Lone Star

Ok, let's try this from a different point of perspective. Since I was essentially paralyzed on my entire left side (except for my face), I was by all definitions a hemiplegic when my aneurysm presented itself. Since I have regained the use of my left side ( I can walk, talk, write (I'm left handed) and do all the other day to day activities that I used to be able to do, am I still considered a hemiplegic? I do have some residual effects, such as medial rotation of the left foot, and when I get tired or extremely cold, there's that ever lovely 'toe drag' (which has ruined more than one pair of boots). I also have what would be considered hypersensitive reflexes and on occasion I have what can best be described as focal motor seizures in the left lower extremity. If I try running, the left leg tends to 'lock up' and I look like a peg leg pirate trying to haul ass across the deck of his ship.... If you weren’t implying that I was a ‘poor provider’ based upon the opinion that I posted and have defended, then why did you even include my competence and ability to provide care in the following comment? My abilities and skills should have NEVER been brought into that statement! You have no clue what kind of provider I am, and therefore comments like that appear to only have been intended to inflame. We see it in EMS every day…..people doing stupid stuff and making really bad decisions. Since Mr. Fogle couldn’t perform all of the necessary tasks associated with skydiving safely, but yet chose to do it anyway; then someone needs to step in and prevent such activities from taking place. Let’s say for example, you want to learn how to juggle; but you want to learn with running chainsaws. We both agree it’s not really an intelligent decision on your part. Should I just sit by while you attempt it (at least I’ll be able to pick up the pieces as we wait for an ambulance), or should I do something to prevent you from carving yourself up like a bad Thanksgiving turkey? Activities are regulated even for the ‘able bodied’ on a daily basis. Since you mentioned motorcycles, let’s look there. Most states have enacted mandatory helmet laws simply because there are too many people out there who think that they don’t need them. What about drinking and driving laws? I’m sure every drunk will tell you that they can drive BETTER when they’ve had a few….. Before you bring up my motorcycle wreck, let’s look at a few facts there… I’m physically able to perform all of the tasks necessary to operate that motorcycle in a safe manner. I was also able to take actions that are consistent with trying to avoid the collision. I had to deal with the actions of someone who chose to ignore the fact that I had the right of way, and tried to beat me across an intersection. I’m not saying that any ‘less than able bodied’ person be forced to live in a bubble, unable to do anything. I merely suggested that when a person doesn’t have the ability to perform all of the functions to ensure their own basic safety, then maybe someone needs to step in and prevent another senseless injury/death.

There are no flaws in my understanding. quadriplegia [kwod″rĭ-ple´jah] paralysis of all four limbs; motor and/or sensory function in the cervical spinal segments is impaired or lost due to damage to that part of the spinal cord, resulting in impaired function in the upper limbs, lower limbs, trunk, and pelvic organs. This term does not include conditions due to brachial plexus lesions or to injuries of peripheral nerves outside the spinal canal. Called also tetraplegia. adj., adj quadriple´gic. http://medical-dicti...om/quadriplegia paraplegia [par″ah-ple´jah] impairment or loss of motor or sensory function in areas of the body served by the thoracic, lumbar, or sacral neurological segments owing to damage of neural elements in those parts of the spinal column. It spares the upper limbs but, depending on the level, may involve the trunk, pelvic organs, or lower limbs. This term is correctly used for describing cauda equina and conus medullaris injuries, but should not be used to refer to lumbosacral plexus lesions or injury to peripheral nerves outside the neural canal. adj., adj paraple´gic. Based on those definitions alone, one can conclude that the quadriplegic cannot use their arms or legs. Furthermore, the very title bar of the webpage for the NY Times article online states “Once a Quadriplegic, John Carson Competes in the Ironman Triathlon-NYTimes.com”. In the article found here: http://well.blogs.ny...ner=rss&emc=rss The article states that he was initially able to regain the use of his arms (negating ‘quadriplegic status’ and being classified by definition as a paraplegic. After being moved to Mount Sinai Medical Center’s spinal cord injury rehabilitation program in New York, he learned to walk again, thus actually negating both quadriplegic AND paraplegic status. This is where MY story came into play, having had my entire left side wiped out by a cerebral aneurysm; I had to learn to walk, write and do everything that I was able to do prior to the TBI and am able to do now. THIS is why I’m QUALIFIED to speak from experience! Its not that I was making this ‘all about me’ but pointing out my qualification to make the statement I did. The fact that Mr. Carson made such huge gains in his fight to recover is worthy of respect and all the accolades he can handle. Nope, no assumptions here….those are direct quotes from the article. I can only work with the information that’s provided by the articles, however the only assumption going on here is you assuming you know what I’m thinking, when you haven’t got a clue! I realize that the investigation is still open and ongoing. If the news service decides to post more complete information when the investigation is done, I may change my stance; but as it stands now, based on the information available, I can only work with what little information that is released. Save me the ‘poor provider’ garbage! Just because I have a different opinion than you do has absolutely NOTHING to do with my ability to provide competent and professional care! Here’s a newsflash for you Mike: I’m not furthering my education and working on obtaining my degree for you or anyone else! If you MUST know the reasons behind my educational endeavor, it’s to enhance my knowledge base, so that I can provide better care for my patients. The side effect of that quest is to attempt to become more intelligent along the way. Nowhere in there is anything about impressing you!

Q: Why are divorces so expensive? A: Because they're WORTH it!

You know, its comments like the ones from AK, Paramedicmike (and even in a small way from Dwayne) that make people regret ever posting their personal feelings/views on any topic. Just because I choose to look at things differently than everybody else, doesn't imply that my thought processes are flawed, or that I've got my 'head up my ass' or even that I'm wrong. It simply means that I've got a different viewpoint and I chose to express it. Before you start running your yap and telling people how wrong they are, maybe you should try to figure out WHY they think like that; it might open your minds to another way of looking at things! With that being said, it's obvious that there are some who are unable to follow my thought processes, so I'll take them by the hand and lead them through the basics that brought me to my opinion. After that, I'm done with this thread! First off, Ironman John Carson was already in training for an Ironman competition, when he was injured. Despite the fact that the doctors offered little hope of recovery, he was eventually able to walk again. *SIDE NOTE: Just because I was in a similar situation and commented on it, doesn't mean that I was making it's all about me', it simply pointed out that I've 'been there, done that' and have personal experience and can relate to the hardships and struggles that Mr. Carson went through in order to reach this point in his recovery, and have a deeper appreciation for his accomplishments than people who have never had to go through something of this magnitude. Even though Mr. Carson was able to walk and still ride his bicycle, he still relied on a wetsuit for buoyancy in order to be able to swim. The article on Mr. Fogle stated that he was 'hampered by his physical disability from manually activating his primary parachute and was likely counting on his backup chute to deploy. This changes his status in my opinion, from 'active participant' to 'passive participant'. This is why I made the statement that there should be some sort of physical requirements to be able to participate in an activity. I would have said the same thing if Mr. Fogle had chosen to participate in scuba diving. I can understand the concept of being reliant on certain devices to ASSIST you in your quest, but to be completely reliant on a device changes things. Everything we do requires some sort of physical input. If you're hampered or unable to do what is physically necessary (in this case, pulling the 'rip-cord')...maybe reconsidering the activity is a good idea. Additionally, since Mr. Fogle had completed 125 jumps and WAS experienced; logic would dictate that in view of his physical limitations, he should have been even more vigilant in ensuring that the devices that would keep him from getting injured or killed would work when they were needed to perform their task! Unlike Mr. Carson's story, there is no evidence to support any claim that Mr. Fogle was even remotely able to do ANYTHING, other than verbalize his wishes to have something done for him. There is no evidence to support or refute that this was nothing more than a suicide attempt by Mr. Fogle. If it WAS his way of going out 'in a blaze of glory', then shame on him for making a public spectacle out of his death! *edited to correct grammatical and puncutaion errors. No significant changes to content were made.

Personally, I would have filed a complaint against the preceptor, even if it was just with your instructor. There is NO reason that the precepting medic should have treated you like that....absolutely NONE! I had a preceptor of similar caliber recently, and since this ain't my 'first rodeo' either, I'm not going to let some chucklehead burned out medic treat me like his personal 'go-fer', and treat me like I'm just some idiot who doesn't know his way around in EMS. Granted, you may only have 'student status', but you're there to LEARN, not be treated like shit because of the fact that you only have 'student status'. It sounds like the medic preceptor in question needs to be either removed from the preceptor program, or be given some SERIOUS retraining in professional and interpersonal relations, as well as improving their communication skills. EMS may known for 'eating it's young', but for a preceptor to intentionally give a student grief for no other reason than "Just because" only serves as one more reason why EMS is treated like the ugly step-child that it is always crying about being treated like.

One would think that there would be certain requirements that have to be met in order to take part in these types of activities. I realize that certain allowances can be made for certain disabilities, but shouldn't limitations be enacted? I could understand a paraplegic skydiving, because they at least have use of their arms, and in this case could have manually opened their chute. Since the Mr. Fogle was in fact a quadriplegic, he couldn't have even checked his own equipment, but rather was forced to rely on someone to 'look out for him', from the moment he was put on that airplane to his unforutnate demise. This raises another set of questions that must be addressed: 1. Who was his 'jump buddy', and why didnt they ensure that ALL of his equipment was in working order? 2. Since no one apparently checked Mr. Fogle's gear after they put him on the airplane, should murder charges be considered? Really REALLY? Last time I checked, by definition, a quadriplegic cannot use their arms or legs. With that in mind, how in the world can Mr. Fogle do anything BUT "fail to properly set a device that would have caused his reserve parachute to open on its own"? *Edited to correct formatting issues, no changes to content*

Only driven at low speeds? If the glove doesn't fit, you can't convict! Seriously, if you're going to put on a pair of gloves, try to not spread your fingers out as far as they will go......even YOUR gloves won't fit YOUR hand if you do that!....lol

The owner of said halo has stated that they will not press charges if it's returned forthwith.....just thought you might like to know....

Michigan has some services that also have MICU/NICU trucks..... If the term 'bus' was such a part of common vernacular in NYC, then why don't our NYC members all use it? I can't think of one time someone like RichardB has used that term..... You just gotta love those people that take all the shlock churned out by Hollyweird as gospel (I saw it on TV, so therefore it MUST be true!)! ô¿ô _♫♪♪♪♫♪

He talks about RA's, and yet refers to his ambulance as a Bus (NYC terminology)...... I'm begining to wonder if he's not watching too many of the 'whacker shows' (Trauma, Third Watch, Rescue Me......)

Knox has a system for storing keys in a secure vault type device. I've seen them permanently mounted to buildings and other areas with controlled access. I really don't mind the questions from the concerned citizenry/general population, as it gives us a chance to interact with them in less stressful situations. I also think it's a good thing that they're concerned enough to take the time to find out just how we deal with certain obstacles. *Edited to add response to Mike

Damn, son! Is there anything you DON'T carry? Is there any situation you CAN'T mitigate? Listening to you, you're the boy scouts, the Marine, S.W.A.T, and Marcus freakin Welby all rolled into one! Bus: AMBULANCE:

And how many of those that answer "zero" only do it to shut the little ghouls up? I absolutely HATE being asked "What's the worst thing you've ever seen?"! Obviously, the worst I've seen is the stuff I would most likely want to NOT remember.... Law Enforcement carries a side-arm because its part of their duty gear. OC spray, handcuffs and the other accoutrements that you profess to carry/possess 'just in case' are more related to Law Enforcement than they EVER will be related to EMS. Again, more geared toward Law Enforcement than EMS. You come off as someone who walks around like Billy Bad-ass, just LOOKING for a 'reason' to drop kick the shit out of someone for looking at you sideways, and you wonder why you're being called out on this and labeled a 'whacker'..... If everyone carried OC, we'd have a shit-load of people laying on the ground crying, slobbering and gasping for breath. There's a reason that not every chucklehead who wants it can get it..... The thing is...if you NEED handcuffs in EMS, you're probably in a situation that you would have been better off waiting for Law Enforcement to secure before you went running in like some 'junior coder'. It's that VERY attitude that will get you, your partner, or your patient FUBAR-ed in very short order....not to mention getting you standing before a judge/jury. Your arrogance isn't going to win you any friends around these here parts, pal. As far as respect....you're heading in the wrong direction with your posts and your attitude to EARN respect around here. Dismissing the EMT-B as 'insignificant' and unable to contribute anything of any value is the wrong way to look at it. Rather than dismiss them as 'insignificant', you should be fulfilling your responsibility to encourage them to further their education. Remember this: Even Superman had a weakness...his was kryptonite; yours appears to be everything above your shoulders!

We tried that, and with each successive post, you continue to prove how wrong we were. We've also thought that your handcuffs, POV light show and your '100 hours of combat training' were a 'bit much' too! You named the theme, we're just playing by the rules....

If I remeber correctly, both Dwayne and I made comments on the intelligence levels of the majority of the new posters....unfortunately, the good 'doctor' has proven that the pendulum has begun to swing the opposite direction and is picking up speed as it does.... This in no way detracts from the compliments earned by the majority of new posters, it is intended to show how much of a 'weak link' SD has proven himself to be.....

Are you gearing up for the zombie invasion too (if and when it comes)? You were asked if you keep them in the same pouch.....or do you have separate pouches? How do you keep from cross contaminating when 'restocking' these pouches?

I've worked in the roughest parts of Detroit (Highland Park, Harper Woods, Ferndale, the 'Cass Corridor'; to name a few) and I've NEVER needed the kind of training or firepower/weaponry that the good Doctor' advocates. The most important weapons I carried was common sense, courtesy, logic, compassion and an over active ability to pay attention to my surroundings....

Holy hell, Batman! It's Johnny Gage and Eugene Tackleberry rolled into one, with special training from Chuck Norris (I wonder if this guy's name is James Braddock?)! With your whopping '100 hours of combat training', OC spray and handcuffs, you're only educated enough to wind up in jail (or the local ER when someone decides to shove your handcuffs up your ass). You are nothing more than a nusiance to society, and all of your fantastic super hero training is going to make you nothing more than a statistic. As far as your dog bite scenario,there are MANY of us that would have handled that differently! The first order of business would be to stage until Animal Control and local Law Enforcement could secure the scene. This is the ONLY 'logical and intelligent' option! If you're not a Law Enforcement Officer, then WHY do you feel there's a NEED to carry handcuffs in the first place?

If 'little Caylee' is the only authority needed to make some guy at a pizza place to become Judge/jury/executioner, why didn't someone shoot the Ramseys for the suspected death of little JonBonet? I can understand an overwhelming desire to protect out children from harm, but where were these self righteous, self proclaimed executioners and great protectors of the children when it came to John Wayne Gacy, Wayne Williams and Jeffry Dahmer? We can't be 'selective' in which child killers are singled out for vigilante style execution simply based on the notoriety of the offender. Why are we more outraged by the Susan Smiths and Adrea Yates' of the world than we are about ANYONE that harms a child?

I'm thinking you should have just kept the "I J K" part to yourself......just sayin'...

HOLD THE PHONE! You came to US asking a question (which was answered very well) about becoming an EMT-B and the possible 'problems' you might encounter because of your age and the fact that you decided to quit school. If you're looking for the 'touchy feely belly rubs and ice cream speeches', EMS ISN'T the place to find it! You were given some really good advice on how to accomplish a goal that you want to reach, and then you act like a common chucklehead because you didn't get the rosy answers you expected.... very bad form! You can't slap the messenger simply because you don't like the content of the message. You stated: It appears that 'the short amount of time it takes to get certified' IS part of the equation though... There have been some very good snippets of advice that included at least two years in college (which by the way will help with your age and insurance issues); and all of a sudden you're accusing us of trying to keep you down and out of EMS....GROW UP! Rather than piss and moan about how 'mean' everybody is being toward you, try shutting your mouth, putting your fingers on hold and actually LISTEN to those of us that have 'been there/done that'. Many of us here have seen the 'glory hunters' and "half stepping wannabe's" come and go. This isn't a career/profession for just anyone. It takes a special breed to survive the 'uglies' that are in store for you. You came to us looking for the truth, but it appears that "YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!" (Thank you,Jack Nicholson!) EMS has been noted for 'eating it's own', and you've done nothing but piss off the pirahnas in the pool! Yes, you'll have to start at EMT-B. That's looking at around 6 months of school (even through a college). If you want to become a competent Paramedic, then your Associates Degree is the next logical step. Yes, you can go to one of those 'patch mill schools' that is flooding the market with more 'cookbook providers' than steller Paramedics; you're not only cheating yourself, you're also cheating every patient you provide care for. EMS is a 'dog eat dog world' and right now you've let the pack know that you're wearing milkbone underwear, and drawn a big red "bulls eye" on your forehead....now is NOT the time to piss off the archer! The best advice I can give you right now is to actually LISTEN to the advice being given, and don't start throwing temper tantrums because you don't like the fact that we're trying to tell you how much work is going to be involved in 'doing it right'! You said: With a statement like that, it's time to put up or shut up. You've been given the tools to make it happen....now prove what you said is true, and make it happen; or slink away with your tail between your legs. The ball is in your court...play it, or hit the showers!

To paraphrase what I said in another forum: The prosecution in this case didn't meet the burden of proof in this case. Sure, they had a truck load of circumstantial evidence, but nothing concrete. In American jurisprudence, the burden of proof lies upon the accuser (in this case, the State of Florida). The defense doesn't have to prove a thing, all they have to do is raise a REASONABLE doubt; which in this case, they did. I don't think that the allegations of incest, extramarital affairs and any other 'dirty laundry' of the Anthony family had any bearing on the case, and should have been left out of it. As far as all of the pundits, 'legal analysts' and 'legal experts' that have been making the rounds of the news and gossip shows....they need to turn in their crystal balls because they're obviously defective. The jury reached the only conclusion that they could have...they acquitted Casey Anthony based upon the fact that the burden of proof wasn't met by the prosecution. Do I think Casey Anthony is guilty? I really can't say one way or the other, simply based upon the fact that there was so much evidence that I wasn't privy to. If I ever end up on trial for anything, I can only pray that I get a jury that is as diligent as this one was!

While my story isn't as dramatic, tragic or even as remarkable as Mr. Carson's; I have a similar claim to support the whole concept: In 1996, while returning home from work, I experienced occluded field of vision bilaterally, vertigo, left sided ataxia and left sided hemiperesis. As it turned out, I had a giant cerebral aneurysm in the right posterior communicating artery at the junction of the Circle of Willis. I was told by my neurosurgeon that I should start looking for another line of work, as I'd NEVER go back to fighting fire or EMS ever again. Fifty-one (51) weeks later, almost to the day; I stood in front of my neurosurgeon in my EMS uniform...on the clock, and shook his hand and thanked him for everything he had done to essentially save my life. After he reminded me that I had come 'a long way' from when he first saw me, I grinned and told him that I had one last thing to say to him. He looked perplexed and asked what was on my mind. I simply grinned more and then said, "You lied!". He laughed because he knew that I was referring to his prognosis. I went on to fight fire and also worked and was able to maintain my EMS license for another 10 years. When I hear people (especially able bodied and not 'intellectually challenged') bemoaning the fact that "they just can't" do something; I simply look at them and point out that it’s not that they “can’t”, they just don't want it enough to push themselves hard enough to accomplish it; and by doing so, are doing nothing more than giving up and cheating themselves in the process. The bottom line remains: The ONLY person/thing holding you back from accomplishing your goals is YOU! * Reposted to correct a glaring error in punctuation and grammar