Burnout

2009-08-24T15:10:00.000-07:00

Oops I did it again,
I think I may be getting to old for this job, or maybe to temperamental. I just can't stand by and say nothing to people who abuse the 911 system. Call me crazy but I thought 911 was for EMERGENCE'S!!!! Not for my head hurts, or I have the flu, and certainly not for I'm Constipated!!! I mean come now lets get real. 911 was meant for true life threatening emergence's. You know I cut my fingers off with a skill saw, or I fell off the roof and think my back is broke. Oh hay this is a good one, My chest hurts I think I'm having a Heart attach!!!
I don't mind helping some one who truly needs me but it really tic's me off when I go racing down the High Way dodging traffic and risking my on safety, only to find some one who slammed they re foot into the coffee table and now there big toe hurts. Give me a brake.
I responded to a call last shift to find a 22 year old girl laying on the sofa complaining of sever abdominal pain. I asked her how long has her stomach been hurting. She says 4 days. I ask her has she thrown up. She says no. I palpate her abdomen and she has pain on the left upper side. Well there is no vital organs there and typically the only reason for pain to the left upper side is Pancreas or you guessed it CONSTIPATION! I ask her when was the last time sh had a B.M. she says 4 or 5 days. O.K. so now I'm Pissed. So I let her have it. I said to her "you called me out here because you can't take a shit! your kidding me right". She says "no I'm not kidding i can't go". I say "what do you want me to do about it". She say " take me to the hospital". I say "why'. She says " so they can give me something to make me go". I ask her has she taken anything for this such as Ex lax or May lox"? She says no "I don't have a ride". I say this is not an emergence and you do not need to go to the Hospital for this. She says well I don't have any money and the Emergency room is FREE!!!!! O.M.G. Are you kidding me.
It's not free I have to pay something called taxes and bust my ass working just so you can go to the hospital for a laxative.
So long storey short I took her. She called and complains that I was rude. I get Rote up. How do you like that????

2009-07-30T06:17:00.000-07:00

Well it's been a while.
I've been stressed out, after all they don't call me burnout for nothing!
I got into some trouble at work. I was called into the office for counseling and put on 6 months probation. 6 months for telling it like it is.
You see after a long day of ambulance calls 12 to be exact. I responded to a call at 2 A. M. for "one unconscious". Now to most "unconscious"Means: unresponsive,without consciousnesss, insensible, lacking awareness, (NOT I'M DRUNK). So on arrival we find the front door of the home open, we knock and step in to a house that is just really nasty. Cloths,food, dirt and garbage on the floor. Roaches are crawling up the walls. We hear someone say come in here. My partner and I turn the corner to find a 25 year old man setting in a chair and a woman standing beside him. I ask did you call for an Ambulance. The woman replies "yes I did" . I ask what's going on She replies "He need to go to the hospital". I ask why? What's going on. She says and I quote"HE'S DRUNK, WHAT THE HELL YOU THANK IS WRONG". Now remember I have already maid 12 calls before this. Out of those 12 calls only 1 was a true emergency. so I'M tired and I'm ell. I respond to this Lady with "you called 911 and got an Ambulance and a Fire truck out at 2 A.M. in the morning because he's drunk". She says. "YES I DID"! I look at the man and ask him "do you want to go the the Hospital". He replies "no I want to go to bed". I then "say why are we here? You are waisting every ones times. Don't call us again unless he's Dieing."
Well She called the Chief the next day and complained, NEVER MIND, SHE WAS FILTHY,STUPID, and Waisting every ones time ,costing the taxpayers money, and putting MY LIFE in DANGER as I respond to her home with Lights and Sirens, darting through traffic at brake neck speed because we think someone is "UNCONSCIOUS".
I get 6months probation and she gets an apology.
Sometimes my life sucks!!!!!!!

2009-03-02T08:11:00.001-08:00

Wow We have snow in the south. I'm like really SNOW !!! We don't have snow in south Georgia. People down here don't know how to drive,walk,eat, drink, sleep, and simply can not function in the snow. My ambulance ran it wheels off. We had several fires and we don't even need to talk about the motor vehicle accidents. OMG. What a crazy 24 hr.shift. Don't get me wrong I loved it for the most part, and to give you guys that are used to snow an idea of what I'm talking about. Businesses shut down, schools closed today and people swamped the groceries stores foe supplies and all for one day of snow with an accumulative amount of 3 inches. Is that not crazy. You would think we were getting 3 feet and it was going to last for days. Well it's the next day around noon and the snow is gone and the temperature is 45 and rising. The only thing I hate about this is that I was so busy I didn't get to make a Snow man. It may be years be for we get snow again.

"Whoa is me".

My sweet little Pookie Doo

2009-02-13T15:46:00.000-08:00

I just can't resist telling y'all about my sweet little Pookie Doo. He just the best looking thing I've never seen. He lights up my day as soon as I see him. He's my best friend too. We get into a lot things together some good some bad but we always stick it out together.
I can tell him anything. Well I can't tell him I'm jealous of his 4 wheeling trips with the guy's. He might tell me he's jealous of my shopping trips with R Susanna. I found him at work one day right under eyes. If he'd been a snake he would have bit me. You see my partner and I was sent to this out line station that I did not like to go to. We were told to post out of this station for 12 hrs. I was so upset. I don't like to go to new stations were I don't know everyone. Some time they don't receive Women well at all men stations and this was all men. Even worse it was a high rescue station were men were known for walking around with their chest puffed out. So I was not happy.
That is until I walked in sat down and in walk the man of my dreams. I swear beams of light shown down on him and Angels did sing. I couldn't take my eyes off of him the hole shift I just sat and stared. He said very little to me was was very shy but I could tell he liked me. Soooo in a very bold move as he was getting in his truck to go some one stopped him to talk. Now's my chance now or never.... I walked up be him and stuck a gum wrapper with my name and phone number on it. I then with out looking walked away.
I had to wait 2 days before he called. I was a nervous wreck I took off any one head who even come close to the phone when it range. Finely he did call and I asked him out before he could ask me. He asked was this how it was always going to be. I asked what do you mean? He said are you always going to jump the gun on everything or are you going to let me make a move. I said I don't know that depends on if you can beat me to it!!!
I know it sounds cheesy but I have loved him from the moment I laid eyes on him. He is my Pookie Doo.

What if this was was me?

2009-02-11T15:10:00.000-08:00

Well I had a humbling experience at work the other night. I responded to a difficulty breathing call. When I arrived on scene I found a 77 yr. old lady laying in the bed. In no apparent distress. I asked "what's going on to day?" "Did you you call for an ambulance. The Lady put her nose in the air and said "Yes I did, now take me to the hospital." I asked "why are you going to the hospital the lady got very mad and yell as she slammed her fist into the bed "Just take me to the hospital I said." At this time the lady's son walked in and asked what was going on I was getting angry with the situation and said that's what I'd like to no. The Old lady is screaming now somebody take me to the hospital please!!! My partner is trying to calm her down while I talk to her son. The son tells me this happens every time I leave for the weekend. You see when they took my Mama's legs and confined her to this bed.,She gets this way when I leave her alone I'm sorry she called you all out to night. I took a Deep breath in and said to myself what would I do if this happened to me at the age of 77. Then I turn around and with a big smile on my face i said to the lady SOOO are you ready to go the hospital Lady Bug! And gave her a pat on the shoulder. She smiled a big toothy grin up at me and said that's what I've been a tell'n yea. I then said to her well lets go. My point in telling you guys this story is that even though some things or request may seams ridiculous or mundane to us but to someone Else it may mean the world.

25 things about me

2009-02-08T09:08:00.001-08:00

O.K. so I saw one of the blogs I follow did this and I thought it might be fun to try so here go's.

1.) I color my hair, I have sense I was 14 yrs old and my hair began to darken.
2.)I'm afraid of the dark it freaks me out if my husband gets in bed before me and turns out all the lights. I totally chew hem out.
3.)I've been married 3 times and my 1st child was not by my 1st husband.
4.)I was a high school drop out, and did not go back to school until I was 23.
5.)I feel responsible for my best friends death.
6.)I never loved my first 2 husbands in fact I didn't even like one of them.
7.)I am obsessed with my looks and wait.
8.)I'm O.C.D. if you didn't no LOL.
9.)I can write with both right and lift hand.
10.)I love old movies really old like Doris Day,Betty Davis,Clark Gable.....
11)I love to sing, in fact I wanted to be a singer but my first husband told me I squeaked like a rat so I stopped singing for along time. I do some now but just for fun.
12.)I love my job. I totally get off on the power.
13.)I want more for my girls.
14.)I don't think I've been the best Mom.
15.)I had a one night stand and never looked back.
16.)I stoled something once from the grocery store by accident but didn't take it back when I realized what i did.
17.)I make jokes all the time and no one gets them bummer.
18.)I put off calling my Dad he's 76 I know I want hem for ever but he talks so much. I know I cold ran't I?
19.)I think my Mom has a split personality. (really)
20.) I think my husband is so hot.I just love hem to peaces.
21.)My husband is my best friend.
22.)R Susanna saved me when I lost My best friend Michell.Thank You.
23.)I love food. Any food,Sweets, Baked, Grilled,Fried,Meat,Veggies,Food,Food,Food.....
24.)I'm afraid of getting old.
25.)I never want to be alone.

I can't take the noise

2009-02-07T17:50:00.000-08:00

Maybe it's just me but it seams as though everyone is obsessed with noise these days. I mean really!!! My husband runs me out of the room with his cursed surround sound. Just because you can make your teeth rattle dose not mean you have to do so.
I rarely go to the movies now because of the noise. I have to take a pair of ear plugs with me if I'm to enjoy the movie. I just can't take it.The same with music concerts, i went to one with some friends not to long ago and took my ear plugs. Everyone was laughing at me but a while into the show someone did ask if I had another pair. Honestly it was so loud you couldn't under stand a thing. just a lot of vibration.
And what's up with kids today they have so much base turned up it shakes my car and rattles my windows. I wish someone would come out with a light beam gun so I could shoot a beam at there car and short out there whole electrical system. LEAVE UM DEAD IN THE ROAD!!!
I would love to have one day of nothing but peace and quite. that would be heaven!

2009-02-03T11:52:00.000-08:00

I'm feeling crazy these days!
I don't know why but lately I have been in a weird state of mind, All in one day i can feel up beat and happy ,mad as the devil and sad and defeated the next. Just to give an example, I was at work yesterday feeling good, you know on top of the world. I was back on the Ambulance after a long stay on a fire truck. I had a great partner for the shift, a really nice guy who is a rookie. He's very nice and very excited about riding the Ambulance. I love to train rookies. They are not yet set in there ways and have not been corrupted by bad influences.
Well we had a easy day not a lot of calls. This Yong man asked me if he could ride with me for the next three shifts. I did not see a problem with this and told hem I would talk to the Captain about it. HOLLY CRAP!!!! You would think I asked some one to cut off there arm, I was met with hostility, anger, and disdain. I don't know why, you see most of the fire fighters don't like to ride the Ambulance because they have to WORK and THINK for a change. So you would think if someone volunteers to take a few extra shifts people would be glad and supportive. Oh No Not In My Department!!! The Captain says to me well he don't know the fire truck that well yet. he needs to ride the fire truck too. I don't know why but I erupted and flew into a rage. My face was hot,my hair standing on end and felt as if I would explode at any minute. I told hem the guy has already taken his pump test and past with flying colors. I then said any body can run into a burning building and shoot water on a fire it's just not that hard. How ever to save some ones life it takes skill and confidence and for that you need experience.
I then went on to tell them it's crazy that I have a different partner every shift. There is no way to get comfortable or confident in your partners skills if you don't ride together for some time. It puts a ENORMOUS BURDEN on the Paramedic. You have to think and check everything and can depend only on yourself to be sure that thing are done right. This is why we are so burn out .
GOD I WISH JUST ONCE SOME ONE WOULD LESSON TO THE PARAMEDIC!!!!
acourse everyone in the room looked at me like I was some kind of nut or something. They say things like calm down and we can talk about it when your are more rational. I got some rational for them. I would like to just "KICK THERE DUMB ASSES". Oh yea I'm really mad about this. Something has to change I'm just not sure how to do it.
Then I go to the back room were my bunk is and there sets my best friend at work and I tell her all about it. She just let me go on about how mad I am. She agrees with me and now come another mood change. We are watching a reality show about these people who think they are being judge on outer beauty when they are really being judged on their inner beauty. Now I'm very happy and giggling, almost over the top. Then I lay down to get some rest but I can't shut down everything is racing through my head and i feel like I cold explode.
My sister says I'm getting menopausal. I don't know but I need off this roller coaster ride.
I mean I don't ever know if I'm going to take things in stirde or just blow up any more. I think I need a vacation. Sandy beach and a piniacolta in my hand. Dam my vacation is not until May.
Oh well mabe I can just go check in to the nut house. I'm sure I'll fit in just fine!!!!!

2009-01-16T11:46:00.000-08:00

What a shift It was cold and everything that could go wrong did go wrong. It started with GSAR practice. We had to cut up cars in the freezing cold and they gave my team a scenario that could not be solved 41 minuts in to it the instructors says the patient cant be saved and called time on us. I hate screwing up. But all was not bad I did make a 100 on the written test.
Was last night cold or what. It was 21 in Columbus Ga. last night. I should know I was in it all night. Some body thought it would be fun to set car fires. We put out 4 cars and 2 houses. I was 2nd in on a house fire last night I jumped off the truck ran up to the front door were there was a fire fighter waiting for the hose to charge with water. I tapped the fire fighter on the back to let them know I was with them and we could go in. The fire fighter turned around and it was my girl friend Keila. I yelled girl power as we went into the burning house. It was a lot of fun working with another girl on scene. Who says fire fighting is a mans job. We kicked that fires ass. This morning we went out to a man in the river. He was stranded on the rocks all night soaking wet. I could not imagine be wet in that kind of weather. What a shift.

Is it me or am I getting old?

2009-01-14T09:02:00.000-08:00

To day is my birth day. I'm 42. I'M 42!!!!!! Oh my God how did this happen. One day I'm 25 and starting a new career, and today I'm 42 tired and looking for a way to insure my retirement . I SAID..., I'm thinking about my retirement people. I remember thinking, people who think about retirement are old fuddy duddy's. Oh My God "I am an old FUDDY DUDDY"!!!"I looked in the mirror this morning and there was this old Lady looking back at me. Good grief I look bad with out make up. I know this now because my sister told me to put on my Reading glasses and look in the mirror. I had know idea I had so many fine lines. Oh yea I said reading glasses, my old A*$# can't see small print now. What's next menopause? I can't go through that I'll hurt some one. "I'm temperamental anyway". My feet hurt now when I get up in the morning I have to wear soft slippers until my feet warm up and my hips hurt at night I have to sleep with a pillow between my knees. I use to sleep curled up around my husband. I hate this. I see a hot guy and then I realize I'm old enough to be his Mom. I'm 42 today and I don't like it!!!!!
O.K. so now I know I'm getting old and dementia is obviously setting in. My Birthday is tomorrow! That's just sad. Now I have to wake up tomorrow and go through this all over again.

He warmed my cold heart!!!

2009-01-05T14:51:00.001-08:00

He warmed my Cold heart,

I've been in the EMS field for a long time and over the years I've suffered from what is known in the EMS world as "Burn Out". What is Burn Out? Well its a loss off feelings for those around you, You see suffering and you hear cries but you feel nothing, It's caused by a number of things, most common cause is work overload. The Department I work for responded to 32,000 plus EMS calls in the year 2008. That's 32,000 calls with only 9 ambulances. That's 3,555 calls per Ambulance per year. We average 12 to 14 calls per shift. Each call take about one hr. from start to finish if we are lucky. Sometimes there's a one hr wait for a hospital bed, Once we get to the E.R. People go to the hospital for everything from a cold, constipation, or diarrhea to a stumped toe. I just love it when some one tells us they called an ambulance because they don't want to wait for an appointment with there Dr. This is why our E.R.'s are so over whelmed now.This too is a major cause of "Burn Out" So you can imagine how annoying it is when Tones go off and we race down the streets at break neck speeds to reach our destination to find some one not sick or hurt, but "Drunk or upset because they have had a fight with they're significant other".Burn Out is also due to seeing a lot of bad things. After seeing so many die, a medic often becomes numb. This is where I have been for a while now. Tired numb and fed up.
All of that changed when tones came in for us to respond to a burn. The call came in as an ALPHA call meaning minor incidence. No fire truck just my Ambulance responding to " one backed into a space heater burn to the Patients leg. Well I did what I always do when an Alpha call comes in. I fussed all the way to the call,Thinking this was yet another minor encodent that did not need emrgancy responce or Hospital care.Well to my surprise when we pulled up to the house someone met us waveing there hands frantickly and yelling to hurry. I looked at my partner and said there might be something to this. As we entered the house everyone was yelling for us to hurry and do something. Someone explained that a 10 year old little boy backed into a flame burnning space heater and caught his clothes on fire. His Grand Parents had put the fire out and placed the boy in a tub of cool water. I stepped into the bath room to find a naked little boy shivering in a tub. As we picked him up his skin sluthed off. He had1st and 2nd degree burns on the back of both buttocks and both legs down to his ankles. We placed him face down on our stretcher, placing bandages on the wounds and cooling them with steral water. The boy gripped the railes of the stretcher so hard his nuckles were white. I was looking for an I.V. sight when this child looked up at my partner and I and said "I don't want to cry but I think I might". I thought my heart would break, so much emotion welled up in me. It was hard to focus on my job. My partner told the boy don't worry about it, you cry if you want to, and I might cry with you. Grandmother road in with us to the hospital. She was so scared for him and you could see the worry in her eyes. I told her everything was going to be O.K.
I have never seen a child so sweet and hummble. Not once did he show anthing other than strength respect for those around him. As we moved him to the hospital bed, he thanked me for taking care of him. And I heard him tell his GrandMother he was sorry for the accident. I stepped outside after turning care over to the E.R. staff and for the first time in a long time I cried, I felt needed, I felt like a Medic.
I later found out talking with the Grand mother that she was raising the boy and his little sister on her on. With help from her Boyfriend. She also told me that she was fighting a battle with Breast cancer and had to have a breast ectomy. I checked up on them a couple of weeks later The boy was so glad to see me and began to tell me about the physical therapy he was going to. His GrandMother told me he was doing very well and that his therapist bragged on him for doing so well. He was recovering at great speed and did not complain. What an amazzing young boy. It was near Christmas and looking around the home, I could see how hard this family was having it. There was very little under the Christmas tree, But there was so much love in the room it felt contaguess.
I whent back to the Fire station and told the crew I work with about the boy and his family. We agreed to adopt this family for Christmas. We raised enough money to buy two new bikes for the boy and his sister and some other gifts. We cooked Christmas dinner and suprised the boy at his house on Christmas day. He was so happy and so excited about the bike he picked it up and toted it back to the house so the wheels would not get dirty. This was by far the most wonderful Chritmas ever. This young boy warmed my cold heart. His Name is Aaron.

Death

2008-12-30T11:56:00.000-08:00

You know, it's funny how death can effect some people. I have seen some fall apart at the news of a loved ones death,while others seem to have no reaction at all.
I remember once my partner and I told a family that their loved one was dead.They came unglued. they started to yell at us, YOU BETTER DO SOMETHING , then they turned on us. They stared to yell they were going to kill us if we didn't save their Aunt. Well we did the only thing we could at the time.Closed the door locked it and called for police backup. We had people banging on the door, people in the front yard passing out, folks fighting, and we were stuck in a bed room with a dead lady. Oh yea there's just nothing like working a D.O.A. 2 people went to jail, 3 went to the hospital, and we went to the morgue with the dead lady.
Another time we responded to a shooting. We arrived on scene before P.D. we saw the victim on the ground with no one else around.,Sooo we got out walked over to the guy and saw that he had a huge hole in his chest. So large in fact you could see grass through the hole. Well it was obvious we could do nothing for him.All the sudden there was a shot gun pointed at our noses and a voice thundering down on us saying, "if he don't make it you don't make it ". My partner looks up with out hesitation and says, Oh he's gonna be just fine,don't you worry about that. We'll take good care of him.I say i'll be right back with the stretcher. Needless to say we were not breaking the news to this guy. What he don't know want hurt him.
We have to see humor in these calls or we couldn't do the job. I think God give me a good sense of humor because I'm always seeing the funny side to everything.

Sue Happy People

2008-12-23T09:20:00.000-08:00

this is how I see the world today, from a Paramedic point of view.What is up with people today. They want to sue for everything under the sun. Like Suing for car wrecks. when I arrive on the scene of a car wreck now all I see is chicken soup. Nothing but necks and backs.
God forbid you go to the store and slip down and fall. the store manager is so scared of law suit that he calls for an ambulance,fire truck and police. What ever happened to just give me a hand up. Are people not embarrassed anymore to be seen on the floor. Good Grief get a life.
O.k. you have no job and this is your fourth child. There are three cars parked out front. But you need a ride to the hospital by ambulance. Is this the only way you can get attention. No problem I don't mind paying higher taxes because you KNOW YOU"RE RIGHTS. Please you make me want to barf.
You think you have a headache. You should have to ride a meat wagon. Picking up one Lizard after another.NOW THAT'S A HEADACHE.
What's a Lizard, 1)A lizard is someone who calls for a ambulance because they think they might throw up. 2) A lizard is someone who got a bee sting and called an ambulance because they heard some one died once.do they have a allergy to bees Hell no. 3)A lizard is someone who call for an ambulance because they took 3 aspirin then read on the bottle (take 2 every four hrs.) and now they think they have overdosed. I wish. 4)A lizard is someone who thinks they're about to get their ass kicked so they fall out and fake a seizure. Can anyone say looser.
So when do I get to use my skills as a medic for something worth while. Not nearly enough.
And can i tell these people (lizards to get a life!) OH NO THEY MIGHT SUE ME.

For those who dont know me

2008-12-17T11:19:00.000-08:00

O.K so for those who don't know I'm a Paramedic in Columbus Ga,.
Iwas talking to someone about my job the other day. It still amazes me how people think i'm a Hero! Oh my god if you only knew. It is very rare that I save someones life or do any heroic acts. All though there are times when we make a deference in someones life. For the most part though we just give very expensive taxie rides to the E.R. for something that bares no form of EMERGANCE at all.
Like the other day we responed to a "over dose call", or so we thought. When we got to the house in question, we find that no one has overdosed on anything. the lady that called answered th door and said, "you got to get hem out my house" I said get who, out of your house. She says "my boy". Looking around I see no boy but two grown men sitting on the chouch playing vedio games. I ask the lady are you talking about one of those men? She say's" yes ,they got to go!" I then ask her did you tell the 911 operator that someone had over dosed? The lady looks at me like I'm crazzy and says " I told her that my boy is taken drugs and wont get off my couch". I called despatch and explaned the call to them and asked for a police unit. The Old lady said "I don't want the Police out here.They want do nothing!. I said well mam what exactly would you like me to do? She said" well don't yall take folks to the funny farm? that's were he needs to go cause he crazy!"My response to this was No Mam but I think I need to go to the funny farm myself , I have to be crazy to do this for a living. OOOh yea I was a real hero that day!!!!