Thursday, December 30, 2010

A little Private Time!!

I know, I know- I told you guys I would write everyday, and really I have tried.  The thing or actually three things that stand in my way are named Penelope, Emberlee and Atalyn!  I go to work and come home...before I get past the kitchen I hear MOMMIE MOMMIE MOMMIE MOMMIE!! There are three children clinging to three of my four appendages. The weight of the work day is gone, but replaced by approximately 150 lbs of kids. They all want something too.  Penelope wants to go to her boyfriend's (OMG), Emberlee wants to paint something (anything), Atalyn want me to hold her.   Suddenly, I have to switch roles from...Education Coordinator to MOMMIE MOMMIE MOMMIE MOMMIE...sometimes its hard. 


When I get home I just wanna sit for a minute...enjoy some chill time.  Through the wiggly path of parenthood- I am no longer allowed this small luxury.  Don't misunderstand me- I love my three little girls with everything and all of me, but MOMMIE's needs some down time.

The MOMMIE ATTACK continues throughout the evening- even Eros and Madison (my German Shepherd and St. Bernard) get into the act.  I sit in my comfy recliner for a few...then maybe I have to go to the bathroom...so this is what happens.  I arise out of the recliner...leaving my snuggie behind.  First all is well as I make my way down the hallway. That's when I hear it...click click click...big doggie paws coming down the hall...they peak in the bathroom door like its a dimension to another world...for the dogs its the 7th level of Hell- also known as the DOGGIE BATH TUB!  They don't break the threshhold of the bathroom door, but the do just stand there and STARE....makes things difficult sometimes. 



Then comes the MOMMIE, MOMMIE, MOMMIE...the two little ones have now joined me.  Really?!? can't a girl get a little alone time...I have now amassed a crowd...2 dogs, 2 kids!  GRRR! 

Now, say I wanna take a bath..a hot, relaxing, quiet bath- where I can read my book..Currently Under the Dome- Steven King.  I go in- run my bath water...I think I have made a clean break...water is nice and hot...Im ready to get in.  Then here it comes...MOMMIE!  They don't want anything, they just wanna sit in there and tell me random stuff about random stuff.  Atty Mae wants to get in....so I let her...now Im reduced to a Barbie swim party for a bath.  Not exactly what I had in mind, but oh well.  If she wasn't so dang cute...I might have told her No.  In the midst of our Barbie Party she announces I gotta Poo Poo....Now nothing can really clear out a bathtub like that statement!


I know what your going to say...shut the door- in fact lock the door!  I have tried this.  The result- children on the other side of the door talking to me with their little mouths at the bottom of the door.  With every other sentence, "When ya gonna get out?"  I ignore them...then they start whispering...then it's fingers under the door.  HI MOM!  Can you see me, MOM?  MOM?  MOM! MOM!  AHHHHHHHHHH  WHAT!!  Oh, just making sure you didn't drown.  I know CPR MOM!  You taught me in class!  MOM?  MOM!  I'M ALIVE!! GO AWAY!!



So, whats the point of all this-I am going to revise my previous statement of writing everyday....I will make it at least once a week.  The only way I got away with writing this much is by putting Blue's Clues on the TV and giving them a bag of chips to eat.  I think I'm pretty much done with this sooooo I'm off to play MOMMIE MOMMIE MOMMIE MOMMIE!! I would not have it any other way!  They are my life, my light, my thin grip on sanity!

Only way to keep em quiet...feed em!!

How to Make it Thru Life ALIVE in 2011!



2011 is here!!  At this time of the year, we are all supposed to think of how we are supposed to change our lives for the better.  You know- lose weight, eat healthy, quit smoking.  Yes, I plan on doing all three of those and suckering as many people as I can to do it with me!  I do think there are more important things that are the keys to a happy life!  There are 5 things that need to happen everyday of your life!  These things will make all the difference.  You don't really have to do anything to accomplish them.  They are small thoughts that you have to acknowledge and tune up every single day the planet rotates around the sun. 


1.  KNOW THAT ALL PEOPLE MATTER!  Every last one of them.  In our line of work, we tend to only pay attention to either the really sick or the really funny patients.  Some of our colleagues view all the other patients as annoyance to the "woo woo" lifestyle.  Every last person we come into contact with has the power to change our lives.  Sometimes through a simple statement, sometimes through their rugged silence- they should all have some impact on our way of thinking.  Our treatment of others defines us as a person.  If we ignore, mistreat, or villify a person it leads others to believe that we are cruel, hateful, and rude. On the other hand, when people see us treating people with compassion, kindness, and with a smile on our faces it inspires them to continue the kind acts.

2. FIND YOUR SPIRITUAL SPOT.  It really doesn't matter what religion you are or what beliefs you have.  You must be able to find your inner zen- so to speak.  Sometimes this is found in a church, with a trusted friend, or working out at the gym.  Each of us must be able to identify, process, and overcome the obstacles placed before us in our line of work.  Without this simple stress relieving process, we become the cynical burned out medic we all talk about.  Whether you are at the beginning of your career or you are a dinosaur of EMS...you must find your spiritual spot.  A place where you can know that in the end everything will be alright!


3. CHARITY IS IMPORTANT!  Now that you know people are important and it's a good thing to alleviate stress, let me tell ya about charity. In modern usage, the practice of charity means the giving of help to those in need who are not related to the giver.  Here is the thing about Charity.  It makes you feel good.  It makes stress go away.  It shows you are compassionate about your fellow man.  All of us are able to contribute in some way.  Many of you have recently participated in charity events for someone who is close to all of us.  Mostly charity reaffirms the fact that we are all a family.  We are truly in it for the long haul together.  Most of us would neglect ourselves if someone genuinely needed our help.  Charity doesn't have to involve money- it is whatever is needed at the time the need arises.  Remember to be their for your family, friends, and the needy.

4. FAMILY IS IMPORTANT!  I know this one kind of goes without saying, but sometimes with our hectic lives we tend to forget.  Family is who we must be most transparent with.  We cannot hold back, we cannot hide, we cannot lie.  It is as simple as that!  We get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life- we begin to forget to talk to those who mean the most to us.  We should set aside time each day to make the point of speaking and LISTENING to our husbands, wives, children, moms, and dads.  Don't take these moments for granted, we all know they can be taken from us in the blink of an eye.


5. YOUR WORK IS IMPORTANT!  Aside from our family, the majority of our time is spent at work.  If you are not happy at work, it affects your entire life.  Too many times I hear or read on facebook about how miserable people are at work.  Yes, I know a lot of it is venting, but it's the same people people over and over.  I want them to find their love for this job again.  What makes them miserable?  I think it is probably that they have lost sight of why they do the job in the first place.  Maybe if they remember 1. All people matter, 2. Spirtuality is important, 3. Charity makes ya feel good, and 4 Family is important they would have better coping skills at work.  Happy home life = Happy work life.  You chose what you do for a reason.  Dig deep find your reason and if it still lights that spark in you...then continue on with your work.  If not- maybe you need to find work that is important to you!

Well, there ya have it.  My secret to a successful life.  No, I am not saying my life is always perfect...or even close to it.  One thing I do know is that when I consciously make an effort to accomplish all of these above my life seems to be easier.  Things just roll along- no big deal.  Thats the way I like it...no sudden turns.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

What it feels like...when a student becomes a colleague!

I know they get nervous, and anxious, and probably a case of the bubble guts-as seen below:

But what they don't know is that I do too!  I want them all to pass so badly.  To begin the journey that I started so many years ago.  I was just shy of my 19th birthday (and we won't discuss my current age) when I started...I basically grew up in EMS.  I am so proud of my little ducklings.  I don't remember when I started referring to them as my little ducklings...but it sort of fits.  They follow me around for months then I push em out into the world.  They appear calm- but we all know their little duck legs are paddling like mad underneath the water to learn all they can, to keep up, to find their way.



They come to the first day of class---well completely clueless. Then they begin to learn!!  In such a short amount of time they learn a lifetime of skills!  Even if they took the class for fun, or for fire, or on a dare- I know that they will use what they have learned for good and for their whole lives!!  Even if it is criticizing the writers of all those EMS/Hospital dramas on TV.  Welcome to your new world little duckies!! Have a BLAST!!

BTW- Here is what I look like when they pass!!

Releasing Super Heros into the Wild World of EMS!

Last week I completed teaching my eighth EMT Basic class.  This week many of them are testing for National Registry and a couple have already passed.  Several of my students from previous classes are completing their Paramedic class and soon will be testing.  I am beyond elation that these folks are beginning their entry into the wild world of EMS.  However, it made me think about a few things. 

Sending out new Basics in to the world is like releasing baby Super Heros into the wild. 
They are entering a world where sometimes the logic is a little skewed.  They will encounter situations I could never create in the classroom environment.  They view themselves as heroes and haven't quite grasped the concept of humility and humbleness.  While I think it is an awesome thing they have accomplished, I do wonder how I can better prepare them for what they may face.  How do I take the "Super Hero" concept and not tarnish it, but make them realize that this job is one of the most difficult and life consuming jobs.  I imagine this is what they envision as soon as their certification shows up on the computer.


What I want them to know is that they will experience things most other people will never have the opportunity to.  Some of these will be awesome and some of them will be tragic.  I want them to maintain their sense of wonderment at the thought of this job.  I know that some of them will go on to be great- You know- like the old timer medics we talk about with such reverence.  Many things will happen to them along this crazy messed up path we walk.  They will have the high moments of -" Yeah, I saved that guy!" or "If I hadn't been there he would have been talking to Jesus."  They will have their low moments of doing compressions on a chest that barely accommodates two fingers, of explaining to husband that his wife of 50 years is gone, of holding the sobbing mother after another teenage drunk driving incident.  I try to prepare them for these situations,  I have them close their eyes and think of what they would do in that situation.  I know that will never be enough.  On the first day of class I ask all of them- Why are you here?  Nearly all of them say "I like/want to help people."  A few are a little more honest and say "I wanna drive fast and run red lights".  I know that many of them have the hero concept built into their heads. Pumped up by media and portrayed in interesting albeit mostly inaccurate probabilites- these students are excited about the class.  I don't want them to lose that- I just want them to realize we deal with real life.  Real life is raw, it hurts, it elates, it stabs, it steals happiness, it provides hope. 


Some time in the future I hope all my students look back and see how far they have come.  Most of them are very young and lack the life experience to accurately judge how beautifully cruel life can be at times.  For those that choose to remain in EMS, there will come a point of realization.  For some it won't take long and for others it will take a lifetime, but they will know that heros are for movies. They will take their Super Hero cape and put it away.
From that point on they will realize, that it's just a job.  A job that counts.  A job that is important.  A job that makes a difference.  A job that gives us fulfillment.  A job that dishes out disappointment.  What I want from them and you at this stage in their career is to pay it forward.  We must always look to the future.  We know we cannot last forever.  We must pave the way for future EMS generations to go forth and SAVE!!  Yeah I know- still get a little excited sometimes!!  Seriously though- We have been tasked with continuing on the way of EMS.  For those of you who take the time to show the "new guy" a few tips and tricks, Thanks!  Sincerely, I thank you for taking the time to invest in the future.  Too often I hear people talking about all the "rookies" or "newbies"- If you are one of these people who will take the time to point out what they are doing wrong instead of taking the time to show them the right way- maybe its time to find a new line of work.  We should all remember where we came from.  We all made mistakes, and learned from them.  We should all take the time and make it a priority to pass on our experiences and our mistakes.  For every student that comes out of my class, I hope that someone will take them and continue the process I have started. 


So, Good Luck my little super duckies... I wish you well.  There will be tough times. There will be great times. Don't lose the greater vision.  Find yourself a mentor.  And when you have served your time don't forget to pass it on.

Monday, December 20, 2010

New to This...

Hello Everybody!!
I am thrilled you decided to check this out.  I will be trying my hand at blogging.  Now all of you can get insight into Christie.  Yes, I know for some of you this could be quite a terrifying potential experience.  However, for some- I believe you might find it interesting.  I promise to make every attempt to post all of my oddball thoughts that ramble through my head on a daily basis.  You will read things regarding my children, my husband (sorry honey), my job(s), my students, my experience as a student, etc.  Feel free to comment and let me know what ya think.  If you want to know my thoughts on any given subject, just ask.  That just about sums it up.  Now to get started on my "real" first post.  I will let you guys pick the subject....so send them in!!!  NOW!!