Where there's smoke...

A busy tour. Shootings, emerg calls and finally a structural fire. It was the first fire I was dispatched to and it was in the town I'm working in. The masonic lodge went up in flame and I stood there watching the volunteer fire fighters battle the blaze while getting paid overtime (yesterday was busy). Interesting potentially only to myself is that I awoke at 02:45 and knew something was going to happen. I got up, put my hair in a bun and waited. At about 03:10 the air raid siren went off; the signal that there is a fire or natural disaster. I don't worry about it until I hear my tones go off because many a grass fire need fire fighters to take care of business at this time of the year. When my tones went off... I wasn't overly surprised but I was, in a way. When I saw the blaze the necessary "Holy smokes" came out of my mouth with genuine wowness. It was engulfed and going down.

I'm actually quite happy that I made an additional $500 during this pay period because of the OT I put in. Makes me think this will work out after all.

Then, to top it off, I arrived back home to my waggy tailed friend greeting me.

It feels like life is actually good.

The smell of freshly mown grass and rain

Driving back from my first tour on the new ambulance service was delightful. 2 hours and 45 minutes instead of the 11 hour drive. It felt like it went by in a flash. Along the way I was met with rain, black fields ready to receive the rain to get their crop germination under way and freshly mown grass. It was actually relaxing and delightful to drive through the gentle hills. This tour was a breeze. I had 2 patients, one stint in an area that needed coverage and plenty of down time. I watched movies and read. I was also beginning to organise my notes to study. I've an entrance exam in a couple of months for a paramedic program that will begin in January 2013. I'm starting to try to familiarise myself with the drugs in the paramedic scope and furthering my knowledge of ECGs. I'm grateful that I was selected for this ambulance service. I will grow more comfortable with my skills, learn how to run a call and hopefully pick up confidence before I begin the medic program. It's going to be a long 2 years of focus and I think that working in a place like this will give me the time to study as it's not super busy but I will glean the steady experience of 1 call a day. Genuinely grateful for the rain, peace and hope for the future. Who would have thought I'd get to this point. It's been such a painful past few years.

Last FT tour

A busy tour it was. I got 44 hours of overtime in 2 weeks. I flew here, I flew there... An interesting case was a post code. The 48 yo f had been partying (alcohol and pot) when she clutched her chest, collapsed, a friend drunkenly attempted cpr, ems arrived, delivered 2 shocks, epi and bamo she recovered a heartbeat. Right. So I discovered this tour that not all heart rhythms are equal... which I already knew. When my paramedic partner and I were in the hospital, we saw that they undersedated her. This means that she was paralysed, potentally screaming in her brain (unlikely in this case) and posturing. If you know what posturing is all about, you know her brain was saying - WTF is this???? I am DONE. So, we transported broccoli from one city to another. I found out the next week that she was only seizing when they let the meds wear off. Don't do drugs kids... (as I sip a coke zero and coconut vodka bevvie). Start the next gig on Friday. Tired. Think I may go to cuba or greece for a holiday sometime this year. I turned 40 and haven't had a vacation in 6 years... it's time...