Comments on: 1st 24-hour Shift: Funk and Misery

By: Angela

Angela — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 04:20:50 +0000

OMG!!! I am learning so much about the EMT field that I didn’t know or even have a clue about. Now, where I live, it would take an ambulance probably 45 minutes to even get to my house! And at least another 45 to get me to the hospital! I’m a dead girl if I need an ambulance! lol

I’ve been on vacation the past week and just read a week’s worth of posts! I will have to say that you have way more energy than I do girl! And you have your youth on your side!!! hehehe

I sure hope that your 36 hr shift goes well!

I will have to say that I followed a fire truck out my road a couple of years ago. It scared me to death! They couldn’t drive as fast as I can out this road. The further down the road they got the more scared I was for whoever’s house it was that they were supposed to be going to. Then they got within 2 miles of my house and I’m crying at that point because they just weren’t driving fast at all! Then about a mile and a half they turned down a drive way of one of my neighbor’s. I’m still crying because the smoke was just awful looking from the road. I went home because I had groceries in my truck. Unloaded and went back to see if they needed anything. Fortunately for them it wasn’t a house fire but a forrest fire! But still that fire truck wasn’t driving fast enough for me! lol

P.S Your pancakes sure did look good!

By: Cathy Santarsiero

Cathy Santarsiero — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:56:32 +0000

Whoa baby! What a first day. You are going to be magnificent at all of this. The gross stuff, well, not much you can do about that. But your body will adjust to the job. You can do it!

By: Andy

Andy — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:17:43 +0000

1st day always sucks monkey balls. You have a mother of an FTO. I had one like her when I was doing Wilderness SAR/Wilderness EMT work. Busted my tail for the 1st week, but I ended up being one of the better guys on the crew. This will happen with you. Think trial by fire.

By: Brent Buckner

Brent Buckner — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:47:58 +0000

Yeah, that’s a tough day.

On the plus side, if you had showed that you were significantly falling short in the tasks then your FTO would have changed her approach with you. (Caring, ethics, professionalism, and minimization of lawsuits all support that outlook).

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:42:28 +0000

Wow!! That is a rough day. Your days will get better. We all know you can do it.

By: Mel

Mel — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:38:37 +0000

Yea, Court!
You survived your first day.
And you’ll do well every day to come.
You’ve got the smarts, stamina and strength.
So keep on your journey.
It’ll be worth it.

By: Wendy

Wendy — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:54:35 +0000

Oh, dear, I am sorry to hear the day was so trying. But you did it!! Rest and recover. You *can* do this, and we’re cheering you on!

By: Ivy & Bryson

Ivy & Bryson — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 06:40:18 +0000

Wow, that was rough! But they wouldn’t throw that 36-hr shift at you if they didn’t think you did OK on your first one, right? The patients you had to deal with certainly didn’t make things easier, they sound just like the ones I had to work with when I was doing a rotation at the SF General Hospital. A lot of them end up on an ambulance/ER coz they have nowhere else to go. As much as I feel sorry for them, I feel just as sorry for myself when I had to pry matted eggs/maggots out of their toe jam (yuk yuk yuk!!!) But when you think about how you’ve come through for these poor souls (when no one else want to touch them), you know you’ve done society a huge service. So, what I meant to say is… hang in there!! Give Linus a big hug when you’re home, I’m sure that’ll help too

By: Betty

Betty — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 05:19:21 +0000

wow, they expected a lot from you for your first day. not much of a learning curve for sure. baptism by fire I would imagine and what a baptism admidst the fire you described. I KNOW YOU CAN DO THIS!! They threw it all to you but I believe you are capable of taking it all and rising to the occasion and even exceeding what they want you to do. It is very demanding but I know you will get it. just keep plugging away and every day will get better! and just think, you get to come home no matter how bad the day to Earl and Linus; it doesn’t get any better than that!!

betty

By: Jenny

Jenny — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 22:28:31 +0000

I have great confidence that you will very soon be taking a shift like this in your stride! It was your first day – there will be a steep learning curve. Body needs to adjust to the schedule and the smells…