was the Chantix alone. Unless someone missed something, like that never happens.

We gave Procainamide regularly, but only if Lido. was not working. Back then it was considered a back-up for that reason. That's what we did in the field, short term. I know it has it's own usefulness long term, as in ICU.