Friday, July 29, 2011

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!

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

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

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Friday, July 22, 2011

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.