J and G

:)

"You're going to be an excellent EMT. You have a good sense of what to do, when to do it, and what order to do it in. You seem like you have a good instinct for that. You're soaking this stuff right up."
Thanks R. Means a lot. Really.

Refreshing

I was escorting a patient's husband down stairs in the elevator after his wife had been brought down to the ambulance. There wasn't enough room for all of us to go at once.

"Are you riding with us, or taking a seperate car?"
"Of course I am riding with my wife"
"Ok, that's fine. I know how important it is for you to be together"
"Yes. We've been married for 60 years, and I am 87 years old"
"She must be very special to you"
"Yes, she is"
"It's really great to see a couple that loves eachother so much after so many years. It's very refreshing"
"Thank you"

All over again...

I remember the call on which I fell in love with EMS. It was not a serious call, an elderly female who had fallen and was complaining of groin pain. The EMT let me take vitals, and I was basically caring for the woman all the way to the hospital. I got such a thrill from this, I knew I was in the right place.

Now I'm not saying that I haven't loved EMS ever since, but with the daily grind of the BS calls-drunks, hypochondriacs, drug seekers, etc, it slipped from my mind how much I really love EMS.

Recently, I fell in love with EMS all over again.

The call was for an overdose. Alcohol and painkillers. Possible attempt. The patient was completely unresponsive, and we only had one tech on board. It was definitely a load and go. I set up the oxygen while the medic got vitals. We had our helpers get a backboard and we boogied outside. The medic had me assist with the monitor and the pulse ox, and I was so in my zone it was ridiculous. I was straddled over the patient, somehow managing to do 2 things at the same time. It was such a thrilling feeling, I just loved it.

If there is one thing this call taught me, it is that I do have what it takes. I am good at what I do, and I will only get better. I LOVE EMS.

I am not happy. Not quite sure why, but I have some theories. And it could very well be due to more than one of the below.

Maybe it's because all the fun is in the chasing, and now that I'm in the fire department the chase is over and I don't have anything to look forward to. I wanted to join for so long, and now I finally did it. Sure, I am excited about that, but a bright spot isn't enough to make everything dandy.

Dude, you're in the fire department!!! Boo ya! And what do you mean nothing to look forward to? Did you think joining the FD was all about being a peon who runs and gets shit and freaks when the oxygen is empty? Of course you didn't. You saw yourself as an EMT, taking charge of scenes, caring for patients, helping people. And you saw yourself as someday being an officer, being in charge and reforming the squad, once and for all taking care of the problems that you see going on now but can currently do nothing about. You have a long and exciting career ahead of yourself, so don't worry. Bottom line, you're in the fire department dude!!! You're in!!! In!!!!!

Maybe it's because I wasted my spring break. I didn't go out. I didn't hit the beach even once. I didn't spend all that much time with the family. I didn't see my friends enough. I didn't even really earn the week and a day off because I skipped school on the last day before break started. It didn't feel like spring break. I didn't get that feeling like I always do when I have time off: oh boy, this is going to be great! I didn't get that feeling about this week. Probably because I skipped school the day before and proceeded to spend all my time either at work, sleeping, or riding rescue. Mind you I love rescue, but still, I didn't take time to relax and recreate like I should have.

It happens. Yes life is short, but lets look at stats for a minute here. You're young. Statistics say you aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Therefore it's safe to say that if it is true that you screwed up and mishandled the incredibly gift of an entire week and a day off, then it's not the end of the world. Just see it as a learning experience, and do your best to make sure it doesn't happen again. Nobody's perfect, and as you like to say, you can't get 'em all.

Maybe it's because Easter didn't even feel like Easter this year. We didn't color eggs because I was working the night before. I was on rescue on Easter Sunday from 2 am to noon and then again from 6 pm to 6 the next morning. The only thing that make it feel remotely like Easter was the fact that we ate pineapple pancakes for breakfast. My stomach was bothering me because of the shock of waking up suddenly for that call, so I only ate 2 anyway.

See the above to understand my train of thought on this. It happens. You screwed up. You could have done it differently to make sure you got to spend more time with your family, but you didn't. Life sure is short, but statistics still say that you'll have a chance to try again and get it right.

Maybe it's because I've been so sleep deprived lately. I mean yeah, I slept 8 hours today, but prior that I had been up for close to 24. That takes a toll on you and it takes time to recover from that.

You're new. You are learning how to manage everything. You will get better and eventually will sleep more. Hey, you might even be able to sleep when you're on call! Remember, even though you are a volly, as they say, EMS stands for Earn Money Sleeping!!! If they can do it so can you!

Maybe it's because I'm probably a bit dehydrated since just about every beverage I have consumed in the last 48 hours has been either caffeinated or alcoholic. I know for a fact that dehydration makes me feel like shit.

You have water next to you. Drink it. The only downside is that you'll have to get out of bed to pee before you go to sleep!

Maybe it's because I am on the verge of one of my growing up freak outs. If that's the case, the fire dept (an adult activity) and/or our current unit in Spanish class, generaciones en movimiento, could be responsible.

Eh. It's possible, but I don't know if I'm really feeling one of those freak outs. They don't last all that long anyway. You'll be ok. And if it comes down to it, have a good cry and you'll be alright. I promise

Maybe it's because loss of headphones has lead to a significant drop in the amount of music I've been listening to lately, and music is so important to me.

Dude, you have a job. Don't be a cheapsteak, go out and buy a pair of freakin headphones.

Maybe it's because my first forthwith call went so badly and I looked like an idiot just looking at AV because I needed help until he asked why I kept looking at him.

You're new!!! You learned from it. Remember, communication is key. And the patient's life has to come before your desire to cover your agency's ass and/or make yourself and your crew and your agency look good!

See, you talked yourself down. You got yourself out of it. Good work! And a big thanks to this blog for providing the opportunity, or as a typo originally made it say, the pooportunity. LMFAO.

Bucket List

Here's the stuff I want to do before I croak...

1. Be a volunteer EMT
2. Make my living in the healthcare profession doing something that I love and that I'm good at
3. Be a wildlife rehabilitator
4. Live on my own (no roommates, no girlfriend) for atleast 2 years
5. Live with roommates for atleast 2 years
6. Live with a girlfriend for atleast 2 years
7. Travel to every state in the USA and every continent except Antarctica (sorry, just too cold and risky for me)
8. Father a child, even if only biologically
9. Go parasailing
10. Go bungee Jumping
11. Learn to fly
12. Own a boat
13. Own my own home
14. Make my house energy independent and sell power back to the grid
15. Have dogs
16. Be a manager or supervisor of something
17. Save someone's life
18. Have a pressure free retirement (meaning no pressure to retire sooner or later, and live comfortably afterwards)
19. Always adapt to the times

14 Things to Keep in Mind at Fast Food Restaurants

I work in fast food. These 14 tips are based on my experience, but can more or less be applied to any fast food restaurant. This is part comedy, part rant, and part instruction manual.

1.Remember your bathroom etiquette. Weren’t you taught from a young age to flush the toilet? Men, for God’s sake, put the damn seat up before you take a leak. And hey everybody, look over in the corner…there is a garbage pail…use it…but also be aware that certain things, namely feces and used toilet paper, are meant to be FLUSHED, not put in the above mentioned pail!!!

2.Clean up after yourself in the dining room. You are not at a full service restaurant with waiters and bus boys. I don’t expect you to wipe down the table and pick up every last crumb and straw wrapper, but don’t leave garbage all over the table and the floor. There would not be three clearly marked garbage pails in the room if you were not supposed to throw out your own garbage!

3. Don’t throw liquids in the garbage. Our trash bags are cheap, and they are likely to have holes in them somewhere. When you throw drinks in the garbage, it creates a major hassle for me when it comes to changing out the bag. The drink machine has a container at the bottom that drains into the plumbing. Would it kill you to walk the 10 extra steps to dump your drink out there?

4. If you spill something, don’t just walk away. If its really small, be an adult and clean it up yourself. If it’s a big spill (i.e. your entire drink), come and get an employee. We are more than happy to come out with a mop or a rag and clean it up. We WONT be happy if; a. someone slips and falls, and we have to deal with their bitching about the wet floor, or worse, a law suit, or, b. we come out there an hour later when the spill has partially dried and there is thick, sticky half evaporated soda on the floor, which requires scrubbing to clean up.

5. When ordering a combo or value meal, don’t just tell me you want the item affiliated with it (i.e. Chicken quesadilla). Tell me what combo you want (i.e. #7) If you order an individual item, it goes in the computer as such. Conversely, don’t tell me you want a #7 when all you want is a quesadilla. Everything you see in a combo can be ordered individually.

6. Don’t talk on the phone when you are ordering. I am trained to take orders a certain way, and to read them back to you, and I am not going to deviate from protocol for the sake of your convenience.

7. Keep in mind that if I am taking your order, I am not making your food. All I can do is ensure that I am entering the order correctly in the computer. Do not tell me to “make sure they don’t put tomato on it”. All I can do is hit “minus tomato” in the computer. If it is correct on your receipt, then any deviation from how you ordered it is not my fault. Additionally, when I hand you your food, don’t ask me “is that everything?” Unless it is something obvious (such as getting twice as much or half as much food as you ordered), I have no idea if it is all there or if it is correct. Your best bet is to check it against your receipt, because I just don’t know.

8. When you pull in to the drive thru, make sure you pull right next to the menu board, and don’t say “hello???” 3 seconds after pulling in. By company policy, I must greet you within five seconds, and if my hands are full or I am dealing with someone at the window when you pull in, don’t expect me to answer you instantly. If I hear you say “hello” or anything along those lines before I have a chance to answer, chances are you will be waiting a few extra seconds. Patience is a virtue, my friends. Practice it.

9. When ordering in the drive thru, don’t just belt out the menu items at a rate of one every half second. Realize that I am probably dealing with another customer at the window at the same time, and trying to keep up. I typically say “ok” once I have entered the item, and am ready for you to continue. By the same token, if you are so undecided that you are going to spend 5 minutes ordering, do everyone a favor and come inside.

10. Don’t drive up from the menu board until I tell you your total. I am supposed to read back the order, and unless I am super busy at the window, I probably will. Chances are I will ask you if you want anything to drink (if you didn’t order one), and if you want any sauce packets. I don’t care how much of a hurry you are in, I have to ask you those things, and pulling up prematurely just postpones my doing so. Trust me, going with the flow of how I take your order is the best way to get going on your way quickly.

11. If you have several people in the car and more than one are ordering, either have them relay the info to the driver, or make sure that anyone who orders from anywhere in the car other than the driver’s seat shouts. The microphone is not very sensitive, for good reason, and therefore it will not pick up your voice if it is too low or too far away.

12. Don’t change your entire order or add or remove items at the window. I would rather you take longer while ordering to make sure everything is correct than to pull up and have me re do everything or add something that is going to cause me to miss my window time limit. Always remember, I am on a timer!!!

13. When I hand you your food, drive away immediately. If you want to check to make sure it’s all there, pull up or go into a parking spot. I am on a timer, and if you are at my window for more than a minute, it gets recorded, and if too many cars take too long, I get in trouble. Remember, you are at a drive THRU, not a drive IN.

14. If you have a problem with your order, and are coming back to have us fix it, come inside, regardless of whether you ordered inside or at the drive thru. I can not afford to miss a time limit on a car because you were too damn lazy to walk 50 feet from your car to the building.

Politics

I am a natural leader. I like being in charge, helping, guiding, leading a team. I love to teach. I am a great listener. I understand that there are certain qualities a good leader has. Some people have them, some don't.

I have worked at my job now for almost a year. It'll be a year in march. I am extremely proficient in most of my duties and I am willing to learn and improve even more. I'm not the best employee in the world, but I am competent, flexible, and willing to learn.

When I was first hired I made sure the management was aware of my desire to eventually advance in the company. I don't want to make a career out of fast food, but while I'm there, I might as well go as far as I can.

I think I have what it takes, as far as qualities. If I became proficient in all the roles within the store, I would be eligible for promotion as far as credentials are concerned. But something my boss said to me put me on the fence. She said that politics are going to be my downfall.