Skills Day

This week we had our yearly skills day. The highlight of skills day is airway familiarization, for me anyways. Our boss arranges to have multiple sets of pig lungs for us to practice on. We have the typical "fred the head" for run of the mill intubation practice and for King airway and for S.A.L.T. practice, but its hard to practice the surgical airway on Fred. Our medical director was present and dove right in with us. We practiced a needle crichothyrotomy and then surgical crichothyrotomy. We then ventilated the lungs. We were even fortunate enough for one pair of lungs to still have a large heart intact. Our medical director gently removed it and we passed it around, you could look right down the aorta and see and touch the aortic valve, we then disected th eheart, we could see and touch the chordae tendineae, and the bicuspid and trucuspid valves. It was an amazing experience and great refresher.  I will post some pictures of skills day soon...

new hopes, new aspirations

So I have begun to realize that this blog is a mess of sorts. I don't stick to any certain topics, and I honestly am ok with that. The idea of my blog was just a place where I could write stuff out to get it out of my head and off my chest. I have been selective in my personal life who has access to this blog but dont seem to care that any other bloggers might find it and read it. Today I reached a long time awaited goal of mine. I have been a "big" girl for a while. I reached my heaviest weight in the winter of 2008 at 318lbs. I had always promised myself I would never let myself reach 300, and I didnt stick to that. I have struggled with my weight sine I was approx 10 years old. In high school I began to get it under control by playing volleyball my freshman year. My sophomore year I didnt make the team, (major defeat #1)but I was still trying by running a mile a day, until I was chased down and tripped on purpose by a kid on roller blades with a hockey stick. That was major defeat #2 After that I quit trying. I used to sneak snacks and sodas at home, I'd go to fast food drive thrus between school and dinner time, Id go out with friends for food after dinner in the evenings. My parents tried several things to help me. They tried telling me the reason I didnt have many friends was because of my weight, they tried bribing me with a car if I lost weight. They tried to verbally remind me at meal times what I should be eating or drinking and how much and about not eating second helpings, all those things did was make me angry, angry at them, andgy at myself, and angry at the world. When it came time college I chose one far from home, to get away and have an excuse to not be there. I was suddenly in complete control of my actions. I ate and drank whatever I chose whenever I chose. I stayed on a plataeu for a while. 5 yrs of college came and went and I had slowly gained weight, throughout the next 3 years, during college I had made some friends and lost some friends. I joined the fire department early on in college and got involved in EMS. I tried several things to help control my weight and health and failed miserably on my own due to lack of motivation, lack of self respect, and lack of self discipline. I tried working out with some of the boys at the fire department but knew everytime I tried something and couldnt keep up or had difficulties they were making fun of me behind my back and that feeling of defeat washed over me again, just like back in high school. Then I met someone, someone who I would have done anything for, who I wanted to do everything for. He made me more happy than I ever could have imagined. We spent all ofour spare time together and became very close. We had several discussions about us and where we saw our relationship going and he expressed his concern for my health in several conversations. It felt like it became a game of "if you change, if you lose weight, then we can be together" I know he was conerned but he had poor ways of showing it. We constantly ate fast food instead of cooking in, instead of encouraging us to go  on a walk we stayed in, sitting in silence or watching a movie or studying. I am not blaming him for my problem but I place blame on him for leaving when I had not changed. I became depressed. I was alone, I was overweight, and I was putting on an act that I didnt care about either. The more I tried to hide it the worse my depression became. I began to notice myself becoming even less active, eating more junk, and taking worse care of myself physically. I was still capable of getting out of bed and showering and getting myself to work and school, but outside of that I holed myself up in my bedroom with whatever snack food I was craving and had gotten a hold of with my TV shows or my computer and I quit answering the phone, I would answer text messages but was in  no mood or condition to socialize with anyone.

In January of 2009 I turned a new leaf. I had discovered I had exceeded my 300lb maximum. I had started a new job in the Paramedic field in September of 2008, in October 2008 I fell and completely tore a ligament in my ankle and fx it as well. It was during my time in physical therapy I began to think about what this injury could mean for my career and if it would have been less severe if I was not as obese. My physical therapy proved to be a challenge many times due to my ankle instability and my size. I realized during PT just how much I hate seeing myself in a mirror when I forced to practice some PT in front of one and in front of other pts. It was then that I decided I wanted to better, I needed to better myself, this time for me. Not for my parents, not for my best friend, but for me. So I started paying attention to what I was eating, when I was eating, and how much I was eating. It amazing how just doing that little bit can make a difference. After making a few residential moves I now live close enough to work that I can walk to work in 7-8 min. I have been trying to better myself and to not allow myself to make up any excuses, because God know I am way too good at that. In the last 6 months I have somehow slimmed down to 299 lbs, a number i had been waiting to see for a while now. Just last week I decided it was time to step up the game plan. I have decided to oust soft drinks....it has been tough, I need my caffeine that I am oh so addicted to. I am also trying to get into a routine of walking appprox 30 min hopefully 3 times a week. I would like to get down to 275 lbs by my next birthday, September 14th.  I am not sure I can do this, but I want to..... So here's to life, here's to living, and trying to right so many bad habits...

It's not my emergency!

Have you ever thought this? I have used that phrase myself, several times (and with more than one meaning at times). Steve Whitehead put it into a great post right here and I suggest you go check it out!

does (apparatus) color matter?

We are all taught from the beginning of our experiences that safety is number one in our professions. Personal safety, crew safety, patient safety, scene safety…you know it.
I was sitting at work the other day and it came up in discussion that one of the local fire departments was ordering a new fire engine and had decided to go with black as the main color. Yup BLACK. The first thing that came to my mind was how is anyone going to see them on a scene at night? While I understand that light reflecting tape is used on emergency units along with multiple lights for safety, I still didn’t think that black was a safe choice of color for a piece of equipment like a fire engine. This conversation got the mouse wheel in my mind going, and I couldn’t stop myself from doing a little online research on the subject. I found plenty of information to include a slideshow presentation and eventually stumbled upon this very detailed and informing document from FEMA.
The reading is a little dry but I learned a few things about the different kinds of reflective striping and how each works individually plus I learned about NFPA standards/recommendations.
The conclusion of my research is although a black engine may look sweet it definitely is not safe, no matter how much scotchlite or how many lights you put on it. The best bet is to stick to the red, orange, slime/ yellow, or even white for the best visibility and conspicuity on scene.

little work rant followed w/ needing your EMS advice...

I have always been a believer of "God doesn't give you anything you can't handle", "what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger", and "everything happens for a reason".  For whatever reason I have continued to carry these beliefs through all phases in my life, from growing up to college, to my professional life.  I know there are going to be times when I don't have a clue as to what I am supposed to do about a pt, but I am sure that most of the time I will fall back on my basic instincts. Tonight I had another one of those "oh sh*t" calls that when I look back on and talk with my co-workers (medics and doctors) that I know I did what I could with what I had in the amount of time I had. I just get really frustrated when I meet up with a BLS unit and they have nothing done for a critical pt, no history, no oxygen, no vitals. Oh wait, they had a grocery bag full of pill bottles for me. They were so concerned with this pts condition that they walked hin to the ambulance start towards the hospital that is opposit the direction I am coming from then realize Im 5 blocks behind them and cant catch up, so they stop and wait and then have none of the above mentioned done. But when you are called for a SOB and your pt is cyanotic from the nipples to the top of his head, i think any oxygen will help and walking him to the unit won't. Just saying...

I try not to get frustrated on these kind of calls. I try to use calls as teachings for these kind of EMTs who are new or just don't know what to do. During the critical calls I direct and after I try and teach, by explaining why I did or didnt do something or explaining why I did a 12-lead or why I didnt/did run lights and sirens to the hospital,, etc. I also take the time to answer any questions the EMTs may have which usually include "Did I do what i could/should have?" "or is there anything else I could/should have done?" and I answer them truthfully but without sounding like an egotistical jerk. I find that the next time I run a call with those EMTs they tend to be a little more comfortable with me and they have the things we talked about done, they have the pt on O2, they have a BP for me, or pt history for me.

I am sure Im not the only provider who runs into this. Any tips on how I can better this where I run? It happens with a lot of EMTs. Maybe some kind of "asisting the medic" class or something?

family

I am jonesing for family time. I dont know how else to put it. I talked to my Mom and Dad on the phone last night and daily text my sisters. I follow the lives of my brother and his wife and kids on their blog, thanks to my SIL for keeping that up! I don't really keep tabs on the other brother, read his wife's FB every now and then.  I promised myself I would have more family time this year, but I havent been home since Christmas. I am making time next month to drive home and spend 2 days there.
I miss my baby sister, I miss my dad, my neice, nephew, everyone! Just a few more weeks and hopefully I will get to see all of them for my Mom's birthday....

wow...

thats the only word I could come up with when I read about this...

Talk about an interesting call....

formspring.me

Ask me anything http://formspring.me/wvmedicgirl

Thank you for involving me

I am so new to this blogging thing. Or at least I feel so new. I have been reading the numerous posts that resulted from the biggest fire/ems blogger meet up ever and it just makes me feel like a very small part of such a huge thing. While I was like the teeny bopper meeting a rockstar or a movie star, every single person I met was so nice. I got hugs from people who I have been follwing online for ages. I know they had no idea who I was and I am sure they will be quick to forget that they even met me, they have forever made an impression on me. And while I feel I made several new network contacts, I know I made one new friend. April (known as Epi_junky) made the experience for me, and she probably has no idea. I simply offered her a semi-warm house to crash in, on a comfy sofa, and offered some cookies that well, I was pretty proud of (it was the first time I had ever baked cookies from scratch). I followed her around like a little lost but star struck puppy all day in Baltimore. If it had not been for her, I probably would never have even actually gone to Baltimore. The minute she arrived at my house and we said our hellos it was like she was a friend I had had for many years. She was kind enough to make sure I got introduced to all the "big names" we ran into. And again, while they knew who she was right away, I was not greeted with any less enthusiasm. And by golly I may only have 2 blog followers, but I felt like I was on top of the world several times on Friday. For the first time ever I felt like I was actually involved in something that was changing the EMS world that I have chosen to be a part of.

So thank you to all of the folks who include, but are not limited to (sorry if I forgot anyone), the following: Epi_junky (April Aaling), UKmedic999 (Mark Glensourse), thehappymedic(Justin Schorr), Tony Oliverio, Jared Scott, geekymedic, setla (Thaddeus Setla), Ambulance Driver (Kelly Grayson), ckempt (Chris Kaiser), natemt_b (Nate) and so many others. Thank you again fro making me feel part of such a large thing!

ponderings on my career...

The news tonight of a paramedic killed simply because he was doing his job has really hit me hard. I can't imagine, trying to help a suicidal pt, trying to convince them that life is worth living, to have them attack you and ultimately kill you.

I have been in EMS for about 7 years. I have not seen many gruesome things, I have not run many "bad" calls. I consider myself blessed for this. It keeps me loving this job, being the "sparky medic". I am far from burnout at this point thanks to this. The down side is when I do get one of those career or life alterating calls how will I do? Will I be prepared? Will I know what to do? Will I make the right decisions? I guess I truly won't know until it happens.

For now I do what I feel needs done for my patient. I am thankful for the docs here who are very cool with us smudging that medical command line. I do however find myself reviewing my protocols after many calls, especially if I find myself second guessing if I should have given that drug I was hesitant to or if I should have done more or less. I always try to err on the patient safety side. This has kept me out of court and still with a job this long. I am still hungry for more knowledge, for more experience. Knowledge is easy to find, even more so now that I have expanded into the blogger world and made some amazing contacts at EMS Today this year in Baltimore. The experience side still leaves me hungry for more. I want to experience more, heck I'd even settle for observing more. Anyone interested in having a medic ride along?? Hit me up and let me know!