New Year, new goals!

Okay, so I'm not so great at blogging. Sue me. Actually, this is America, you probably could for some sort of emotional damage or something. So don't.

Anyway, with the new year, I decided to make a goal to blog a bit more. Especially since people seem to think the EMT job is kinda cool.

That being said, I should update you (the generic you, seeing as I don't know if anybody will read this) on some of the more interesting things as of late.

• I had my first C0R 0 with this partner, recently. For those who don't speak ambulance, C0R 0 means dead person. The call went as well as it could have for the first C0R for us. The chest was compressed, meds were given, King tube dropped (not by me, unfortunately, our Engineer did the honors) but he was *asystolic on arrival and throughout the entire scene.

Sure, there are things I'd have changed, but I'm a perfectionist and I will always find something to do better or do different, and the day that I stop finding those things to change, is the day I need a different career.

• I had my first Chopper Go. We were toned to a single car accident, car in the ditch, driver bleeding profusely.

The scene was only a few miles from our station, so we got there in no time.
Lights were flashing all down the road; strobes giving the impression of a rave gone bad. Really bad.
People were moving everywhere, Fire, police, us. I took a calming breath then jumped out.
"Dibe!" My partner called my name, over the chaotic noise.
"What do you want?" I respond, as I pull the back open.
"Red and heat" He refers to our red bag, the trauma bag, and the heat cranked in the back to help potential shock.

Chopper go!

Alright...
I leave our bed, chopper's coming in, right? Who needs the bed...
I traverse down the ditch 50 lbs red bag in hand, c-spine stuff balanced precariously amid the metal and blood in this field. The damage to the car is significant. Front end, driver side. There's glass everywhere, wood splinters in all directions. The driver side door is impaled by a 2X4 and our patient, the driver, is altered, slipping in and out of consciousness.

"Rapid extrication"
"Who's the ground contact!"
"Dibe, BVM"

Back up the ditch
Back down the ditch

"I got c-spine"
"Dibe, more trauma dressings!"

Back up the ditch
Back down

"How far out is the chopper!"
Chopper is 14 out The radio spits out.

"Too long, let's go. Get the bed"

Back up.

"Dibe, code 3!" My partner shouts as 2 fire fighters climb in the back of the ambulance
I fight the urge to laugh, imagining what others will think as they see 4 people squeeze onto a trauma twinkie.**
"yeah, yeah. I know, hold tight guys, it's a tight turn"

I speak of the radio, informing dispatch where we're taking the patient. Unfortunately, I forget to slow down, knowing only my partner can understand my super-skill of auctioneer talking.
"Where are you going" I'm asked again
"Emergent, 2 fire riders, Community!" I say, slower this time.
"calm down, slow down."
I grumble, cursing my super-skill once again.
"Sorry, we are going to community, with two fire riders, clearly, we're emergent" I say at what feels like snails pace.
"Copy"
We get there and transfer care, and clean up begins. There's blood everywhere. The seats, the floor, the ceiling. Clean up takes 25 minutes. restock takes 15.

Later we find out that our patient was already in neurosurgery, she had 2 bleeds.

The next week we learn that once inside, the surgeons found wood fragments inside her skull. And they say no deficits expected. What a lucky gal.

•  I broke my partner's head. 3 stitches. whoops!

• The Injury:

I went to Utah on vacation with my brother and in a dance off of epic proportions, I tore my L knee's ACL. That's right. Busted it right up. So the whole list there, was done while being broken! Lucky me!

Surgery is the 18th, and then it will be back to training for CPAT!

Goals:

1. Get off the crutches. Date accomplished:
2. Walk around the block. Date accomplished:
3. Walk a mile Date accomplished:
4. Walk 3 miles. Date accomplished:
5. Run around the block. Date accomplished:
6. Run a mile Date accomplished:
7. Run 3 miles. Date accomplished:
8. Pass the Physical Agility Test. Date accomplished:
9. Go back to work!!! Date Cleared for duty:

•                                   First day back: