Done...Sort of

The time has come to pass where all my time and energy spent over the last 18 months in school. I am finished with all my training, allegedly I know all that can be taught. Allegedly. I talked with my instructors today and they are sending my completion verification to the National Registry of EMT's so I can take my big test. I have a tentative test date of 15 February. Now that is really going to happen I see what the others before me freaked out about. Hopefully it won't be too bad. You get 6 chances to take it. You have to get 70% overall and 70% in each category to pass. So if I get a 89% overall but get a 69% in pharmacology I still fail. Nice huh. A coworker of mine went last month to take his 6th and final attempt, he missed it by like 4 questions. So he will not be a paramedic. If he still wants to do it, he has to take the entire course over again. I think I would find another line of work. He seems to be doing ok about it though. So here comes the final push up the hill so to speak. I also have to take a physical skills test, but I'm not sweating that one too much, you can't over interpret a skill. So wish me luck, I hope I don't need too much of it to get it done. So far out of my class 4 people have gone to take it, 3 passed on the first try. That is almost unheard of. That gives me hope. The guy that failed it missed it by one question. So I have hope.

That's not good....

Saturday was another work day for me. Started of like any other, last shift's crew had been busy with 15 calls between midnight and 8 am. So, we're fixin to go out and check the truck for the day, when a call comes in for a man with weakness. Turns out this guy is bleeding to death out his butthole. Commonly refered to as a GI bleeder. Has a very distinct smell. So we get this almost dead looking guy on the cot (stretcher) and start to take him downstairs. As were close in on the landing I felt the most GAWDAWFUL sensation. A tearing bruning feeling goes shooting down the right side of my back. Not good. We get him to the hospital and I am placed out of service and admitted to the ER. X-rays didn't really show anything so I get a shot of Tordol in my butt. Now I am not a big fan of shots, or needles, but Tordol works. Long story short I got sent home, and I had to be cleared to return to work. Every EMS person wonders when the day will come that will permenantly retire them from service. Normally it's a back injury. I got lucky this time, so now I need to work on strengthening my back muscles.

Happy New Year

It's the new year and I was planning on spending the evening's festivities at home with the mrs. medic. But, I went to work. Working a holiday...again. I have y reasons. Money. Nothing more than that. Simply wanting to put some extra money on my check. I'm know the wife would rather have me home. But the plain fact is that I lost around 10,000 dollars in OT this past year to go to school. That hurt. Bad. But, I had a chance to make a little of it up. So I left her alone again...I know it hurts her to feel alone, and I fear what the end result of that happening to many times will be. I've read the bloggy things that other people write. I know what could happen. I know she's not happy. I can hear it in her voice when I talk to her. It's resonates loudly over the telephone, I ask what's wrong. Always the same "nothing" reply. But I hear the disappointment, frustration, and anguish. I don't like spending more than half of my time gone. I like the money that it brings, but I don't like being gone. So have I sold my soul to the company, no I'm just greedy. She needs to go to school and start her career that she's been waiting on. I know. She will sooner than later. We had a decent day today I think. Not great, but pretty decent. Now with a new certification coming up for me, and a pay raise to go with it, we can finally get the ball rolling and stuff. More money means less time at work. Yay!! Maybe this year I can stay home more and she came finally start getting her education. I love you Jess!!!