[ORIGINAL] Parrot Sings Let the Bodies Hit the Floor

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EMS Family

A little video of my extended family!

Crazy things happen to me!

I apologize for the language....but there was A SNAKE IN MY KITCHEN!!! Oh...and a question...do bullets richocet off ceramic tile? Here is how it started. I went into my laundry room to get a jacket...when i slipped it on my arm....this guy fell out the arm hole. Then the mayhem ensued... I tried to hit it with a sledge hammer. I tried to sweep it out the door. I tried to let it crawl into a urinal...don't ask why I have one of those. It didn't work..so I called Kevin. He laughed at me...LAUGHED! I could not kill it with the shovel....ya know they wiggle when ya touch them...and that really creeps me out! So this is what Penelope and I did! Only me!

Last box on planet!

Breaking NEWS!! SELF CPR does not work!! Whoda Thunkit?? However PRECORDIAL THUMP (the ultimate Paramedic Ninja Skill) is still APPROVED!

Self CPR is a coughing procedure that has been widely publicized on the Internet since 1999 and was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1976. Since it is widely publicized, it needs to be mentioned by well-known CPR authorities - see the American Heart Association's stance and the American Red Cross's stance on this topic. Both of them acknowledge that self CPR is possible, but limited to clinical situations.

The thought is that forceful coughing puts pressure on the heart, forcing it to pump blood. This may work for a few seconds while an abnormal heart rhythm passes, but only on a conscious, responsive person in specific situations. This topic is not taught in CPR classes for the simple reason that CPR intervention is based on a victim's unresponsiveness and coughing CPR would just be additional data to remember with virtually no application in the field.
This may change as more is learned over the years, but for now the best thing a person can do when he begins to experience cardiac arrest or heart attack is to call 9-1-1. If there are any people around, get their attention so they know you need help too.


On a serious note....well sort of serious PRECORDIAL THUMP is still recommended by the American Heart Association for Witnessed Monomorphic Ventricular Tachycardia when there is not a defibrillator immediately available (keep in mind it may take forever...like a whole 15 seconds to charge!)

What does this mean??? Go out there and practice your ninja skills!!!!

Doing the Right Thing....

You have heard the saying before....you should "Do the Right Thing", but how do we know what the right thing is? Over the last few weeks the public service profession has had to endure many tragedies. We have faced them as a united front-standing shoulder to shoulder supporting each other. We all know that we each handle these things differently. Some mourn publicly, some privately, and each in our own special way. We have all done the right thing. No one person can point out what the right thing is, but we do know how it makes us feel. That sense of a centered self. The calmness in your spirit. The relaxation of the mind. In short, it makes ya feel good.

You will always know when ya do the right thing....you can feel it in you soul and all those we have lost smile down on us.

Doodles

Pieces of Me

I think that as we travel through the journey of life, people come along and leave their mark on us. As we age and grow we collect these marks and they come together to make us a whole person. Over the last couple of days I have done some thinking about those who have left a mark on me- On all those people that have made me whole. So I will start from the beginning...

Mom- My mom taught me determination. If I want it, I had better get off my ass and go get it. Everyone always asks me, "How do you do all that you do?" It's because my Mom instilled in me the toughness to get through whatever is thrown my way.

Dad- My dad taught me that sometimes its fine to just shake your head and say Ok. When I was a little girl (not so long ago) I brought home every stray cat, dog, pig, bird, squirrel, raccoon, and armadillo. I told my daddy that some horrible circumstance had befallen the poor misfortunate animal and that I absolutely must take care of it. He would always shake his head and say "Okay, Boo Boo". Sometimes that is necessary. What I learned as a consequence to all my animal rescue missions is that it is a good thing to show caring and compassion to everyone. Not just the people you like, but also to the raccoon that is trying to take you fingers off while you bandage its wounds. Sometimes people fight kicking and screaming until they realize I am there to help, not hurt.

More to come later on the people who made me- Me!

Fun-Ness Is an Important part of Becoming the Best!

Occasionally there comes a time in everyone life that they must consider the possibility that a little fun may come into play. There is a league of people that believe that fun has no business in education and we should always look professional, act professional, personify professionalness (is that a word??). I do not subscribe to this belief. I want to make it clear that I am committed to the education of each of my duckies...er...uh students and that I will see them all succeed even if I have to drag there ass to class. I will pile up in my PJ's on your couch and help you study for your National Registry exam. I will answer every last question that a ducky may pose-even if I already explained it 25 times. I will bug the (explicative) out of you until you sign up for your test. I will push you to your limits. I may actually make you cry and not feel the least bit bad about it. I may make you mad. I may make you not like me. But, that's ok. I will make you the best. I will ensure that you will not have to worry about being a duck after you finish the class. No calm on top and ducky legs racing under the water. You won't need that. You will be confident and you will be prepared. I will teach you things that you technically don't need to know like- how to figure out your own axis within 10 degrees without looking at numbers on your 12 lead print out and EVEN how to find Z Axis! I will teach you this so that you will know why, and how, and what will happen if you do this, and how will this affect that, and other cool tips and tricks. I will also teach you that it is important to have fun. This is just as important as immune response and permissive hypotension and all the other technical junk. Fun comes in many forms, but mostly it is the fellowship that we get with each other. It is ALS relays....bet ya never thought you could make a race out of intubations and IO's. It is silly string and water balloons. It is a game of Shock vs. Not Shock!! It is duckies letting their stress wash away into the laughter of class mates. Yes I do know that Paramedic class is stressful, and hard, and long, and sucks sometimes. I know and all the other paramedics know because we have been where you are. We also know something else...IT'S WORTH IT! So, to all my duckies- Hang in There!! You will make it! It is my promise to you! Until then...relish the fun times!!

Teambuilding for the Basics!!!

Up close and personal Cardio/Pneumo Pig Lab with Intermediates!!

LIT Paramedic Class First Megacode!!

Spring 2011 NEMSA Paramedic Class

Fall 2010 NEMSA Paramedic Class

You just gotta love her...

Doing inventory for class is always fun when Loni helps!!

Heaven Needed a Hero

Jason Parker died last night. Think. Repeat. Nope still doesn't work. Still doesn't make sense. The only thing I can figure is that Heaven needed a Hero. Though I only met him about a year ago he definitely made an impression on me. Never has someone tried so hard to conceal their absolute enthusiasm for healing nature of our calling as much as him. Even though he tried to hide it he could never quite get that crooked grin off his face and you just knew he loved it. You don't see that fire burning in everyone ya know!

Last week he told me that he finally loved his job again because he felt like he made a difference in people lives. He loved the feeling- the feeling that we all know- the feeling when we do make a difference.

When you look back on our history in EMS you remember the great ones. The ones that trained us, helped us, yelled at us, cried with us, and celebrated when we earned our stripes. Then we look towards the future....towards what Jason represented.

It is my goal as a paramedic, instructor, mentor, and friend to light the fire in others that burns in me. I want to replace myself and the others with a future generation of medics that can carry on the tradition of family, unity, love, and support that we have established here in our little corner of the woods.

Jason Parker was the future star. He had that spark going that would turn into a brilliant blaze to light up his future and all it held for him.

Now though, things have changed.

I would give anything if I could walk in my office and find him sitting in my chair with a stack of ECG's and 12 Leads to interpret or to go over a call with him. But I know that is not going to happen. Things change, things don't go our way, sometimes we understand it, often times we don't. But we accept things because we have to. We say that there must have been a reason for it. Here is my justification...

Heaven needed a Hero.

Journey to Joplin

It seems every week we hear of another tornado, another flood, another tragedy that we are almost immune to the emotion these disasters bring. It is important that we don't lose our humanity and caring when traveling the hard roads that our career brings.

This past week medics from all over southeast Texas gathered supplies, clothing, and other needed neccesities to bring to the Tornado savaged victims in Joplin, Mo. The donations were tremendous and just kept coming. The outpouring of love and selflessness warmed our hearts. We packaged more than 400 boxes to be transported in a 26 foot truck to Joplin. Scott Tomlin , myself, Cohen Hudson, Jesse Crocker, Monica Wright, and Kacey Sammons traveled to the stricken city. We began our journey with a light-hearted road trip kind of outlook. Once we arrived in Joplin and met the people that live there our hearts felt the pain these people are going through. Many times we can look at disasters through distant eyes, but sometimes you can view it from your soul. All of us have a greater appreciation for the little things in life and hope that you do to.

Adorkable Penelope

Grown up?

Are we ever grown ups?  Do you remember being a child and thinking your parents were grown up?  Do you reach a certain age and then you are a grown up?  I guess I should outline my problem....I am not sure I am grown up yet?  I am 34 years old.  I am married.  I have 3 daughters.  I have a good job.  Does any of this make me grown up.  I don't feel grown up...I don't feel finished.  I still have goals.  I am back in school working on two bachelor's degrees.  After I finish those, I will be moving on to a Master's Degree.  These goals of mine may take a long time to finish.  I think this makes me unfinished.  I may not grow up until I am over 40.  Oh Gosh- 40 seriously...that's only 6 years away...well really 5 years and 4 months. 


Small heart attack just occurred.  I was just wondering does anyone else feel like that haven't grown up yet?  When I was a child I pictured my parents as grown up...now that I am that age I still have questions.  I am still figuring out how to navigate through life.  How to make the best decisions for my children, my family, and myself.  I am not sure I want to be grown up....I am pretty happy in my current state.  My current state is still a transformation that is taking place, I guess you could say I am evolving.  Who know what I will be when I grow up.  I plan on moving up and on to better places.  I want to make my mark in this world and leave a lasting impression on all the people I know.

Live Like You Were Living....Not Like You Were Dying.

This morning on my way to work I passed an accident.  A car and an SUV with severe damage.  I thought ...that one looks bad.  EMS, Fire, and PD were already there.  I kept going and grabbed a CD I burned a couple of years ago.  It just said Christie's music.  I skipped the first 12 songs...old stuff....wasn't really interested in Black Eyed Peas...then I came to "Live like you were dying" by Tim McGraw.  As soon as the song started playing I got a text from the TV station, that said "Two killed in collision on Hwy 62".  Odd coincidence...made me feel wierd, and made me think. 

The theme of the song is a guy finds out he is going to die so he goes out and lives like he was dying.  He skydives, rides a bull, and climbs a mountain.  He pays more attention to his family and friends.  So here are my thoughts.  I want to live like I am living....not so much like I'm dying.  I think of dying as a sudden event or wasting away in a hospital bed in the back room of house.  If we all lived like we were living all things would go better.  If you made sure everyday that you told everyone you loved them.  That you truly were the wife/husband you should be.  That you were truly there for your children.  That you still talked to your parents and told them that you love them.  That you still told your brothers and sisters that you love them.  That you give all that you are into everyday that goes by....Then you Live like you were living!!!

Five Stages of Grief

A new leaf....or My road to prison!

Amidst all the New Year's Resolutions I try to dodge the inevitable question of what is your resolution.  I refuse to make resolutions...I try to be "good" all year long.  I pride myself on making good decisions and traveling through life without many bumps in the road.  This has worked for me very well over the years.  However this year I made a resolution. I am going to quit smoking.  Yes, I will...I am committed-there is no turning back. 


I started smoking when I was 16 years old...because of a boy on a skateboard! 

I remember my first cigarette.  My mom had gone to town for groceries and I stole one of her cigarettes. Now, I had "smoked" before with this boy.  One thing I did not know was the difference between inhaling and faking it.  I was about to find out.  So, as I sat there on our front porch smoking my cigarette and not realizing I was doing it wrong- in the distance what do I hear....oh its a car coming down the road.  Now my mom was not due home for quite some time so I should have been safe.  But NOOOOO...it was Mom.  You know the moment that you realize things have gone horribly awry and you suck in your breath really deep in your lungs....yeah that moment.  Well I did that...I think of it now as a Power Inhale!  I threw down the cigarette and hopped up to my feet.  About this time half of my world became darker and swirly.  I had to make it to my bedroom before she got to me.  It was only about 10 feet between me and the door but by the time I could reach it all I could see through my dimming vision was the bottom half of the door.  For those of you who don't smoke- the first time you inhale will damn near make you pass out.  

Back to the story- I turned the knob as my mom says Oh..honey did you fall.  I manage an answer- No just tripped and beat feet to my room.  That was my first time.  After that experience I am not sure why I kept smoking....probably something to do with looking cool.  That was 20 years ago.  Wow-what a long time.  To say that I have been smoking for 20 years scares me.  Soon I will be able to say I quit smoking after 20 years!  That will be awesome.  My kids will be proud of me too.  They know the dangers of smoking and never fail to let me know.  This is one resolution I plan on keeping.  Now some warnings.  I would avoid me...say for the next two weeks.  I may be in a less than pleasant mood.   The Nicotine monster will be affecting my behavior as well and not so for much for the benefit of your health!!  I wish you all luck in this little game of Survivor Christie! 

With that being said, soon all of you will see a new me....or you will all have to come and visit me in prison because the Nicotine Monster made me kill some one.  I really don't think I would do well in prison.



Alter Ego on the Loose!

Voodoo Who