All Over The Place

Moved!

2006-10-07T09:36:00.000-04:00

So I moved last friday. It was an intense move had to get a big truck and evrything. HA! No acutally I moved across the hallway into a one bedroom apartment. Everything is great except for the dog piss smell and stain in the middle of the living room. I have been trying for over a week to get the smell out. Urine gone worked pretty well. However after it dried I realized it pulled the piss and smell up from the padding. so now the stains look worse but don't smell so bad. I am going to get some more stuff today to clean the stains. Hopefully by next week the carpet will not smell and I can enjoy my new living room. - Jessiye 8:1

PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome)

2006-09-21T09:31:00.000-04:00

Well August was extreamly hectic and I though September would slow down but it hasn't. I don't think I ever mentioned that I have been diagnoised with Poly Cystic Ovairan Syndrome. PCOS for short. It basically means I get a lot of cysts in my ovaries. So one option is to regulate it with birth control. Since I am not married I am okay with that. Because what a lot of people don't realize is that birth control pills make the uterine lining extreamly think so that if you have sex while on the pill the fertilized egg cannot implant. The pill does not stop you from making eggs or trick your body into thinking your pregnant. (those were the myths i was told when i was younger) So if you belive that a fertilized egg is a baby (Which I do) then birth control and having sex is abortion. You could be killing babies and not even know it. Anyway. Since I am saving my self for mariage. Birth control is okay to try anf regulate the PCOS. Basically I have crazy random periods. I have gone as many as 9 months without a period. Which basically means I had no way to get rid of the un used egg (which when not used and gotten rid of turns into a liquid filled ball: a cyst) so eggs build up and can make it so that eventually you ovaries are so filled with cyst that the stop releasing eggs. Which can make a person unable to have children. Or cause ovarian cancer. (because of the abnormalities in the ovary) Since I am at very high risk (60%) of having ovarian cancer since my mother died from it and her aunt died from it and my aunt had breat cancerand now PCOS. So even though they are driving my hormones up the wall at times if it will help lessen the chance of getting ovarian cancer and give me a chance to have children when I get married then I will take them. I have been recommended to see a genetist and an endocrinologist. I need to finally make an apointment to see the Human Genetic Lab so they can do a study and find out the true risks and true percentage of me contracting ovarian cancer (a silent killer-usually only found when it has spread to another organ and is in it's final stages). Well Work calls. More updates later. - Jessiye17:1

New Day, New Accident, Off Duty

2006-08-20T22:00:00.000-04:00

After yesturdays events I didn't exspect to have any more adventures (other then the arrival of my frineds baby). So I fill up my car and head up the street to get my prescriptions from wal-mart. I come up on a stopped car and a womoen running out to the intersection. I see a blue bicycle laying in the middle of the intersection. I leave my car back to block traffic and put my flashers on. I run up to the victim. He complaning of right thigh pain. 8 out of 10. A women is bendign down next to him. He holding his right leg. She is asking questions and he complaining of numbness and inability to move his right leg. So I ask if he can wigggle his toes and can he feel me touching his foot. The women (turned out to be a nurse) and I began to remove his shoe in search of a pedal pulse. Neither one of us could find one. However the gentleman was wearing a compression stocking because he has a history of poor circulation. The gentleman said he was trying to move his leg but when he tried to move it nothing happened. Police showed up first and began to redirect traffic. (intersection was a 4-way stop) Once multiple cops arrived they began to interview witnesses and completely block traffic. We waited for the squad to show up. Squad pulled up started doing their own assesment and gathering history. We decided to roll him onto a back boardwhile someone held his leg in position. He yelled as we moved him. Any movement of the leg caused intense pain. The leg was padded with multiple blankets and towells and sheets. We then moved him to the stetcher. Then I helped the fire dept load him into the squad. The nurse and I made sure the authorites didn't need any info from us. EMS left the scene. Police took custody of the bike and asked us if we actually saw the accident. Niether one of us did. The officer told us that no one saw who was driving the car that hit the man (the car left the scene) and the description of the car was green or blue 90's sedan. Which means no one will find who hit the guy.

I cleared the scene and went to go visit my friends and thier new baby. When I got to the hospital my friends husband had the apaper and told me there was a blurb about yesturdays accident. The luietnent that actually took my report verified that the car was exceeding 90 mph and the the flipped car no one was wearing thier seat belt. (which i suspected with how fast they exited the vehicle). By the way the baby is so cute. Mekhi Aramus Jackson 7lbs 3.4 oz 19 1/2 in born at 14:27 August 20, 2006. Congratualations!! May you not have any of the excitment I have been having. - Jessiye 16:2

Crash Flip Burn

2006-08-19T23:41:00.000-04:00

So my partner and I pick up a patient with brain swelling. We need to get him to the downtown hospital to be evauluated by a neurosurgen. The freeway I am driving on has three lanes. I pass up an exit going about 60 mph. I am in the center lane. On my left a car blows past me going about 90 - 100 mph. I yell to my partner in the back "Holy crap did you see that?" He looks out of the window shakes his head in disgust and turns back to the patient. I continue to watch this idiot zoom up the freeway. About 100 feet in front of our squad there was a black car and a red van. (the black car was in the left lane and the red car in the center lane). So this speeding sports car comes up right behind the black car still going about 95 mph and tries to pass the car on the left in the left shoulder (which is just to narrow for a car to fit in it, maybe just a foot to narrow)When the sports car (which was supped up to look like a race car) realizes that it isn't going to be able to pass, it brakes for a quick second. Then unable to stop at it high rate of speed the race car hit's the black car. The black car flipped into the air rear end flipping up first with the front of the car bouncing off the race car and spining three times in the air then landing on it's roof. I throw the radio at my partner and tell him to call dispatch telling them our location. I turn the lights on and park to block traffic (retrospeck:with a patient in the back probably not the greatest idea) I throw the squad into park, see smooke pooring out and run to the car. As I aprouch I see arms and legs flailing. I just keep thinking that this is going to be very bad. Just as I bend down on the passengers side to pull out a victim a women comes crawling out screaming. She freezes up against the median screaming. The drivers runs over to her screaming. I am almost yelling at the two to get them to move away from the car (the smoking car). I get them to move next to our squad. I run back to the car to look around and make sure no one else is in the car. No other people just bookshelves. I run back to the victims who are hugging each other and crying and screaming. I am once again almost yelling to get the to answer the are you hurt question. Both women denied pain. They had no abraisions, blood, cuts. They denied anyone else being in the vehicle. The only injury they admited was a little bit of redness on the drivers knee. My partner poked his head out of our squad and informed me that police and fire were on the way. A police officer from a neighboring city identified himself. I informed him as well as the women that we had a patient that we needed to get to the ER. Emergency services were enroute and we left the scence.

I have never ever seen anything like that in my life. It was crazy. It felt like I was watching a movie. Because we left the scene to deliver our patient to the neurosurgen. I called the police deptartment in the city it happened and asked if they wanted my statement since we were the only vehucle directly behind and with a height advantage. My only regret is that I didn't hit the panic button on our cameras. Our ambulances are equipped with drive cameras that can be triggered by harsh driving or hitting the "panic" button. Most of my days are spent trying to make sure I don't set that camera off. (the camera is always recording but only saves if it is triggered) After it is triggered it records the event then goes back and saves 10 seconds before and after the event. If I had hit the button as soon I as I threw the radio to my partner the police would have a whole lot more then witness staements. Just another life lesson learned. ~ Jessiye 16:1

No Private EMS allowed

2006-06-14T17:04:00.000-04:00

Most Emergency rooms have an EMS room which usually has a table and chairs for completing run reports. Some EMS rooms have snacks and refreshment because most EMS workers don't have time to stop and get something to eat.
While private EMS and city EMS/Fire are different, it doesn't mean Private runs any less or hard. The calls are just different. If fact where I work we don't get to return to base until the shift is over. We runs all day long without a break most days.

Today we recieved a call to transport a subaracnoid hemorage patient to the NSU (neurosurgical intensive care unit) When we arrived in the ER to pick up our patient the nurse was running around and asked us if we could wait because she had a full arrest going on and she wasn't ready for us to transport the patient yet. She told us to go get some coffee and just wait. She would let us know we she was ready. So where do paramedics playing the waiting game in an ER go. The EMS room! Well we hung out in there had a stale cookie. Then a security guard comes in and scolds us for being in the EMS room. (This particular hospital has a sign next to the EMS room that says "Fire Personnell Only") He escorts us out (in front of several firemen we where BSing with, who looked rather shocked that we were being escorted out) and yells at us again saying the nurse has been looking for you. The nurse still wasn't quite ready seeing as in the 10 minutes since we arrived at the ER 3 more squads rolled in. We appologized to the nurse for not being right at the desk. She said she sent to security guard to tell us she was ready. We joked about getting yelled at for being in the EMS room. The nurse rolled her eyes and said sorry about that. We got report the patient was pretty stable. As we were rolling out patient hooked up to everything. We over hear the nurse saying on our behalf that she didn't want us to get in trouble because she told us to wait. The security guard told her we knew we weren't suposse to be in the EMS room. In this metropolitain area Private EMS gets even less respect then regular EMS. Nurses don't give any report because we are just transport! We are expected to take the patients 10 suitcases and boxes and bags like we are the taxi service. I don't know any Taxi drivers who have to take vitals and fill out runs reports. Well I'm done gripping for now. - Jessiye 15:3

Light Duty

2006-06-06T17:37:00.000-04:00

I sprained my left wrist while lowering the cot down with a patient on it. I can't really explain why it happened. But We lowered the patient down and as soon as I left go of the cot after it locked I had a very sharp intense pain in my wrist. I didn't think anything of it. Then about 15 minutes later I had an even sharper pain shoot up my arm. Which I though was weird but no need to inform supervisors. Then after about 2 hours my whole hand was numb. So I went through the whole process of filling out worker's comp paper work. Then went to the ER. Had to do a breathalizer test and a urine drug test per company policy on injuries. They fitted me with a splint/brace. This all happened on Friday (6/3/06). So I couldn't meet with the occupational health doctor until Monday or the company HR. So Monday I saw HR, filled out more paper work, signed my light duty papers, then went to see the occupational health doctor. The office was crazy. I finally got in and filled out paper work with my history of SVT, Migraines and Seizures and all my allergies. Then saw the nurse/tech. The guy never really introduced himself. Took vitals asked what happened then told me the doctor would be right in. Only 5 minutes later the doctor came. I explained what happened again. The doc asked the location of pain and what not. Which wasn't really my main concern since my hand had been numb ever since Friday. He said I would just have to wait until the swelling went down so the nerves wouldn't be pinched anymore. He asked what the ER gave me for pain and if it was working. Ibuprofen 600mg. Which I usually take for Migraines and it didn't do anything for the wrist pain. He then jumped to Naproxen which I am immune too. It's like taking a placebo. So then came the Darvocet. I wasn't happy with taking a Narcotic but willing to try it. So I take it and nothing for the pain so I figure well that was a waste. Then I felt like I was going to have a seizure about 4 hrs into taking it. I has some convultions but wasn't sure if it was the Darvocet. I took it again about 4 hrs later and with in 30 minutes I was having convulsions almost seizures. It felt like I was getting electrocuted every 5 to 10 minutes. I read more carefully the precautions which said people with a seizure history should be carefully watched when taking Darvocet because if there is a history of seizures Darvocet can cause seizures. So my questions is why didn't the doctor know that? Did the doctor even look at my chart and see my history? I'd rather deal with the pain then have those convulsions again. So while it hurts a lot today is the first day my hand wasn't numb. - Jessiye 15:2

I'm still alive I swear!

2006-06-06T17:28:00.000-04:00

So I relized while browsing through blogs that I haven't posted in about 6 months......Uhhh lots has happened but here is a sum up. Resolutions didn't work that well. Dated a guy...that didn't work for many reasons but mostly his parents told him they didn't like me because I'm black. So that ended but mostly because he wasn't agressive enough for me I felt like I was leading the relationship and I would like to play the women role in a relationship. Umm new shift. Random partners. Youth group is going great. We are growing lots more kids. My car will be paid off in October. Umm tthere are so many things I could have blogged about. But now I am back... I hope. I will start off slow by blogging when I have something interesting happen. So tune it. Check your blog list and I will be around.

Year in Review

2005-12-31T23:59:00.000-05:00

So I haven't blogged since the begining of October. Well not a lot has happened but plenty has happened. In any case it's too late for all those updates.

Things that happened in 2005.

1) I got a job in EMS!
2) Discovered I have a cardiac (heart) condition
3) First Partner turns out to be a crazy psycho b!tch
4) Crazy Psycho B!tch got fired!!!!!
5) Cardiac Pain really Acid Reflux?? Nope just acid reflux.
6) One month of waering a heart monitor.
7) Running Hot for the first time and loving working with my new partner.
8) To switch EMS companies or not to switch (retrospect says DON'T SWITCH)
9) My Aunt Died.
10) Worked my @$$ off doing 36-48 hrs straight.
11) Started getting some real emergencies and running code 3 almost every day.
12) Began a new vulgarity issue which has not let up. Cussing like a truck driver.
13) Had some sh!tty calls.
14) The boss is crazy and does drugs while threatening your life and almost forcing you to do things the state would take your cards for.
15) Got pranked at work for the first of many times.
16) Boss calls you and says "I fired everyone."
17) Worst Birthday Ever.
18) Got drunk out of my mind and had my first hangover........and vomitted.
19) Got a new car.
20) Took a vacation.
21) Had some revelations
22) Moved out.
23) December 23 .......
24)Friends are awesome!!! Especially mine. NEW YEARS EVE PARTY!!!!
25) Life is Good!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!! Can you believe it's already 2006!!!

Last Straw!

2005-10-05T19:45:00.000-04:00

So It comes down to getting out before showone gets shot. Now any regular readers know my boss is crazy. Posts ---> It comes to this , BIG Dilema (cocaine) , State Inspection , I fired everyone , Called Police. Those are a lot of the reasons. But even more I hate not knowing if I will have a job or not EVERY day. Whether or not someone else was fired just cause. If there will be any working squads to run calls with? Is this the day the state comes to shut us down?Can I be brought up on charges for the crap that has happened? Will the boss threaten me again with running an ACLS call without a state card or be fired? (I graduated medic school but couldn't pass the registry) Will I be told to run light and sirens for dialysis trips we are late for even thought it's illegal? Will what I am "forced" to do get my cards taken away? Will the boss fly off the handle and throw a printer at me lke he has at other employees? Will he pull a gun on me like he has other employees? Or a knief? I have to worry about these things everyday. So I am getting away from the stress of this company. The above picture should pretty much some up why I should leave. Although most of you are porbably saying I should have left months ago. Or never came to this company to begin with. The other pictures below show conditions of the squads and miles. If we had a pop inspection of our vehicles we'd be shut down. Since I am going back to the first company I have slept better not stressing and the days have been better when working where I am at. - Jessiye 13:2

Almost 1 Year Old

2005-10-04T23:58:00.000-04:00

So I just relized All Over The Place is almost a year old. And a lot of things have happened in this past year. But over the past month or so I posted nothing and I am very sorry for this. Especially since there has been so much to talk about. Please read down and check out what has been going on. Jessiye 13:1

Where are my hours?

2005-09-29T19:33:00.000-04:00

Well I have just about had it over the past month my hours have been getting cut and I am not even making full time hours. So I am going back to where I started (I should have never left.) I am getting a decent shift time. But the medic I am working with a really great medic so I am excited about that. But the worry is making rent with the last few weeks! Also when I give my notice I have to make sure I don't get fired on the spot because my boss (the crazy guy he is) would fire me. I am preparing myself for the verbal abuse that's coming but I have to go where I can get insurance and paid. There are so many more pros then cons. So I am jumping ship before it goes down! Jessiye 12:4

New Apartment

2005-09-12T19:21:00.000-04:00

Well we found a place. And it's huge. I mean crazy big two bedroom right price right place. Brand new kitchen! Carpet! Utilities included minus electricity!!!!! Moving day is October 1st! So excited!!!!! Jessiye 12:3

Moving?

2005-09-09T18:08:00.000-04:00

So on my vacation to Columbus I found my parents were robbing me just to stay in my bedroom. I am paying $300 a month to stay in my bedroom and I can't even keep stuff in the bathroom or refrigerator because some one will use/take/eat it. I always buy my own everything and am never home to cook. (Mostly because the food and frige is scary) People say yeah but this and that. NOPE! Our dryer doesn't work so I'm at the Laundromat any way. Like I said I buy my own everything minus toilet paper. So I find my cousins are renting really nice 3 level townhouses for $400 a month. Yeah I am getting super ripped off. So I am apartment hunting. Looking for a roommate probably! Jessiye 12:1

Vacation

2005-08-30T09:19:00.000-04:00

So I went on vacation this past week or so. It was nice I got to sleep in a real bed and not a futon. I only went about 2 1/2 hrs away to stay with my aunt but it was still a vacation. I had a blast and yes there are pictures but only of family and some people freak out if their pictures are online. I visited some friend that moved down there also. Over all it was a nice vacation until Katrina hit. And seeing as almost all of my father's side of the family is from New Orleans I was concerned. We found all but 3 people. I had 3 missing cousins we had NO CLUE where they were. It was driving me crazy that there was no way to find family members down there. And I was so upset about the way the media portrayed New Orleans resisdents as vagrants on a rampage. Not everyone is that way. Then when I found out they were shooting at EMS I was so angry. You got here to HELP and get shot at??? But not everyone was doing that stupid of a thing. Eventually we found my cousins some in Texas. And one came up to stay with my aunt. So other than missing family members it was a great vacation. Jessiye 11:3

Friends above all

2005-08-21T23:58:00.000-04:00

So I just met a guy and we are seeing how it will work out. A date here and there. But I have gone out with my friends a lot and had a lot of fun bowling and putt putt and billiards. While the guy is not very inventive and slightly neglectful. But hanging out with my friends was great. I really enjoyed it. Now my favorite/regular drink is a Long Island Ice Tea. So I got a new nickname tonight. "Long Island EMT" I go to bowl my frame and that name pops up on the bowling screen. I got called "long island" all night. This nickname might stick. True friends won't abandon you...Unless you abandon them first. - Jessiye 11:2

My Apologies + UPDATE

2005-08-13T12:10:00.000-04:00

Wow I feel bad that I have abandened you all. It's been over a month since I wrote. July was an extremely busy month for me. Work Work Work! I worked 364 hrs in one month. I found out there are only 720 hrs in a month. So you all say. Well you must be rolling in the dough. Not really. First of all Uncle Sam killed me with taxes. Then I got a new car and wow the insurance is crazy expensive and I have a perfect driving record. But even with uncle sam trying to brake me I did have enough for a new PDA. The Siemens SX66. I love it. I am finally more organized and not missing appointments. I also set it up so I know A, B, and C Shifts. The best part though is that it isn't just my PDA it is also my PHONE! Two birds with one stone.

Now we have all kinds of new people at the company. Some decent good guys. But wow we hired a whole lot of a$$holes. (Check back for detailed stories of the a$$holes) Now you would not believe the squad situation. We have 4 squads. Rescue 3 went down completely mid July. Chief complaint : cracked engine block. Plus a boatload of other things. Rescue 9 went down over the last two days. Chief complaint : too many things to fix. Over 7,000.00 dollars in repairs needed before it can go back on the road. Which leave us with Rescue 6. (my favorite) The one with the least problems and best siren. Then there is Rescue 2. Runs good but has a heating/AC problem. It has been extremely hot and humid up here over the summer. Rescue 2 has no AC front or back. Now front isn't a huge issue because we got windows. But the back has one itty bitty window that doesn't really do anything. So you;ve got your partner and the patient sweating during transport. And I tried to get these people I work with to understand that you cannot have a cardiac patient in that squad. If we get an emergency call for CHF we are in crazy trouble. Now here is a quote from one of the a$$hole's regarding the situation. " Oh well, if they're back there they are probably ready to die anyway." Sigh. It's the a$$holes that make me hate my job. - Jessiye 11:4

Almost pumelled. So I called the Police.

2005-07-09T19:57:00.000-04:00

So my boss fired almost everyone and well yesterday was payday. The boss was no where around. He told one of the secretary's that no checks were to be given out until after 1800 and and they were only to be given out if the former employees had their uniforms to return. So that made sense to me. Then the secretary decided she had to leave at 1700. And would I hand out the checks. Sure no problem. BIG PROBLEM! The squad calls in quarters so I go open the bay door for them. As soon as I open the door about 15 of the guys (former employee) pull up and get out of their vehicles and head towards the open bay door. Oh CRAP! I was instructed to not let any former employees into the building. I tried to get the returning crew in as fast as possible but they were confused about all the people and the people were storming at me as I tried to close the bay door. Uh oh now they are in the building and very angry. Demanding checks using profanities and threats directed at me. Give us our checks and all that that comes with it. Now the group of them picked a very good leader. (We'll call him Rob) Rob is about 6'11" and very large. Rob was steadily getting closer to me continually yelling while things were being thrown and everyone was getting angrier. I was just trying to explain that I had to have T-Shirts before I handed out checks and there was no problem I just needed T-Shirts. But no one wanted to listen to me so I said I was told to call the police if everyone was getting all worked up and violent and I was instructed to call the police if former employees were getting all out of wack. So I said I need to call the boss and make sure I could give checks out without shirts. So I went hurriedly to the office and Rob was right behind me. There was a little arguing but I eventually got the door closed and locked. I called my boss about 6 or 7 times no answer. (Very convenient) I was in the middle of pulling out the checks of the guys who had shirts in their hands. When I hear Rob banging on the door. It scared me He was banging and pounding and yelling that he was going to break the door down. I knew he could and would so I yelled hear I come. I opened the door part way. He flung it open. Snatched the checks from me. Just as I was saying I need you shirts! So then after Rob gave everyone there the checks I was assaulted with T-Shirts and Jackets. Then they started to get heated up again and yell and talking about burning and stealing things and they were threatening me and calling me a sellout and getting very violent. They were not leaving and I was trying to take a call from a nursing home that we needed to respond too. They started getting more aggressive and tried to get into the office. My partner locked the door trying to get the guys out and I knew as the banging on the door continued I needed to call the police. I called by the time the arrived most of the guys were in their vehicles leaving. So the officer looked at me like I was stupid. But when I called no one would leave and they were destroying property. So it finally cooled down and my one crew was headed out when we got another call. But I was frazzled. I mean my boss conveiniently called after everything had ended. (He has said on numerous occasions that he has voice recorders in the office and he has played the tapes back) It just seems like I wasn't fair that I had to deal with that. And the boss told all these guys to meet up as the base at that time too. But I worked with a great partner for the rest of the shift which made the day turn around and be happy. And yes I know I should have called the police as soon as they stormed the building. Hindsight is always 20/20 - Jessiye 10:4

DOWN WITH TERROR

2005-07-07T18:56:00.000-04:00

Why do certain people enjoy mass murdering others? I will never understand it. Britain we feel your pain and are praying for you. - Jessiye 10:3

My Birthday July 4th

2005-07-07T13:02:00.000-04:00

Monday July 4, 2005 So on Sunday night I got called in. I started at 1900 on Sunday we ran all night and when we finally stopped for a little bit I got a phone call at about 0800 on Monday. It was my step-mom telling my father drove himself to the hospital last night because he was coughing up blood. Now he was being transported to the big hospital downtown. I'm thinking okay he ' just getting admitted for some complications with his CHF since he's not on lasix anymore. I tell her that they should request my company to do the transport. My partner for the day is a great medic I would be driving and it would be a very nice little transport. She calls me back and says the transport team is already there. She tells me Critical Care is transporting him. EXCUSE ME. "Oh it's just cause of the holiday and they don't have any other crews." says my stepmother. Now my stepmother knows noting of EMS much less private EMS. Critical Care only transports the really serious stuff they are like ground Med Flight. They always runs lights and sirens . They have a four man crews two medics one nurse and a driver. I knew all this and at that time until I had better info I wasn't going to worry my stepmother. Then she says they are moving him because his cardiac enzymes are off. Oh sheet I think he's having an infarction or through a PE. But maybe not. If I can find out what unit he's being admitted to we'll be okay. I call people I know one the transport team but I get voicemails. So I call the transport line at the hospital to see where he's being admitted. MICU. Oh sheet. It's not good at all it's very bad. I call my stepmother and tell her what is actually going on and try to get her out of her denial. She kept saying no it's not true because they just didn't have enough crews. I finally got through to her and she headed downtown. Now my birthday sucks even more. I call relatives and church people and ask everyone to pray. Then I am headed out on a call. I tell my partner that unless we have a patient if anything happens to my father I am lighting the squad up and heading downtown. He says okay I'll be right there with you. My partner tells my boss it's my birthday and my boss buys me a cake. Which ended up begin the only good part of the day. So after my father is settled in I call up the MICU to talk with his nurse and see what his levels were. His troponine was going down but they still needed to run it two more times before they could rule out an MI. So back to work I go call after call after call. With one squad all day on the fourth we ran about 20 calls. If was bittersweet to see some fireworks as I was giving patient care in the back of the squad as were we running hot down the freeway. In between vitals I could see them soaring into the air and exploding. No conclusion on my father and the possible MI when I tried to get some sleep for about 3 hrs before we started running again. Then finally on Tuesday I was relieved at about 0700. Yeah I get to go see my father in the hospital. So off I ran to the hospital where they were getting ready for a catherization. Then they drugged him up including benadryl for his possible allergies to the dye. Then he started having a reaction to of all things the benadryl. As soon as she injected it it started burning. Then he started getting confused and saying something was iching him. He kept scratching and saying it iched. He was getting really tired and moving all over the place. He pulled out 2 really good IV's And if I hadn't been there as he was trying to pull out the third one it would have been three. Put a new tagaderm and a lot of tape saved that one. Then they found no blockages and no MI. I was very happy. Then I got called into work. Only 9 hrs after I left from a 36 hr shift. So while they were pulling out the sheaths from the catherization. I blew my father a kiss and went back to work. I finally got off on Wednesday night at 2300. So in those last 72 hrs I worked about 66 of them and didn't get to sleep in my own bed for three days. I slept until 1100 today and am now finally going to wash my uniforms. I will probably get called in tonight. But if I don't answer my phone because I turned it off I will get to sleep in my bed two days in a row. - Jessiye 10:2

"I Fired Everyone"

2005-07-07T12:17:00.000-04:00

Saturday July 2, 2005 So Saturday Morning in my still drunken stupor I wake up at just the right time to to my phone ringing. It's my boss/the owner. "Where are you?" says boss "I am on my in right now I'm scheduled at 1000" replies I. (it was 0920 and it usually takes 25-30 min to get to work) "Okay bye" says boss. Uh oh. Something must be going on for him to be there and calling people on a Saturday morning. I am out of the house and proceeding up the street at 0930. [Now since I promised not to post drunk there was no post for Friday July 1, 2005. I was drunk and when that phone rang on Saturday morning I was still a bit intoxicated cause I kept falling over in the rush to get my pants on.] So then I came up on an accident EMS already on scene no need for my help! But that put me a little late going in so my phone rings. It's the boss. "Where are you?" "There was an accident I'm getting off the freeway I'll be there in 5." Says me looking at the clock which read 0954. "Okay well don't speed little kids are always playing on these sidestreets. Besides you don't have a partner." Rolling my eyes I say "Who called off?" "I fired everyone" replies my boss. At this point many things ran through my head and I had to be very careful of what I let come out. "You fired everyone? Including me?" Exact words from my boss "I like you Jessiye. All the rest of them are whinny little cocksuckers." So in my hang over I filtered calls telling anyone that wasn't our contracts that our ETA would be about 1-2 hrs. (We have the best ETA's around which is usually between 10 - 30 min. ) Then if any of our contracts called I was supposed to call one of the other privates around and give the call to them. So it was a very interesting day because I was instructed not to answer any "ex-employees" phone calls. He finally decided to keep a few other employees and we ended up with two medics and 4 basic. Although 2 of those basics are extreme prn. So tow medics and two basics to run a whole company. Can anyone say BURN OUT. I eventually ran some calls Saturday and finally got to go home at 0200 on Sunday. - Jessiye 10:1

When The Truck Won't Brake

2005-06-20T19:40:00.000-04:00

So you know it's going to be a very long day when you have stated a few times to base that your truck is leaning and something smells like burning rubber. Then you go to brake and you can't and then the next time you try to brake everything is fine and the brakes work. So you figure air in the line. Then the brakes are mush. So now you're getting pissed off and are following behind anyone with at least 20 feet between you. But then the brakes decide to work for a good while. Then you're in the back with the patient. You here "Oh sh!t Oh sh!t Oh sh!t" coming from the front as you feel the vehicle TRY to slow. Then your partner yells "Hold On" You brace yourself and THANK GOD you end up about 1/2 foot away from the car in front of you. Then you proceed to curse everything about the company you work for cause this isn't the first time. Then your angry again and you realize everyday your at this company your angry. It's always the same kind of thing. Broken squad or lazy people who want you to do their work so they can sit in the station and nap. I'm done - Jessiye 9:7

State Inspection

2005-06-15T12:54:00.000-04:00

So we had a surprise state inspection today. Mostly pertaining to the missing morphine. 5 vials and the plunger. That was right before I came like a week before I started here. A very few things changed. We started locking the doors. However we now have to do A LOT more things. Either man the station 24/7 with a qualified EMT or get a security system. Because we only staff one night crew and if the crew gets a call then they forward the phones and go leaving the station open....Very bad. Also we have to sign out the vehicle keys and drug boxes. Each medic is responsible for the keys for their shift.....Now how many copies should we make when everybody takes the keys home. Also we got super chewed out for opening a window for fresh air. So apparently everyone who was working here when the morphine went missing is a suspect. I wasn't here so I'm in the clear. It sounded like the guy was pissed about things not a whole lot just stuff we should have been doing anyway. We get the alarm system installed tomorrow everybody gets their own number and pin. They know who comes in and who goes out. So after the morphine investigation we should be in the clear. I hope. - Jessiye 9:6

Mother, Jugs, and Speed

2005-06-13T09:44:00.000-04:00

So in between calls on Friday I watched Mother, Jugs and Speed. It was great well minus all the death. But the scary thing was how much it was exactly like the company I work for. We are small have a stupid name. We have angry employees who might show up with a gun. At the moment there is no sex going on. But there was. I'm the only black person and the only women. We have a smaller rival company who instead on being owned by a black guy is owned by a Russian guy. Now just about everything is similar except the drinking in the squad and stealing of each other's calls. But it was kinda weird how similar they were. But I did enjoy the movie. Too have so much death and still have it a comedy shows what EMS is. Humor to cover up hurt. - Jessiye 9:5

Study

2005-06-07T20:39:00.000-04:00

I want to do well on my medic test. But everytime I sit down to study I can't. It's so hard to focus. I know cardiology is the part I am having problems with and I just stare at the books but nothing soaks in. I have less then 2 weeks before the test. Anyone know how to get this stuff into my head? - Jessiye 9:4

Moving to Knoxville????

2005-06-04T21:13:00.000-04:00

Well I ma thinking about moving. Knoxville looks like it will be the spot for me. Anyone out there know anything about Knoxville? Is this going to be a bad move? Because you can doctor up any city to be nice even though it's really not. I want a warmed climate and more stuff to do. Help me out please. Thanx - Jessiye 9:3

Never Blog "slow"

2005-06-04T17:28:00.000-04:00

NEVER EVER EVER Blog about it being slow. About 10 minutes after I submitted my entry the phone rang and rang and rang. We ran our butts off. And Saturdays here are usually slow so we don't staff the station completely. So no matter what don't ever blog about it being slow. I have learned two important lessons since being involved in EMS and blogging. Never blog drunk. And also never blog about your lack of calls. May you all learn from my lessons. - Jessiye 9:2

The Workout and the Slowness

2005-06-04T11:08:00.000-04:00

So about a week ago I walked into Bally Total Fitness to check out the rates. I walked out with a platinum membership. My personal training session killed but overall I am really enjoying working out. Well after I workout I feel good but not during. I also love the fact that there are so many in my area. One 3 minutes from my house. One 5 minutes from the station. and One in between the station and my house. So it's nice I've worked out about 6 out of the last 9 days. My goal is everyday but the memorial weekend kinked my plans. It feels good. I have a LONG way to go but once I am in shape enough to take the entrance test to get into the academy I will be in heaven. Oh and I am going to Hawaii in December so hopefully I will have slimed down enough to look sexy in a swimming suit. I enjoy this so I think I will actually stick with it. Now it;'s been so slow at work that we aren't afraid to say "It's been slow" So nothing good to tell you. But it'd the countdown. Two weeks until the medic retest. Written and Practical. Pray that I'll pass. - Jessiye 9:1

I am not your PCP!

2005-05-22T19:14:00.000-04:00

Okay first off apologies. I've been very slow in postings. I have had things to say but by the time I get to my computer I am too tired or too angry/pissy/upset too post. So this will be a rant and ramble of all that's been going on.

First off I try very hard to disconnect my self from the patient so I can't get attatched. Yesterday we were taking a psych patient too a psych hospital. The transport wasn't short but it also wasn't long. Pt is stable cooperative and over all pleasant. In fact is the pt wasn't;t crazy she'd be a very nice person. But she had been off her meds and when you're bipolar that's a bad idea. So I am in the jump seat finishing up info on my run report. She asks if I'll sit next to her her instead. No problem. Now I don't think I'm nice. But people tell me all the time that I am nice. She asked me my name and I told her then she rambled on about many crazy things. I continued writing my report doing the nod, uh-huh thing. We arrived and took her into the facility. Drop the cot down let her off. I was not prepared for the next thing. She comes at my crying. Pt. "I'll never see you again Jessie." she hugs me and pulls me down and kisses me on the cheek. Inside I superfreaked out. Outside I gave my partner the look of "Get her off me and lets get outta here." After I peeled her off me and said goodbye we headed for the door. As soon as the nurse locked the door behind us and we were outside. I flipped out. I have NEVER had a patient like me like that. Especially not one that KISSED me. I grabbed an alcohol prep and went to town. I felt violated. The pt doesn't get to touch me like that. The guys at the station thought it was hilarious.

Now here is my rant. Does anyone else out there have friends who think you are the hospital? I was out with a friend on my one day off of the week. I get a call from another friend. Can you come up here? Such and such hurt himself really bad. So naturally I ask for symptoms and history. Friend of mine playing church softball somehow fell or was hit and is laying on the diamond in pain and can't get up. So who did they call???? ME! Not 911. Not head for the hospital which is about max 2 minutes from the church. No they call me. I hear "Can you come up here and fix it? There are two other guys hurt too." Usually I'd say sure I'll come check you retards out. But no I was headed for Chipotle and my friend was just back in town and we were having our burritos. GO TO THE ER!!! No they didn't want to have the bills. Well if he can't move without extreme pain you need to go. Hospitals cannot not send you away for being poor. They refuse to go. So I recommend icing the thigh to keep the swelling down. I proceed to catch up and eat a burrito with my friend. My phone rings as we are leaving. "Can you please come up here such and such dislocated her shoulder. It's kinda hanging there." So I scream GO TO THE ER!!!!!!!! She doesn't want to she doesn't like hospitals. AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! "Can't you just come up here and put it back in place with a sling or something. Umm hello she needs an orthopedic surgeon most likely. "But can't you just put it in a sling? Don't you have some slings in your car?" Uhh no I drive a car and I WORK in an ambulance. Plus all I have in the squad is triangular bandages anyway. And of course I know how to rset a shoulder and I have an orthopedic sling in my trunk. OR NOT!!!! So after so more arguing and yelling about the need to go to the ER the subject is changed. Back to guy with the thigh that is really hurting him. Should he really cold with the ice on his leg? I say " No just his leg should be cold." Friend says Oh because he's shivering and kinda pale." SHEET! (It was a warm day) Well ummm (so many things running through my mind like DECOMPENSATING SHOCK FROM A FEMUR FRACTURE) I ask a few more questions. Find out he is covered in two blankets and wearing a sweatshirt. GET TO THE ER NOW NOW NOW NOW!!! Friend says "Yeah I guess we'll go he's starting to cry from the pain. And you're sure you can't come up here and put her shoulder back in place." NO! Just get him and her to the ER now. Why do they do this? Next person I meet outside of EMS I am telling them I work at McDonalds. No I am not your PCP. I do not know what that fungus on your foot is. No I will not touch it. So you accidently stabbed yourself and your bleeding all over the kitchen. Hangup and call 911. You think you might be having a heart attack. Please hang up and call 911. Don't call me! CALL 911! And maybe I'll transport you from hospital to hospital. - Jessiye 8:5

BIG BIG Dilemma I need help.

2005-05-11T22:45:00.000-04:00

So lets say the over of an ambulance company is doing cocaine. You know this because you saw it and a trusted person was offered it to "stay awake" by said owner. Now said owner is also an EMT-Basic and of late has taken over the night shift basic position. You know your owner gets on the squad after he has had drugs and you know controlled substances are not allowed when you work in EMS. Especially in a facility that houses narcotics. So you know this and also somehow FIVE vials of morphine and the plunger are mysteriously missing. It was allegedly reported to the police who should have told the DEA. However the owner who flies off the handle if dishes aren't washed was not concerned about the missing narcotics. Which may lead you to think that it may have been him seeing as he already has a problem. You have also seen him pull his gun out and wave it around when angry in the ambulance bay. So you know these things and there is talk around the local EMS community that your company is on watch by the state. Where does that legally leave you? What is your obligation and how do you cover your ass?? If I don't say anything am I screwed? If I do say something who am I suppose to tell and how can I do it anonymously without getting shot. I just want to make sure no one gets hurt because of someone's stupidity. - Jessiye 8:4

One of the "Guys"

2005-05-08T16:45:00.000-04:00

So after the weeks pranks and such. You know, you go to the bathroom and then flaming paper comes your way. Well the guys have been flaming each other back and forth all week. I figured they wouldn't get me. I'm the girl, there is some kinda code that says you don't do that to girls. I never expected them to get me. I had planned on getting some of the guys cause hey it seemed like fun. I'm in the bathroom I noticed some light by the door and yep BURNING PAPER. I said some things and since it started to burn the floor I had to go stamp it out. When I came out they were sitting there laughing so hard they were red and crying. It was hilarious and it's good to know now I'm one of the "guys". I never expected to fit in. Men and women are so different. And fire and EMS are predominantly male. So it feels good to fit in and get hazed just like everyone else. But payback is on it's way. Something special. Flaming tampon? - Jessiye 8:3

It Comes To This

2005-05-04T19:01:00.000-04:00

I have been avoiding blogging about this for a while. I don't know who reads my blog but I need outside opinions on this. The owner of the company I work for is a bipolar Paranoid schizophrenic. I say this because he goes by two different names depending on his mood. He can be nice and have a great sense of humor or be angry and throw things and yell. He alo thinks that all of his employee are out to get him. He thinks we make up lies to turn people against him. He changes the schedule at a whim just so he can have control over us, the employees. He carries a gun and I just found out he has a small cocaine problem. Now not only is he the owner but he also runs calls when no one else is available. He seems to becoming more and more unstable as the days go on. The one thing I have going for me is that he likes me. But I am worried about what could happen if he snaps. The position that he is in and the way our company is and our state laws say he can carry that gun unless he is in the squad or a hospital. So when he's working as a basic he doesn't carry it. But what is stopping him from getting so angry that he just shoots someone? We are one the verge of having 3 medics quit and half our basics going PRN. Now I made the switch to this company right before all this stuff started happening. So I don't know if I should stay and help this little company out. Cause we have some really good people which is the reason that the majority of the people are still with the company. But a few of the guys fear for their lives. The thing that really bothers me is I NEVER know what is going to happen when I walk into work. It is Wednesday and we still don't have a schedule for next week because the boss keeps changing it on a whim. I have no idea if when I walk in we will still be in operation. I don't know if everyone will be fired. I I'll walk into a fight. I just never have a clue how it will be when I walk in. I have been very frustrated lately. The boss has made the company revolve around one dialysis patient. I have had to stay 2 hrs over my shift almost every shift to pick the pt up at their finish time. Because we are only going to send a basic crew to do that. We can't use the night crew cause we have "save the medic". Last time they asked me to stay we did have another crew but guess what they didn't want to do it. I said no. My partner screamed no. It took me 1 1/2 hrs to calm down. It never takes me that long to calm down. But it just keeps happening. For as many good people as we have we have some really lazy ones. And I am just tired of doing their jobs as well as mine. I really don't mind doing the work but when I start to get taken advantage of and abused cause I am a good worker and I do what is asked of me. I get angry. I take my medic test in a month after I pass (I pray I pass this time) I am going back to the company I came from. I am going to go part time and enroll in a 240 fire class. I did my time in private and I can't stand it anymore. I will hopefully get on a department very quickly. And because this is the only place where my race and color is an advantage I am going to use the fact that I am a double kill (black and a women) to get on the department I want. Now I am not going to score low and hope that affirmative action gets me a spot. I am going to work my butt off and score high then use my leverage to get me a spot. Cause how many of you blockers out there know black female firefighters. I remember the first time I wanted to do fire and not just HEMS. We had an apartment garage on fire. I was helping with hoses and changing tanks. A little girl and her mother were walking on the other side of the fence. The little girl turned to her mother and said. "Mom look. Wow. A women fireman." For me it was awesome. Now there are may things that make men and women different and even though I feel men are stronger I think women can be very strong too. I have surprised many partners when moving a patient onto a bed. Well I guess my dilemma was should I stick around in the hostile environment for about 2 more months or run like the wind? - Jessiye 8:2

So nauseous So Migraine

2005-05-01T21:38:00.000-04:00

This is the second day in a row that I have gotten very sick from a migrain. I didn't get the aura I used to get either. I almost threw up yesterday with an all of a sudden migriane. Not the gradual ones like I am used to. I hadn't had a migriane in about 2 - 3 weeks until yesterday. I was driving along in the squad and then all of a sudden I had a headache but it felt like a bad migraine. Then I was suddenly nauseous. I almost threw up while driving. But I didn't and as soon as we got back to base I went and layed down. For the rest of the day I was sound and light sensitive even after the Ibuprofen. Then the guys convinced me to actually lay down and sleep. There was way to much noise in the garage so I went out to the squad and slept for about 30 min. I felt so much better after that. But it reminds me of the days a few years ago when the only thing that could kill the migraine was sleep. I took some Ibuprofen about an hour ago. But I still have a killer migraine. Looking at this screen is horrible and this may be the very first time I throw up from nausea secondary to migraine. I have never thrown up from a migraine. And right now after some drugs the pain is at a 7 or possibly an 8. So I am going to sleep and I'll give you some more EMS stories another day. - Jessiye 8:1

SOP's and when ya gotta follow them

2005-04-28T23:12:00.000-04:00

So last night we had a misssing medic and the other medic out on an emergency call then we got another emergency call for hypoxia. Oh ok basics can handle hypoxia. Let me just tell you it was an oh sheet call. We get the the area this pt is in and the nurse is sitting at the desk just thumbing herself. We ask which room she points us down that way and goes back to her nothingness. We get in the room and see this guy with a trach half hanging off the bed breathing at about 46 breaths over minute. OH SHEET. We are a basic squad and even though I know exactly what to do It's not is my SOP's. The guy needed some deep suctioning ASAP. I start checking out what percentage his trach is on and if there is a trach mask to transport him with. Then as I am fishing through all the tubing I find that no one has d/c his tube feeding. (Nursing Homes are a cruel and horrible means of torturing someone. If you love your "loved" one then you would never torture them that way.)There is no nurse around to give us a report on what's going on. I asked for respiratory. And they say guess what. "We don't have respiratory here" Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!! So I asked the RN yes it was an RN his name tag said RN. I assumed he learned how to be an RN at some school. So I say to him. This pt need to be suctioned. I can't suction because my protocols don't allow me to. My protocols say only a medic can deep suction. So I say to the RN "Can you suction?" RN replies "I don't know how." I say trying to stay calm "I can show you." RN "We don't have any suction equipment." I look to the suction unit on the wall and of course there is no suction tubing no is there a French catheter or even a yaunckers. Okay I say to my partner we need to get a trachmask and GO! I turn to the RN "Do you have a trach mask for this pt?" RN "uhh Uhh I don't know maybe" LPN opens pts drawer and goes is it this thing? "YES!" I switch the pt we load we go. I am assessing and wishing I had my medic card cause the guy is in need of suctioning and his periphreal edma is in need of about 40 of lasix (pt is a CHFer) Diaphoretic, bad tugor, only responsive to pain. We call the closest hospital and guess what. ON RESTICTION!!! Next closest adds 10 min to our transport time. I call they get angry with me for not having a line or suctioning. I say I can't it's not in my protocols we are a basic unit (I started off with we are a basic unit so when they asked y no line and all the other stuff it was obvious but they asked anyway) Enroute the guys BP started dropping and I was thinking crap he's decompensating. Cause when the NH took it it the pt was hypertensive. (Then again I don't know if they even know how to take vitals) Once we got him into the ER they got him suctioned and wow his pulse ox went from 83% to 97%. Oh did I mention the completely untreated stage 5 decubutis ulcer on his thigh. It was eating away at him as he lay there. I HATE SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES! AND I HATE RN'S WHO GOT THEIR DEGREE OUT OF A CRACKER JACK BOX! If I wasn't worried about losing my certification I would have suctioned the pt. Well hopefully he get's admitted and is taken better care and then put in a home with respiratory. Oh yeah and someone has got to take this 91 year old off FULL CODE and get him a DNR. - Jessiye 7:14

Not Dead. Just Dead Tired.

2005-04-22T21:27:00.000-04:00

So Thursday was suppose to be my day off. But I had had my shifts changed a little and was missing a few hours. So when one of the EMT asked if I could cover the last 3 hrs of his shift. 1900-2200 fine no problem. Then while I am on my way out to enjoy most of my "day off" Another EMT calls me and asks if I can come in early and cover half his shift on Friday. No problem I was suppose to work 1000-2200 but they asked if I could pretty please do 1500-2300. So now I was 1000-2300 fine by me. Then on my way in on I get a call to see if I can hang over on Thursday and do the night shift. Since one of our EMT's kids just had surgery and it didn't go well and his kid was very sick. Well OF COURSE I'll cover for him. Go be with your kids. But that left me with a schedule of 1900 Thursday until 2300 Friday. Which AFTER I agreed I realized might get to me a little. So now I am so tired. And we ran alllllllllll night and alllllll day. Busiest 24 hrs in a two months. Just about 25 calls in 24 hrs with two crews sharing the calls. And we got lost way out to the middle of nowhere hospital. Non stop so I am going on about 40 hrs without sleep cause I only expected to work those 3 hrs so I had some fun on Thursday. Now I shall sleep til I can sleep no more. Or until the alarm goes off. Gotta finish the last two days of that EMS refresher.

- Jessiye 7:13

Lessons of the Day

2005-04-16T21:20:00.000-04:00

Lesson One.
Do not stay out late drinking when you have a 9 am class that is minimum half hour drive from home.

Lesson Two (for all you bloggers)
Do not post to your blog when you are impaired with alcohol. Your post will look like the previous post.

Lesson Three
Eat BEFORE you go drinking. Or be smart and just say no and veg on the couch.

Lesson Four
When you have a history of SVT stay away from Starbucks.

- Jessiye 7:12

Last Day

2005-04-15T11:59:00.000-04:00

I an sio tipsy right now I might even be drubk. I have learned the leason of eating befire drinking. Also a 25 cent bag of popcron does not count as eating. Tofay was my last day at company nimber one. I will miss my partmer. We had alot of fun together and we reakky wored well together. We celebrated with drinks which I am sure is obvious. My partener bough tme a few since it was our last day. I did not plan on gettng messed up. iI also didb't plan on driving messde up but I got home safe and am not driing omparied again. The oaranoia is very bad. I am abou o fall asleeo. G night. Jessuye 7:11

I kan't spel

2005-04-15T08:15:00.000-04:00

For once in my life not knwoing how to spell has paid off. If you goggle Billy Grahm. The way I horrible spelled it. I am the fourth result. I decided to check this out because most of my hits were from someone goggling Billy Grahm. I knew I talked about him way back in November but wow. I never thought I would be that big of a hit. Try it for yourself. Goggle Billy Grahm. BTW. The correct spelling is Billy Graham. - Jessiye 7:10

Early Wakeup

2005-04-15T07:41:00.000-04:00

WARNING THIS IS A RANT. Why the Hell would someone wake you up at 0700 every day for the last week to ask you the same stupid question? "What time do you work?" The same dang time I have worked for the last two months 1200. What the heck kinda person wakes you up at that time when you didn't get in the house until 2300-0000 hrs. And when you grogally answer with gibberish they keep prodding you until you're wide awake. Now you say well maybe they wanted to make sure you're not late for work so they woke you up as a courtesy. I haven't needed help getting up on time for anything since I was in 4th grade so BS. That's what alarms are for. It's just to be mean. That's all. Why would you continually wake someone up at 0700-0730 when YOU KNOW they don't have to get up for about three more hours. And you can't go back to sleep. Not with the sun streaming through the windows birds chirping and all the school people getting ready for school in the house. This person has a nice 9-5 office job. They don't get held over on any calls. They get to go to sleep at the same time every night. Why can't I get sleep. Working every weekday and going to classes all day on the weekend isn't good enough? You have to torture me with the sounds of birds at 0700. If I was ever home then I would have moved out and got my own place. But it doesn't make sense to rent an apartment and never be there. They wonder why I work all the time and am never home. Because I get more crap at home then with my combative patients. - Jessiye 7:9

When Stuff Hits The Fan

2005-04-11T23:56:00.000-04:00

I have developed a vulgarity problem that I blame on EMS. I would never have let a foul word slip past my lips and then bang one day I got so pissed they flew like I did it all the time. Mind you I am surrounded by the words in this field. I have also started liking the drinking and before this I was the straight laced Christian girl who did no wrong. If you hang around with the world you become the world. I have done just that and I am not so sorry about it. I don't like this cussing habit but I can vent a lot better this way and calm down faster so maybe it's good. As much drama and stuff that is currently going on at company number 2 which led to my rampant cussing tonight. I am still leaving company number 1. Now I know you're saying drinking is not going to solve anything only create more problems. I say I talk it up a lot but I don't really do it. One cause no one will go to the bar with me (Probably God's way of getting me out of it) and two cause I don't want to be that person that seems like an alcoholic. The one who comes in every night or every other night and drinks. I've never been drunk and maybe if I ever hit that point I'll leave it alone for good. But as of now I've only had about 5-6 drinks in the last month spaced out pretty good too. So the frustration of EMS has lead to cussing and drinking. I won't even go into why I am typing and drinking tonight. Company number 2 and all it's scheduling nightmares. That's all. Cause stuff hit the fan and it went everywhere. - Jessiye 7:8

Death to the Time Clock

2005-04-10T14:23:00.000-04:00

So after last night I have com to the conclusion that night shift might not be for me. We only had one call but I am so dead. The owner got rid of our night dispatching position. Because hey the Basic can do it so the Medic can sleep. Like the basic doesn't need sleep? Also there is a new torture device and company number 2. The Timeclock. It was needed due to the number of people who come in late repeadily with no call and no real good reason. However the one that was purchased is just wrong. It has an insesent click. The click is load, annoying and makes you want to take a baseball bat to the time clock. The click is not a consistent click like the ticking of a clock. It clicks every minute. By the time you forgot about the click. CLICK it surprises you again. The time clock is right across the room from our little dispatch station. My job was to stay there and wait for calls. All night all I heard was CLICK. But I was getting very tired and need a short nap. I knew I'd hear the phone ring as loud as it was. So I put my head down and started falling asleep. CLICK! Things were said in the direction of the clock. I started drifting off again. CLICK. It went on that way for a good while before my body ignored all sound and shut down on me. My nap lasted for about 1/2 hour before we got a call. Basic transport. My partner told me he could here the clock upstairs in our little sleeping quarters. I had shut the doors to avoid this. So the clock must go before my sanity does. - Jessiye 7:7

Young CVA

2005-04-08T23:13:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we had a CVA. The worst part about it was the patient was only 19. You might say they were probably taking drugs. But the tox screen was negative for everything. This patient wasn't faking either. They had left sided paralysis. The smile was crooked and the arm drifted a lot. The patient looked scared and tried to talk but nothing came out. Enroute the patient managed to slur that the arm hurt where the IV was. The patient had a genuine stroke. It scared me knowing I am only two years older and with this cardiac stuff going on am I a canidate? I only get hypertension when I get tachycardic. I have a history of absence seizures but I haven't had one in about 7 years. I guess I am just being a hypochondriac. This business can do that to you. I try to convince myself that this cardiac stuff is in my head. I tell myself I'm making it happen, it's anxiety, it's in my head. But then it happens randomly and never when I expect it too. Excitement or worrying don't bring it on and neither does exacerbation. So as much as I try to tell myself it's in my head I don't really believe it. But this weekend should be fun. Here's the schedule... 0900-1700 EMS refresher class day 1 1800-0600? Work at company number 2 0900-1700 EMS refresher class day 2. And the bad part. I CAN'T HAVE COFFEE!!! So if you don't hear from me for awhile it's cause I feel asleep and no one woke me up. - Jessiye 7:6

A Day Off

2005-04-06T10:46:00.000-04:00

I have a day off and I don't know what to do with myself. I have a LOT of things that need done around the house but it feel weird to not have to get up and put on my uniform. I probably need a day off to recharge or something like that. It is such a beautiful day outside I was just go to the park and have a very nice long walk. Well after I do some laundry. Forget about laundry SPRING IS HERE and I'm going outside - Jessiye 7:5

Up in Flames

2005-04-05T10:29:00.000-04:00

So I forgot to mention that early Monday morning our critical care transport team was bringing back the critical care squad when it suddenly caught fire. They were about 3 minutes from base. My first question when I found out was. Was anyone in the truck???? The partner I was with was like. "No patients." I'm like well were any of or crew in there. He nonchalantly replies "Yeah I guess but they didn't get any equipment." I was a little peeved by that comment. I asked "Did anyone get hurt?" He says "I don't think so but they didn't save the playstation." (We have a special squad to due critical transport for the children's hospital and on those long trips it's good to keep children preoccupied) I wanted to scream "Who gives a f*** about the playstation PEOPLE almost died." But I just dropped it until I could find someone who had a heart and would tell me what really happened. When we came into base for the night I asked another person who told me that everyone got out safe but the r=truck burned for a long time because the point where it caught on fire was where 3 cities meet and none of them could decide who was ging to respond. So the squad burned for an hour before any crews came to put out the fire. They were a few people gripping about the critical care team not grabbing the O2 out of the squad. But we are a private ambulance company. We don't have any turnout gear stashed on the side of the squad. So in the tee shirts issued they wanted them to go into a BURNING AMBULANCE and get the O2 out to stop the fire faster. They could have only grabbed the portables mind you and a critical care truck has about 3 more on board O2 cylendars then regular squads. Turns out that the very first words out of our GM's mouth when he heard that the squad was on FIRE were "Did they save any equipment?" FIRST WORDS. And I saw one of the guys in the fire at the hospital with a patient later that day and he really looked and sounded like he needed a CISD. I hope the heartless management offers it. Cause he was pretty shaken up but they keep him on shift anyway. Now you see why I am going to company number 2. The owner of number 2 would have asked if no just the crew was okay but he would have asked them by name if they were ok and safe and he wouldn't even think about worrying about the squad until after he knew everyone was safe. So here's my question to the GM. Was all that equipment really worth more then those guys lives? Is a defibrilator worth more then a human life? - Jessiye 7:4

Much Ado About Everything

2005-04-04T23:59:00.000-04:00

So tomorrow marks my 8th day straight of working without a day off. At present I am developing a migraine but I also didn't eat anything today until just now 23:55. Tasty burger! Yesterday I worked at company number 2 for 18 hrs. Now all you 24 hrs are laughing at me. But I ma used to 50 hrs a week not almost 90. I worked 31 hrs at company number 2 and about 54 hrs at company number 1. Working Sunday turned out okay I did lose an hour of sleep but I got it back when I accidentally feel asleep. We didn't have a call from the hours of 0500-1500. Which was nice until 1500 then we got slammed. I tried to convince the partner I was with that calls come in pairs and triplets. He didn't;t believe me and then the phone rang on our way out to the squad. Both crews were out on calls. Then as we were arriving with our patient and our destination we heard over the radio. "Rescue 6 to base" Base. "Go Ahead." R6 "Could you get a truck ready to meet us we may break down before we get to our destination." As we have just finished unloading our pt R6 comes over the radio and "We have broken down at street and street. Please hurry with that truck the patient is very upset." Then we get a call to take a patient out of the hospital we just dropped off at. Then there was the crazy....err umm behavioral problem patient. This patient did not like me at all. She asked me how old I was. I told her I'm in my twenties (some pts get really nervous when they find out how young I am, 21.) She then declared to the entire ER that I was a liar. She knew I was in my thirties and I should not lie because she knows. So I figured this was a good time to get her on the cot and outta there. She grabbed me and told that I wasn't leaving because she wasn't going to let me pretend to her. Needless to say my partner rode in the back with her. Then the tension in the station from R6 going down and then problems that caused was bad. But I still prefer company number 2 then company number 1. Though today I dropped by company number 2 after I finished at company number 1 to pick up some items I left and Rescue 3 was up on blocks. So R6 and R3 are out of commission. Half the fleet down. and to top that off the owners brother-in-law and very close friend who was diagnosed with cancer about a month ago just died. So things are getting tense not to mention the apparent porn on the computers problem and someone getting fired. The place just needs a little tweaking and I think after the funeral and the owners restaurant opening it will be a very well oiled machine. - Jessiye 7:3

SPRING SNOW!!!

2005-04-02T10:13:00.000-05:00

48 hrs ago it was 70 degrees outside. Now it is blustery and SNOWING! Wind chills! I thought it was over. In the next 48 hrs it's going to be in the 60's. Snow and they once again closed that major highway we use to get to the hospitals. Long shift today. Especially because they are apparently punishing us because I tried to give me two week notice since I am going to company number 2. I called our HR rep several times and tried to find her around the offices at the base. She is avoiding me which means I can't give me notice which means it's going to be longer to go to company number 2. I really want to go. But at the moment I have scrounge for a turtle neck. - Jessiye 7:2

Sum Up

2005-04-01T07:26:00.000-05:00

Alrighty I've been busy and so here goes....

So I've had so okay calls like the nursing home that called us at company number 2 for an emergency change in mental status. When we got on scene dispatch advised us to sit tight for a minute. Then dispatch said come on back home the nursing home wants to schedule this for a 1300 pickup. Cause it was such an emergency!!

Tuesday was the funeral. I got to see lots of family I don't usually see. Why is it we don't get together unless someone dies. I hadn't seen the majority of these people in 10 years. Makes you want to make a serious effort to go visit family. Cause death shouldn't be the reason you keep getting together.

Now Wendesday was the day I knew I was switching to company number 2 even before the horrible day happened. When I woke up to work at company number 1 I said to myself man I wish I was working at company number 2. Then I knew it was time to switch. I worked company number 1 at short shift with a pretty good medic. Then we had an incident. To which I may or may not have to write an incident report. My partner was polite and nice and very professional with our patient the family and the nurses aid that was coming along. So professional. I wondered why he was so nice cause these people didn't seem to deserve it to me but I stayed professional. The building the patient had to go to was very far from the only place we are allowed to park at this particular hospital. The hospital has it's own zip code and is several blocks long. The entire trip to the hospital the nurses aide complained about walking and had an attitude. And of course we were professional no matter what I was thinking in my head. We finally got to the radiology building and they did not have a bed to transfer the patient to so we called our dispatch to let them know. Well apparently we were getting slammed and we could not sit around and wait for this patient for 45 minutes. So we asked the secretary if we could get a bed. She was very adamant about how we were making things difficult (and not in the sarcastic way) Once the bed arrived and we transferred the patient there was a big to do about how the patient was getting back. We told them that they could call our company dispatch and set up the pickup. The radiology staff insisted they couldn't do that. So my partner offered to ask the secretary and give her the number and tell her what to do. When this was proposed to the secretary she replied with a headshake and attitude. "I don't do that." So my partner called dispatch to tell them about what was going on and he told dispatch that the secretary said I don't do that. It's not my job. Then the secretary went off and started yelling I didn't say that. Oh but she did. Then dispatch told my partner to give our phone number specifically to the family. Which made the nurses aide upset. My partner went and handed the number to the family in the back she asked him for the number in a manor he couldn't here because he was already in the back. When he came out she barked at him that she had asked him for the number. He told that if she had asked he would have given it to her. Then she started clapping. She threw the paper with the phone number on it and starting clapping she said "This is what they told me to do in church when someone has an attitude." My partner replies. "This is what they told me in church to do in this situation. Walk away." And away we went. With the clapping lady in the background screaming. I am calling your company. And that was the first call of the day. Next I had a hospice lung cancer patient with difficulty breathing when we picked him up for the transfer. The nursing staff informed me he was a DNR. He was very confused and combative. Haldol wasn't really working either. My partner and I look at him and our general impression was. This guy probably isn't going to make it to hospice. Which was fine for me. Yeah my first death in the squad but he was suffering so. Now enroute I decided to check the paperwork. The staff told me everything was in there but I need to see that DNR. And guess what it wasn't in the paperwork. And mister lung cancer was declining. Great I'm thinking as I grab the BVM this guy want to go quietly and legally I've got to work him up. But he kept breathing and fighting me the whole way to hospice. I learned my lesson. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE DNR. A few more things happened on that shift but I've rambled on enough. Today I give my two week notice with the hope I can go PRN at company number 1 so I can still do pro-basketball games and the option to transfer out of state. - Jessiye 7:1

The switch is on.....??

2005-03-28T23:47:00.000-05:00

So I worked at company # 2 today 13 hrs. Now at company # 1 13 hrs would have killed me. But I didn't mind and it seems like they really want me. I mean the supervisor sounds like he really wants me. So as I once again weigh the pros and cons it's looking more and more like company 2. However the hangups are still there. Hangup number 1 - KAREN. But no one wants her but they need medics. Hangup number 2 - HEALTH INSURANCE. Company #1 one covers me for about 40 bucks a month. Company #2 120 bucks a month. And with my cardiac problems I need good insurance. Hangup number 3 SCHEDULE. Well I don't want to go back to twelve's but 12 seems ok right now. I also couldn't stand that rotating schedule and company #2 is going to change to rotating 12's. Other then that I'm good minus Saturday when I was in A-Fib. Tomorrow is my Aunt's funeral I finally hit the acceptance stage but we will see how tomorrow goes when I see her in that coffin and watch as they put her in the ground. It usually hits me really hard seeing them throw the dirt on the casket. Because that means it's actually happening. She's really not coming back ever. So lots of things. Plenty of patient stories but it all escapes me now. Long week last week. I worked everyday but Sunday. I knew that all things were piling on me when I yelled at my psych patient. I can't stand the crazies - Jessiye 6:16

She died and I wasn't ready yet

2005-03-24T23:58:00.000-05:00

My aunt died today and I wasn't prepared for her to go. I sit here nursing my 4th smirnoff and feeling a bit tipsy. I like that feeling cause it's not sad. I can't feel sad yet cause she can't be gone yet. They took her off the vent yesterday because my uncle remembered she has a living will. DNR. As he put it "She didn't want all those tubes and extra stuff." She started breathing on her own. She opened her eyes and stared. I had hope yesterday. I knew she was near the end but I thought maybe she would come back for a little bit so I could tell her I loved her and I'll miss her. And to tell my mom and grandma I say hello. I didn't want to think about it. But I can hardly see the screen as tears fill my eyes. I found on while I was working and I wasn't ready I don't want to be ready. She wasn't suppose to die yet. My uncle was ready but I wasn't my little brother wasn't. The funeral is Tuesday and my little brother is heart broken because he will be on tour in Boston with jazz band. They have eight tour stops in 5 days. He's got three solos he can't miss. I needed to tell her I'm sorry I didn't visit her when I planned. I needed to apologize for not being a good niece. For spending all my time on me. I'm sorry Aunt Ethel! I miss you. I love you. I'm not ready for goodbye. - Jessiye 6:15 :'''(

To Switch or Not to Switch

2005-03-23T23:49:00.000-05:00

So today I worked at company #2 and we were semi busy. I had four calls three emergencies. The one included a 480 lb man with CHF, Hypertension, Asthma who had ran out of his meds seven days ago. Now presenting with a BP of 190/130 Audible wheezing after 3 albuterol treatments at doctors office. Now it was only we and my partner. This company doesn't have someone around for backup. The other crew was on an emergency call. So all we have is two crews at a time. Now the load limit on this cot is only 400 lbs. And it worked fine right until we got outside the ER then the wheels didn't want to drop. And the cot was just serviced yesterday. We got him in and tada the cot stopped bowing.

I enjoyed that we get actual emergencies. I like the company and although I've been stressed recently I think it's because I can't decided where to go. They really need help and are very desperate for people. So desperate they have decided to hire Karen. She's a bad medic not just a mean person. She wouldn't take vitals on our transports. She just made them up or copied them off the chart. In the few times we had emergencies she didn't want to start a line even when the patient needed it. It wasn't even as though she looked a saw no veins she didn't even attempt not even a thought in her mind. Nor did she get actual vitals on these patients. She has been fired from 3 EMS agencies in 2 years. Company number 2 has decided to hire her anyway. They really need medics. Now I of course like the company but she being there is a big hangup for me. So I talked with my father about it. And he told me he had prayed that she would be taken out of my life so I could enjoy my job. So why would I follow her if he had prayed that she be taken away. Then my step mother told me that I don't want to work for a company that is so desperate they compromise. If they compromise with a person who has wrecked numerous squads and been fired 3 times then it's not worth it. I told her that the supervisor wanted to give her a fresh start. My step mother said "She had THREE fresh starts." Which made me think that this is not where I want to work if that's what they value. So after much thinking and pacing and debating and making lists. My final decision cam down to the only plus at company number 2 is the experience. But Karen being there and jeopardizing my life (with her driving) and possibly my license. Makes it not worth it. When at company number 1 I have a good partner. The perfect schedule. No other real problems then the usual broken equipment, missing equipment and corporate mindset. I am going to call company number 2 on Friday and tell them that with Karen I can't compromise in that situation is never good. So if anyone is still reading my blog I need a little advice. - Jessiye 6:14

Guilt and Grief

2005-03-22T10:02:00.000-05:00

So about 2 1/2 weeks ago I had an off day and I was thinking about visiting my aunt who I hadn't seen in a while. I knew she'd love them company because she can't leave the house much with her emphysema which is exacerbated by exersion. So that day I watched a movie or worked online instead thinking yeah next off day. Well I found out on Sunday she had a stroke and is now in a coma. I knew my uncle would be so hurt. They have been married for about 60 yrs. (they are my great aunt and uncle) So I went to visit in the ICU yesterday and visited. I wanted to see her as a patient so I could detatch myself. But I couldn't. She was on the vent because she had sstopped breathing on Sunday. Apparently for 4 minutes before anyone caught it. They told my uncle there will be irreversible brain damage. I stared at her vitals trying to pretend I didn't know what they meant. Not triggering the vent at all. Irregular heart beat. And not much there. I don't know how to deal with grief. I have always told myself crying is what weak people do. I ignore it. I push it to the side. I feel a little bad that I didn't visit when I should have but not really. I feel a little sad but not really. Am I heartless. My aunt is great. I love her and my uncle. What happens when it's over she's gone and I still feel complacent. Where did my soul go? - Jessiye 6:13

Another Job

2005-03-21T23:26:00.000-05:00

I started at the other company today and It was pretty good. I only had one run it was an emergency call for respiratory distress. When we got to the NH (nursing home) our [patient who is usually on 3 l/m via NC had no O2 on her nasal canula was laying on the floor and her respiration where 26 shallow and very labored. No staff was around to give us any report when we got there. Audible rales and a history of hypertension but I got a BP of 95/descending. and my partner got 98/45. So we loaded her up to go. And she decided she didn't want to go. She was alert and oriented. She knew all the questions. The nurse finally convinced her to go and we attempted a line but she had nothing and the only line we could find blew. So off we go to the hospital about 7 minutes away. On the way over she went into A-Fib. That was our only call of the day while I was there. Now it was supposed to be a day of evaluation . Seeing whether I liked the flow and could handle the calls. All I did was clean the station cause the owner was dropping by. A slow station is fine by me! But the horror of the day was seeing my old partners name on the wall to be interviewed. You may remember Karen. I had to decide. I liked the people and the company seemed nice. I promised myself I would never be treated that way again. I had to tell them. They have nice new squads. Karen wrecked 3 in the 6 months she worked at the company I am currently at. I had to let them know. I also told them if she were hired I would not work there. I knew I couldn't do it again. Apparently the boss liked me and would rather have me then someone who wrecks squads. They are very understaffed and it's stressing them to the limit. They are great people though and they actually care about their employees. Now I just have to figure who to go part time with - Jessiye 6:12

Emergency Crainotomy

2005-03-19T08:47:00.000-05:00

Last night we had a real fun one. I got called every name in the book (and some that aren't in the book) last night. The patient was angry and not to combative. He kept coming to me and my partner getting right in our face and shaking his finger at us. "I am not having any operation." "What you do will come back to you." "They can see what you're doing, they know." We were getting the paperwork thinking about maybe getting some help from staff to get him on the cot. Our transfer paper said he was going for an emergency crainotomy. When he suddenly just jumped on the cot and started yelling. "Let's go mother f*****s." "Let's get out of this mother f******g s**t hole." "Let's go now!" So my partner goes to put a blanket on him since it's cold outside. "Don't you put no mother f*****g blanket on me b***h." No blanket for him. I got to strap him in and since I had to reach over him I said "Excuse me sir." He says "Don't be polite to me mother f****r. And don't touch me you aint no honkey." The nurse pulled me aside while my partner finished strapping him in and told me that he doesn't like black people. I look at the guy and my expression gave it away. The nurse told me he thinks he's white. (Oh of course the black man that thinks he's white and hates black people) I was very glad I wasn't going to be in the back for this one. We get him out to the squad and as we are loading it he starts yelling at me "Don't touch me. Don't touch me b***h" This was going to be a very long ten minute drive. As we're driving I hear him yelling all kinds of stuff. A few things pricked my ears "The mother f*****g bitch shouldn't be driving. She doesn't know where she's going." "Only men should drive not that stupid black b***h" I had felt sad for him because he will never be the same again, never be himself. Taking out part of his brain seems drastic but he's violent at times. But his comments were making me less and less sorry for him. I really dislike vulgarity. After we dropped him my partner goes "I don't think I like Psychs anymore." Exactly! - Jessiye 6:11

Ambulance Driver and the Psych's

2005-03-17T11:55:00.000-05:00

My partner and I were called ambulance driver three times today. The first time I got a little upset. The second time I was getting pissed. However my partner reminded me that this was a step up from the other day. When the nurse shouted out. "The transporters are here." Made me want to throw my [metal] clipboard at her. So yehaw ambulance driver is better then transporter. But that third time I was half ready to pull a SeaDoc (aka StreetDoc/Medic 119) But I was once again reminded by my partner that it is much better then transporters.

So my partner loves the psych patients. I on the other hand am not that big a fan. Tonight we got a call to a nursing home for a combative patient. Pt was given Haldol but does not know they are going to the hospital. Pt is violent at times. My partner was excited. I was not looking forward to pulling out the restraints. Then we didn't have restraints just some odd cloth belt looking things. I’m thinking we might have someone swinging at us and no restraints. Great! We get into this place which is in the run down neighborhood (aka the ghetto). But the place is beautiful and the staff has got it together (things I am not used to). We are directed to the room in the company of a large male nurse. So we get there and the RN tells her she needs to get on the cot. She tells him she aint gettin on no stretcher cause she don't have too. She would not be convinced at all. 20 min in we tried to "help" her onto the cot. Bad idea. She started flailing and the walker almost went airborne. Then she sat down on her couch and refused to get up. I was ready to "help" her up onto the cot and strap her in so we could get going. The nursing staff had an idea to have a female call the room and pretend to be her daughter and try and convince her to go. The old lady wouldn't buy at all. She kept saying I bet your name is ...... but you’re not the same ...... I know. They tried convincing her that it was just an x-ray that she was getting. But she insisted that someone was going to put something in her vagina and she wasn’t going to have any more children she already had four. The women is 78 and combative. I was getting really tired of it. So I had another female nurse help me pick her up and move her onto the cot. She fought the whole way. But once she was on the cot she was just fine. She told me she was going because I asked so nicely. I asked nicely a few times about 45 minutes ago. The trip to the psych hospital was very uneventful she didn't give my partner any trouble. I drove because I'm an ambulance driver not really my partner loves psychs so go ahead and have them buddy. When we got there they had to take her purse. That was so much drama. She demanded a paper that said what was in her purse and who took it and when she was getting it back. Now she was convinced she was going for x-rays. Any lie that gets you on my cot is fine by me. But they were not happy with us for going along with the lie because she was being admitted. If we had told her she was going to the psych hospital I might still be trying to strap that strong old lady down. Then they came to get blood work. And yep protective services had to be called. I don't like psych patients. My partner had a ball. - Jessiye 6:10

Dilemma

2005-03-15T23:38:00.000-05:00

The company I currently work for was my third choice when job hunting. The first company I wanted to work for has nice squads and equipment and about the same coverage as where I am now. However, they only hire white males. I am neither. The second company is very small compared to all the others in the area they have about 4 squads. They pay more ten the other companies too. The third company actually interviewed me on the spot and offered me a job. I took it.

The second company called me and asked if I was still interested. I really like my partner we work great together. I am okay with the company. It's corporate and treats the employees like it's corporate. All they see is money. There are many things that bother me but that's going to happen everywhere. The second company runs some 911. My current job does not. Where I am now I have the chance to go almost anywhere in the US because the company is national and has bases in many states. I could transfer to a city, state that only runs 911. Second company runs 24 hr shifts. I really like my current schedule I worked hard to get switched around so I could have certain days off to attend church. If I went with company two I'd be the only black person or woman. Now that has never mattered to me but my experiences recently have told me that sometimes it matters. I am really enjoying what I am doing now. I actually kinda like going to work. My partner is great we have had semi decent squads and semi slow days. But this second company pays more and does some 911. Same coverage area.

There are so many things to figure out. I'm pretty happy where I am at. Do I go more money and experience??? - Jessiye 6:9

Peds and Patience

2005-03-13T00:47:00.000-05:00

Here cometh a rant: Pediatrics. My partner and I have had about 5 peds patients in the last two days. I do not like dealing with kids in the emergency situation. I especially do not like having parents in the back with me. I think yeah if it was my kid I wouldn't leave their side either. But they just watch you and try to tell you this and that and ahhhhhh!!!

Dispatch. Ever just want to go through the radio and kill your dispatchers? Is it so hard to get the info right. Give directions that don't get you lost 20 miles in the wrong direction. And when you have a 1 yr old let you know so you can get a car seat. Or maybe position trucks so you don't have to dispatch another truck from A which is 45 minutes from B when the pick up was 40 min ago. Ahhhhhh!

Just a ..... Had a patient to who asked me about how long I've worked and what I was. Pt states "So you're just a Paramedic?" Me. "Yeah, I'm a paramedic." Is it me am I just pissy today or does "Just a Paramedic" bother anyone else? What did he want the president to transport him? aRRGG aHHHHH!! It's been a LONG week. 70 plus hrs. (and apparently I am only getting OT for 7 of those hrs). Extremely long transport and no breaks of any kind. Getting sent our next patient before we finish with the one we have.

Pardon my rant. TWO DAYS OFF!!!! I promise to try to be less pissy next post. - Jessiye 6:8

Health Update

2005-03-07T22:40:00.000-05:00

So I'm doing pretty good. I've had the heart monitor since Friday (03/04/2005). Friday and Saturday I had two episodes each day. One aspirin relieved the pain which was at a 4 both days. I started on Prevacid on Friday. Sunday was very good no pain or tachycardia but I was so tired after church I had lunch and then slept from 1800-sometime this morning (0930-1000). I had some odd tachycardia today though. Since I was well rested and did nothing on my off day but read blogs and work on websites. I recorded the episode but I didn't get tachy enough for me. I was at about 118. Although a few minutes before I was at 58. I was just sitting on my couch and I started feeling really racey. I took my Prevacid about 2 hrs later then I have been. However I still don't think it has anything to do with acid reflux. My concern now is the irregularity. I go from 58 to 75 to 62 to 81 to 93 to 74. I'll just be sitting there just sitting at home or in the squad and it's crazy. Up and Down. Watching it on our pulse ox is interesting. I just sit there and sometimes have my partner watch it so I'm not influenced by it. But less pain is a big improvement. Only about a day cause I'm feeling tachy and a little pressure now. But maybe it is acid reflux. I don't know. I have a vent class at work tomorrow. So now my partner and I will get an ALS Plus squad. Vent trips all day. Great! - Jessiye 6:7

Running Hot, It's Okay

2005-03-05T11:50:00.000-05:00

So today was the first time I drove while running hot. So it's the first time I ran hot. Nothing special. It wasn't exciting or thrilling. Kind of just part of the job. No tachycardia whatsoever. Part of the time traffic actually stopped and got out of the way. But in any true emergency of any kind I have always been extremely calm. Even when I was little when someone cracked their head open or there was a lot of blood I was calm while everyone else freaked out. Emergencies don't thrill me. I get thrills out of seeing little stupid things that no one else cares about like the cart escalator at Target. Love It!! The call was interesting though. We respond and when we get to the NH the staff is no help at all. Vitals are fine. Pt denies pain, SOB, chest pain. Put her on the monitor and she won't stay still long enough to get a rhythm. Once we get her in the truck and try a line 3 times with no luck. We head off. She ends up in AFib. My partner finally found some history in the paperwork. Meanwhile ETA 7 min mental status getting lower. My partner sees that she was at the ED yesterday (same one and pretty good too) for an AMI or TIA. Apparently sometime yesterday she became unresponsive and pulesless. Someone at the NH thumped her and TADA! But they just sent her right home after a possible MI!!! Well you can have her back she's in AFib fix it up right this time. - Jessiye 6:6

Ghetto Squad

2005-03-03T22:59:00.000-05:00

Ghetto Cot (my partner congratulates me on an improv done well).

So when my partner and I got our squad we noticed there wasn't a back on our cot. No place to put extra airway tubing and masks, or the O2. We figured out how to carry the O2 by placing it right in front of the head elevating lever. So we head off to pick up patients. Our first call is ALS requiring monitor, O2 and saline running. Then we realize we have no where to put the monitor. My partner tries to balance it. But as soon as we moved the cot it started to fall through. Then I had a brilliant idea. We have tape!! So I tapped the back in a way that we could still break it down but also still hold the monitor when need be. (see above picture) But as we found out that wasn't the only thing our squad was up too. The lights in the patient compartment and rear flood blinked and flickered every time we hit a bump. Then we heard an odd clicking when you accelerated. Turns out that also made the lights flicker on and off. Then we had patient’s complaining of cold air blowing on them. Sure enough our heat was blowing cold. Back at base there were no working squads. In fact they had to send two squads home upon arrival because there were no trucks for them. Eventually we got a new truck. My old squad. I knew that even though the side door took a special way to open we at least had heat and no flickering. Good day. Chest pain at 4 relieved with one aspirin. Tomorrow I get set up with a 30 day cardiac monitor. - Jessiye 6:5

AcipHex Side Effex

2005-03-03T08:04:00.000-05:00

Oh my goodness. I feel so sick. The headache is nothing compared to the migraines I usually get. So I don't care about the headache. The (NEED TO KNOW INFO) diarrhea is not going to work for me. I am supper nauseous. I am trying not to vomit but something wants back up. I tried having chicken soup and bread last night. Only got half way through before a bathroom trip. The big thing is the chest pain is still there. I feel tachy and it hurts (2 out of 10) I don't think this pill is going to work. I don't think I have acid reflux. I am so frustrated. I want to throw things. I want to cry. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME? - Jessiye 6:4

Acid Reflux?!?!?

2005-03-02T15:56:00.000-05:00

So I saw my doctor today. And do to the location of the pain. He is pretty sure it's acid reflux! Yep now I am one of those people. Who goes to the ER for heartburn. It never felt like heart burn. If it is this simple then yehaw! Take that you ER anxiety docs. My Doctor said "No I can tell right now. It is not anxiety." HA!

My first reaction was disappointment. Like all this and it's heart burn!!! Then I was like hey if that's all it is we've got an easy fix. Now my doctor asked me about nausea. I didn't think much about the question cause I am usually nauseous everyday. Right after I eat the nausea kicks up a notch. So something in my head said. Tell him that. I told him I have daily nausea and he said. You shouldn't. Your stomach should feel good. So I really think this will help. However it could still be cardiac. Doubt it. But he wants me on a 30 days cardiac event monitor. The Tech wasn't there today so I will see if I can slip in an get it before work tomorrow. It allegedly will not effect all the equipment on my squad.

So I am going to be on AcipHex (rabeprazole sodium) for a month. He said just a month and it should all be good. How ever here is the side effects list .....

Headache
Rash
Dry mouth
Difficulty in sleeping (insomnia)
Excess gas in the stomach and intestines (flatulence)
Blood disorders
Disturbances of the gut such as diarrhea, constipation, nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain
Dizziness
Inflammation of the throat (pharyngitis)
Inflammation of the liver (hepatitis)
Flushing of the skin due to widening of the small blood vessels (erythema)
Weakness or loss of strength (asthenia)
Inflammation of the lining of the nose (rhinitis) causing a blocked or runny nose
Cough
Chest pain
Pain in the muscles and joints

Now I am receiving this because it is causing chest pain. I suffer from migraines. So we will see. I pray the flatulence thing doesn't happen. I am pretty excited about not having chest pain or nausea. Wow I've had nausea almost everyday for like 3 yrs. (err umm I haven't seen my primary care in about 2 1/2 yrs) This could be very good. I just took one and it is supposed to take 2 hrs to start working so.... - Jessiye 6:3

Careful It's Snowy

2005-03-02T09:33:00.000-05:00

Too all you Emergency Service Workers (EMT, Medic, Police, Fire, DOT, Nurse, Doctor) who live the northeast of USA. Careful in this winter storm. Make sure the motorist can see you extracting. If anyone got hit like we did. The blowing snow blinded you and suddenly there were things in front of you. In the 8 hrs of my shift that it snowed. I saw many MVC's (Motor Vehicle Collision). So those of you who got more snow then me. Just becareful. Because we all know that everyone forgets how to drive when it starts snowing again. - Jessiye 6:2

Good Day, Bad Weather, Cardiac Pain

2005-03-01T23:59:00.000-05:00

So at the beginning of the shift I was like "Great, I'm with the high school kid." There is this kid who got his basic the week after he turned 18. He is still in high school and works part time for the company. It's been around that he is a bit juvenile. Yeah he is an 18 y/o male. So he isn't very mature. He is a bit of a know-it-all. He talks a lot and is kind of hyper/impatient. My initial reaction was....He must have left his Ritalin in his desk. But he's a good kid. He knows his basics. In a few years he will be a great Medic. He was also a caring guy. No problem riding with him again I think I worried him though. I was once again having cardiac issues. We had a long time to the destination of one trip. So on the way there I got to a pretty intense pain. 3 out of 10 stayed consistent for a while and my hr was 115-120. So I took an aspirin. We finished they trip and I had come down to the 70's and my pain was gone. We finish the trip we are just talking and I feel a pain. It gets intense again. I'd rate it a four. Little SOB. My rate was 135. So my partner said there was no way I was driving. He drove back. I took another aspirin. Pain went down. Heart rate in the 80's. The blizzard hit us. We had a few accidents but no injuries. About that time we learned our siren and horn didn't work. We head back to base for a new truck. I go to park the broken truck and as I am about to open the door. Bang! It feels like a horse just kicked me in the chest. I stopped and touched my chest. Pain level at 5-6. Heart rate 145. The pain subsided to a 3 and I parked the truck. Then I took another aspirin. So I had 3 baby aspirins in about 4 hrs time. Pain went down. I was at 1-2 for a while. I didn't tell my partner about that sudden sharp pain. He had already threatened to take me to the ER twice. Yeah let me go back to the ER so they can ignore me and tell me I'm faking it. It's only anxiety. He caught on though and asked what the limit was. I told him if that pain happened again and I got over 140 he could take me in. I stayed at 115-120 for about half an hour. I tried to get him to let me drive. Cause I felt guilty having him do all the driving. He told me if my rate stayed below 100 for an hour I could drive. 99 didn't cut it for him. I stayed in the 80's for a few patients. The blizzard made our response time horrible. How many times in one call can dispatch ask you for your ETA?? I thought I was going to need aspirin #4. Pain went to a 2 and rate went to 125. But I knew my partner would take me to the ER if I took another one. I sat back for 15 min with my eyes closed. Pain went to 1 and rate went to 100. Several times through out the shift I was reminded of A) If Me or my partner had a patient with any of these symptoms we would have taken them to the ER along time ago. B) If anyone back at base heard these symptoms I would get pulled off the road. It didn't affect pt care. As long as this thing doesn't affect pt care it's okay. It hurts like heck and the SOB is no fun. But I try very hard to make sure it doesn't affect pt care. I'm calling my doctor tomorrow especially since right now I've got a pretty good headache a little chest pain that radiates to my right shoulder. Don't worry I'm off tomorrow. - Jessiye 6:1

Heart Rate Watch

2005-02-28T23:05:00.000-05:00

My heart rate monitor watch!
I got a watch that I can check my
heart rate when I feel tachy.
And it's ECG acccurate!
MIO Shape Watch
Jessiye 5:17

Fantabulous Day

2005-02-28T21:59:00.000-05:00

Today was great. (despite the ever present cardiac stuff) My partner was a Christian. I even got to listen to the Christian radio station without hearing. "I'm not listening to that." (So you can listen to what ever you want. But I can't listen to something of faith. My faith that defines me.) My partner actually turned it on!! I was like hey it's the station! It was an 8 hr shift to help cover my sick day. So it was pretty good. Easy load. Outta the way trip with non existent patient. Took at least 2 hrs off the day. We actually got out on time. Our shift was supposed to end at 2000 it ended at 1958. Wow. Yeah I know you're impressed.

So cardiac issues today. My heart still felt all tachy this morning and I couldn't get a nice full breathe. It hurt to expand my lungs. So I kept trying to ignore it because "its just anxiety” But if I was going to provide good patient care I needed something. I know aspirin helps vasodilate the heart. Now I have never thought aspirin was going to do anything for me. So I was pretty unsure on the baby aspirin doing anything. After about 20 min I could take nice full breaths and I didn't have chest pain I just felt tachy. So I was surprised and happy. Something worked a little. I ended up having to take another one about 4 hrs later because the pain came back a little fierce but my very kind partner offered to drive while I recouped. 15 min later I was perfectly fine. Well still feeling tachy. But 10 min later. Everything felt good. I left my partner sleep while I drove back to base - Jessiye 5:16

Cardiac Episode Number 2

2005-02-27T11:32:00.000-05:00

So my new partner (if I don't get the shift change I want) is such a donkey. H e did stuff al day long just to drive me up a wall. Buzz me if he had pt care and I was driving. Turn on the light and/or siren when we were on our way too post or just `on our way to call with no need to respond. And it wouldn't have bothered me if I didn't already feel crappy. I felt weird and not together all day. I kept making mistakes. Not with patient care though. I just kept getting lost. I was making wrong turns and when I need to go south I was going north or when I need to go west I was going east. I kept making stupid mistakes and my heart was starting to feel funny not right. Around 1830-1900 my heart started to have this flutter feeling. I felt a little light headed and took a few missteps. My partner says you okay and I told him I just felt crappy then I informed him of the SVT incident. Cause any time I feel something in my chest I worry about going back there. So we got our next call I was driving. I swerved a little and I was starting well really bad. My partner looks over at me as he hands me the radio and says "You look like shit. Call dispatch and tell them we can't take this trip you need to get back to base." To tell the truth I felt like crap. I felt light headed. My heart felt like it was going a thousand miles I was diaphoretic (Sweaty). So I called dispatch and told them something was going on with me and I couldn't do the trip. So they came back with you're refusing it. I was like no I feel like dying. They come back with this trip has been delayed three times we need you over there now. I say okay okay we'll take it. But I told me partner he needed to drive because I was getting really loopy. I pulled over we switch. I grabbed the pulse ox. I was at about 115 for a pulse and 94%. But I felt a lot crappier then 115. About 10 min out. Dispatch tells us to disregard and RESPOND to a city about 30 min from where we were. We light it up. The new guy was asking me if we ever run hot at this company. Yep I told him and we usually respond from some where far far away. We get there and I'm okay. Chest still hurts but no SOB. We were called for an elevated temp. The lady was lethargic and getting more lethargic. She started complaining of nausea when we moved her to the cot. I did all the work for my partner so "he could write" We had had 4 ER calls already that day and I did EVERYTHING but put the needle in pt's arm. So she is sating at about 93% we but her on 2 lpm. Then all of a sudden she takes a big gasp and she jumps from 88 bpm to 151 bpm and her SpO2 went down to 88%. So we put her on the monitor and we notice a second degree type 2. She has no history of a heart block though. She came back down to 108 on 4 lpm. We drop her off at the ER and my partner wants me to drive back to base. I still feel weird. Dispatch tells us to return and asks what was up with me. Was I just joking? No I told her. I was probably going to go the ER tonight. Now she's concerned. So she asks my partner to put me on the monitor and see what's up. He tells me no lets just go back to base. So I vagelled myself down a few times as we drove back to base. When we got there dispatch asked me what the monitor said. I told her my partner didn't want to put me on it. She told me to come back there and she would put me on the monitor. When I got back there she said that other people who have worked with my partner have said he was a jerk and cuts corners. I said yep there were two calls we should have started lines on. But I don't have me medic card so what can I do. I was a normal sinus at about 101. But it didn't feel normal. One the way home I was still debating on whether or not to go to the ER. The pain was still there and I felt crappy but maybe it would go away. I missed my exit somehow and ended up at the exit right by the hospital. So I took it as a sign that I should go. I check myself in. I wasn't feeling as bad as before but everybody at the station wanted me to get checked out. They get me back there and do a 12 lead and draw blood and hep lock me. Doc comes in gets some history and brushes me off. He tells me you don't feel a flutter at 120. So the fluttering feeling in my chest must have been imaginary. He tells me a nurse will be back to put me on the monitor so they can watch me while they wait for chems to come back. So all of a sudden my chest starts to really hurt. I was semi laying back. Then my respirations started increasing a lot. So I sat up to catch my breath. Then it really started hurting a whole lot and I couldn't catch my breath at all I could even get a word out. The nurse hadn't come back to but my on the monitor and I couldn't get enough air to call for the nurse. I was tripoding at the end of the bed. I didn't see the call button and I still couldn't get enough air to call anyone. About 10 min of this went by before I slowed down enough to call nurse. So after I got it loud enough. Someone came and said what's wrong. (I was breathing like I had just run a marathon) In my one word sentences I told her. Can't...Catch...Breath...Hurts. As I put my hand over my sternum. She left and then the doctor and two nurses came. My breathing had started to slow down. By the time the doc asked me a question I could get a full sentence out. He said you're only at 120 (that's cause 10 min ago I was probably at 160) He says just try to bring your breathing down. As though breathing at about 40 times per minute was a choice. I was still coming down to about 110 when they did the 2 EKG. And my breathing was at 36-38 and very shallow. He left the room and dismissed it all because my rate at the moment wasn't very tachy. Where were you people for the last 15 min? I finally calmed down to a 90 hr but my reps were still at about 30. They gave me some adenocard and toredol. My rate went up and down after that and the pain didn't lessen. My reps went to normal though. They were waiting for x-ray and CT scan. I saw one or two PVC's with the feeling I got when I saw them. But the doc thinks I'm making it up anyway and they weren't recording the rhythm. X-rays were clear. However apparently I am allergic to contrast (they said I would be since I am allergic to shellfish). So they had to call in a special technician to do and IVP test. They told me to take a nap because it would be over an hour before the tech could get there and draw up the correct dose of neuroiodine something or other. I fell asleep about 0415 (I was admitted at 0030) about 0445 they came to take me to radiology. My chest pain was pretty much gone when I woke up. The test came back negative. Everything was negative except for low magnesium. Doc says its anxiety and I should see if my primary care wants to do a holter test for 24 hrs. How is it anxiety when I am worried about nothing other than this "cardiac" thing? And why is that pressure (feels like someone has the heel of their hand pressing on my sternum, just pushing nice and hard.) still there? Anxiety doesn't help me figure out why this keeps happening. In any emergency I am calm because I know what I have to do and there is nothing to get excited about. So they told me not to work today so I am going to catch up on my sleep (since I left the ER at 0600). I just hope they found a partner for my partner. - Jessiye 5:15

Long Shift

2005-02-26T01:24:00.000-05:00

So Friday was great. The new guy didn't show so I got put with someone who worked half of my shift. At the end of his shift and a bit past the middle of mine our squad broke down right after we dropped our patient off. We go out to the squad that was running fine 7 minutes ago. We try to turn it on and all we get is a click click click. We are very busy this time of day. So an hour later someone they held over came to pick us up. I was hoping it was the end of my shift. No such luck they found me a partner for those last 3 hrs. So I was like okay by the time we get a new truck checked out we will have time for 2 trips. Cause wasn't going to let them through the third run at me. First run fine. We completed about 2012. Since my shift is 0900-2100 I knew they'd give us one before sending us back to base. So we get an emergency call from a NH. (Nursing Home) We get in there and we see our patient and are like...Oh shoot. He trached up. He's on two concentrators and sating at about 90% on 8 lpm. He only opens one eye when you call his name and the incision in his head behind his right ear is oozing puss. This is his second day at the NH. They don't know anything. Only history was that he had a trach. Now his whole left side seemed to be paralyzed. He could squeeze a little with his right hand but his left hand did nothing and kept falling off the bed. We stuck his left arm no withdrawal of any kind. NH said they had no history of a CVA (Stroke) and they had no idea why he had a 12 inch incision behind his right ear. Now he needs evaluated in the ED (Emergency Department). The preferred hospital was all the way downtown. We were far from downtown. We were passing 3 hospitals on the way there. And we had to go through the city since they closed that part of the highway. I told my partner gimmie the signal and I'll light it up and we will be at the closest ER. Oh yeah I forgot to mention he was on timed suctioning at the NH. Respiratory assured us he wouldn't need suctioning for another hour. Too get him on our cot and situated the correct way to not mess with the vent mask and get down to our squad he and sucked our at the time full tank down to the red. We had a thousand on our on board so we were too concerned. And on our tank he has sating at 95-96% on 8 lpm. When we got to the ED. (45 minutes later) they had two spots open but no bed for us to transfer to yet. H e was sucking our tank dry so we put our cot in the room and hooked him up to their O2. Pt care was turned over and we headed back to base. About 10 min from base a supervisor comes over the radio and asks if we can do one more trip (HECK NO It was 2350). It was a life flight trip. There hasn't been a life flight trip yet that has taken less then 5 hrs. So what they want me to get off at 0600 and then come onto my next shift at 0900. HA! I came home for sleeping. - Jessiye 5:14

New Name

2005-02-24T23:00:00.000-05:00

Any of you out there think I need a new moniker? I have been thinking that Jessiye is my name and I need something that's more what I do and what I am. Glorified Taxi Driver has come to mind..... I don't have any kids. I am new at this but I won't be new forever. RookieMedic has crossed my mind a time or two. Those of you who regularly read my blog (yes they do exist) help me out please. I am hoping my personality has come to surface. Well if not read My 100 Things. But hey maybe you like the way I spell my nickname. - Jessiye 5:13

Energy Burst (Happiness)

2005-02-24T21:20:00.000-05:00

So I am like crazy hyper super energized. I don;t know why. Could be because I didn't start work today until 1400. We got cut today because even though they begged us to come in there were no trips for us. They cut about 4 squads tonight. I was supposed to work until 2200 but got cut around 1945. So I think my energy is from expecting to work all night. I worked with this guy I have worked with before. In fact now that I am getting a new shift. He will be my partner. I think we work good together. He's pretty cool. Hates Jews because they killed his father. I can work around that though. We should be paired up the first full week of March. So yeah for that.

However this weekend is going to be crazy. They are shutting down a very large portion of a the highway that we use to get the hospitals and nursing homes in our coverage area. It will be shut down all weekend. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Those days are my last couple of 12 hr shifts. However I will be with a new guy. Fresh outta medic school just trained. Now I still don't really know my way around that well. I am going to get so turned around avoiding the closed highway. Cause I know how to get to the hospitals from that highway. So it is going to be a long weekend. I will post my adventures of being lost .

Sidenote. StreetDoc (SeaDoc) put little me on his blog role. Shout out to Street Doc. (He and MedicMom are the reason I started blogging) Life is good. I'm happy. Smile. - Jessiye 5:12

AlQueda Flu

2005-02-23T22:26:00.000-05:00

Yes my paranoid rambling has begun. Maybe I've got a fever. Nope a cool 37 degrees. So as I was cruising through the blogsphere, I noticed that about 1 in 5 blogs I came across has a recent entry about feeling sick. Stuffy/runny nose. Sore throat. Slight cough. They all have the same feeling just about. And it's not just here in the cold states. It's all over the US and other countries. So is it a terrorist flu?? I swear my O2 sat. must be low I am rambling like a looney. Work tomorrow will be great fun and I have to get some papers signed for con. ed. (continuing education). Well I am getting light headed so I am going to lay down and nyquil the rest of the night away. Pretend I didn't say it was terrorist. But it could be. Where's my NIOSH mask?? - Jessiye 5:11

I'm sick

2005-02-22T20:51:00.000-05:00

I feel like crap! For the past 3 days I've felt crappy. Runny/stuffy nose. Little bit of a cough and a semi sore throat. I still went to work these last 2 days. Now your thinking holy crap you're infecting everyone. But and the following info is on a need to know basis. My snot is perfectly clear. Not even a hint of yellow. So that's why I went to work. But I still feel crappy. The dayquil and the nyquil have been keeping me mostly ok. But I went through a whole bag of those halls fruit breezers. It was the only thing that kept me from coughing and my nose from running. So the combination of dayquil and fruit breezers will keep you going in the squad when you really just want to lay down and take a nap. I am going to watch scrubs then I am going to sleep. Because this "cold" thing has affected my brain. I picked up an extra shift. Good partner though. So far all these random people I've been with are just fine. One crazy is too much for me. - Jessiye 5:10

Cancer Concerns

2005-02-20T17:45:00.000-05:00

My mother died of ovarian cancer at age 44. I was only seven at the time. Her aunt (my mother's mother's sister) also had ovarian cancer. Her oncologist told her that if she had known her aunt had the disease she could have been trusted for it earlier and her life prolonged. My aunt who survived breast cancer told me what her oncologist said. She told me she had breast cancer she wanted me to know so I could get checked. I am so so scared. I have read up on ovarian cancer a lot and breast cancer has been a big awareness thing my whole life. I'm 21. I have wanted to get checked out for a at least 2 years. But I am so scared they will find something. I just read an article I hadn't stumbled on before about genetics and ovarian cancer. If you have a direct relative with ovarian cancer that seems to be an inherited trait you have a 45% chance of getting the disease. 45%. Can you imagine how much I am freaking out. And it's so fatal cause you don't know that you have it until it starts spreading into other organs. So yeah you're all yelling at me. THEN GO GET TESTED! Well I don't want someone poking around inside of me. What if I do have it even in an early stage. I'm not ready for chemo and I want to have children. You see I am saving myself for my husband and I am wrestling with the fact that if I need to be checked out they will have to go in and do stuff. I want my husband to be the first in there. But that's a heart thing. Is what I think is compromising my spirit worth compromising if I have this disease. Should I say to heck with it, fish around make sure everything is up too code. Or keep on worrying about it and still doing nothing about it. It's a rant, a worry. Thanx for listening. - Jessiye 5:9

No More Karen

2005-02-19T19:47:00.000-05:00

So pretend I posted this on Thursday night at 11:30.

Jessiye 5:8 There was much celebrating all throughout the station. And the squads in the city did much rejoicing. Karen is fired! The joyous news spread all around.

So Wednesday I was told I wouldn't have to worry about working with Karen on Thursday. Now on Thursday I got to base and Karen was checking out our squad. I was worried cause they basically said she was gone and done with. So no supervisors were there and Karen was. But then a billing super came out and whispered to me. "Don't worry you guys will go out on the rode for a little bit until a supervisor comes in then you will probably be called back to base." I am think to my self. Oh gosh let it be one short run. I got yelled at through both runs and on the third we had 20 min before pickup. We were about 7 min from base. Dispatch comes over the radio and asks us to come back to base. Karen goes. "I wonder why. We didn't do anything wrong." I know why but am I going to say?!?! We get back to base and dispatch tells Karen to go see HR. Then as soon as she is through the door one of the dispatchers introduces me to another guy and says you still have that pickup this is your new partner get back to the hospital. Once I get all of Karens stuff out of the truck we head to the hospital. On the way there my new partner says "So Karen's your partner. I'm sorry that sucks." EVERYONE KNEW! We are finishing up a run report in a lot at a hospital. Two other of our crews are there. Now throughout our the shift with this new guy I told him the Karen situation and how I was pretty sure she was finished. So another medic goes running over to our truck and goes "Guess who got fired?" We ere both like "Karen." Other Medic "Yeah she was all sad walking out of the offices and so Joe asked her what was wrong and she told him she got fired and so I said to her It's about time." My partner informed another squad. That medic said "Finally." So just about everyone was happy that she's gone. My tires weren't slashed and my brake line wasn't cut so it should all be okay. Turns out though that she has had 4 EMS jobs in the last 2 years. Got fired from all of the because she can't get along with anyone. Sorry this is late but we got held over on Thursday and I didn't get into the house until about 23:30. I had to leave the house at 04:30 the next morning to go out of town and I hadn't packed yet. So here ya go it's all done we will see what Monday brings. - Jessiye 5:8

New Boots and Partner Fired

2005-02-16T21:43:00.000-05:00

So I was going to tell you about my new boots but more exciting things happened. So the weekend was bad. She was her old self and I'll post it all later. But Friday she messed up. Because I am always debating on whether or not I should says something about the things she says to me. Well she did it to herself Friday. She was yelling at me and being very degrading and condescending while dispatch was on the phone. Well that dispatcher said to a supervisor the following "I wouldn't talk to a dog the way Karen talks to Jess". Supervisor told me when I came in today that today was most likely my last day working with her because she is finished. And could I work one more day with her. I said yep. But then she started that yelling again and my supervisor told me to call her if she started stuff up again. I couldn't take it I was sick of feeling worthless. So I called and since our truck had a cracked leaking windshield and a noxious smell coming through the cab we were already heading back to base. Then Karen came out of the ER and giving report and called base to tell a supervisor she was to sick to keep working and had to come back to base. So when went back to base for 3 reasons. I was given a workplace concern to fill out again about the weekend. So because she went home sick she used up all her points putting her in the negative (I still really don't get the point thing) which can get you terminated. So I had another partner starting at 2 (She turned out to be wonderful and nice and she thought I was really nice too. At shift end I could have kept on doing it.). So I asked if they wanted my workplace concern now or tomorrow since I needed time to write it. Supervisor told me tomorrow because they didn't really need it with the points thing. Many people in management agree with me in thinking she's bipolar...Although some just say cRaZy. I was also told I wouldn't be working with Karen anymore. But I would keep my same shift. We were the only 0900-2100 A-shift crew. I just hope I don't run into her somewhere. Like I stated before. I don't want to get shot. Things are looking up new boots and no Karen. - Jessiye 5:8

I can't...

2005-02-12T23:07:00.000-05:00

I can't...I can't..I can't do it anymore. I tried I was hoping it might work out. But the last couple of runs I just kept saying in my head...I can't I can't. I can't work with Karen anymore. She was nice for about 2 days (closer to a day and a half). Her bipolarness, mostly mean/yelling with a little nice/joking is driving me to my limit. She's back with her attitude/rudeness towards me (of course) and other professionals (nurses, dispatch,...) Two days of niceness and unattitude isn't going to cut it. I don't want to get her fired. I don't think that's okay to do to anyone but I can't work with her. It's not even that I won't work with her. I can't cause I am getting too close to my snapping point. I also don't want to get shot. She has told me she has a gun, for protection in some of the "rough" neighborhoods. I don't know if she still carries it. But think about an "unstable" person that you might be getting fired. An unstable angry person with a gun. But I just can't. Every morning I go to work I look at the clock to see if it's too late too call off. I really dread working with her. So Monday or Tuesday I am going to talk with HR and see if I can get a new shift. But I do still have tomorrow to work with her. Pray for Me. - Jessiye 5:7

Partner Problems - Semi Solved

2005-02-08T23:14:00.000-05:00

So me and Karen head out of the road to post at a particular hospital. Half way there we get called back to base to meet with HR. We get in there and HR only wants to talk with Karen. And yesterday I turned in my incident/workplace concern form. So I'm thinking don't talk to her about this now and then send us back on the road. But she came out just fine. In fact she was nice to me just about all day after that. I only got yelled at once or twice. Today was actually pretty enjoyable. I had nice patients my partner wasn't condescending towards me. Then when we got back to base at the end of our shift the supervisor says dispatch needs to see me about one of my runs. But when we get back there the super tells me to stay put because she is serving my partner with a citation or something. She wants me to stay in dispatch until she comes back so I don't see my partner after the serving. So eventually she comes and gets me. She says hurry up and grab your stuff and meet me by the back door. I get my stuff. She tells me my partner has been told that this is the last shot. I am the last partner she gets to have. The she tell me my partner has given and ultimatum. A. Be nice and learn how to work with partners or B. Goodbye. Then she says don't worry don't feel like you're stuck with her. Keep me informed cause this is her last shot. So if she continues to be "nice" like today it just might work out. - Jessiye 5:6

Switched Up

2005-02-07T22:41:00.000-05:00

So today I got switched to a different partner (but just for today) To see how I'm doing and see if I'm catching on okay and well to get evaluated and see if its not just Karen and maybe a little bit of me. So I need to work on my cot skills at little. But the partner I was with today told me what I was doing wrong and how to do it right. Lift up then squeeze. Not squeeze as you lift up. Not only did he help me fix that issue he told why and better ways to work things with the cot. I didn't get yelled at today. It was nice. I still kinda suck at driving the squad. Every once in a while I get a little to close to the curb. And well backing is not my forte. It makes me pissed at myself but this is my 8th shift. I am starting to know where I am going. Understanding what streets go where. If I was with a city this would be fine because my area would be oddles smaller. We service 3 counties. We are all over the place. Figuring how to get from here to there gets crazy. Well tomorrow I am back with Karen. Oh the joy of being yelled at.
- Jessiye 5:5

Who Knows

2005-02-06T08:34:00.000-05:00

So my little sister is reading my blog now. She's 12. Hello Liz! I haven't really told anyone I know about this blog. And there is no way I will tell anyone at work about this blog. I follow HIPPA pretty well, I don't even disclose the sex of my patients. But as with any workplace there is always drama. And when you don't have any one to talk to that understands, it's time to blog about it. I am new at blogging. I am new at EMS. So even though it's not read a lot I enjoy keeping this blog. Cause somebody is reading it. Thank you. - Jessiye 5:4

Incident Report

2005-02-05T13:38:00.000-05:00

All right here is the incident report I have so far. Tell me what you think. My supervisor wanted details.

Karen is very short with me. Many times she has an attitude with me and other professionals. She doesn’t communicate well with me, as though she wants me to read her mind. She tends to choose what she wants to hear. If I ask a question of something I don’t know I get a lot of attitude with the answer. If I do something that might not be correct I get yelled at. She yells “What are you doing?” Then she never tells me what I did wrong or what the correct action is. If I ask her to tell me where we are going she is vague and yells at me when I go the wrong way or. One particular trip encompasses a lot of these problems.
We were picking a patient up from the airport. He was going to hospice Karen thought his wife was a hospice nurse.
Karen says “Are you with hospice?”
Confused wife who doesn’t speak English well “Yes, I mean no no he’s my husband. He’s going to hospice”
We needed a backboard to slide the patient from the plane to our cot. So we get him on our cot. We get him into the back of the squad. The patient is so far unresponsive to any stimuli. And as a basic working with a medic when you have a patient needing ALS support you help your partner until you are ready to go. As I have done with Karen before this. He’s locked in I close the one door and hop in to help (such as take vitals) I’m mostly in the squad with my hand on the door. I say “Want me to help you out?”
Karen “Get out of my damn way and close the f**king door.”
I reopened the door as the flight nurse came to give report so I could put the backboard away.
Karen says to the flight nurse. “Is there any paperwork with him?”
Flight Nurse “Well his wife should have some of the paper work and billing info.”
Karen (raised voice) “Well where is his wife all I saw was a hospice nurse”
Flight nurse looking confused and pointing to the wife “That’s his wife”
Karen “She told me she was the hospice nurse”
Flight nurse looking confused, Me. “No, she said she was his wife”
Karen gives me dirty look.
I go the driver’s side get in and wait for her to finish her assessment.
When we started out of the airport I said to Karen “Where are we going I need you to tell me. I don’t know how to get there.”
Karen. “Go to 90W.”
Me. “Which way am I turning out of here?”
Karen. “Go left no right”
When we got to the next street, Me. "Which way now?”
Karen. “Left.”
Me. “Okay tell me exactly where we are going from here.”
Karen. “You’re going to take 90W to 176 to 480W.”
Me. “Okay after 480 I know where I am going.”
I am driving. I get on 90W and after a while I am still haven’t found 176.
Karen looks out from the back and says. “Where are you?”
I sheepishly say. “I haven’t found 176”
She yells at me “Get off right now and turn this around! You were supposed to take 71S towards 176.”
Me. “You said 90W to 176.”
Karen raised voice “Yeah you have to get on to 71S to get to 176. You told me you knew where you were going!”
Me. “I said I knew where I was going after we got onto 480.”
Karen. “No you said you knew how to get there.”
At this point I dropped it and got us to where we had to go.
There are other instances when she has gotten an attitude with nurses at the facilities where we pick up and drop off patients. She has gotten an attitude on how the MN form is filled out instead of asking nicely. I had one nurse say to me “Is she always like that?” I nodded yes. The nurse replied as she patted my arm “Oh I feel sorry for you.” She has argued that she knows better then a nurse in whether or not it was serious enough to call 911. Nurses have offered to help us move patients onto and off the cot. I would never turn down help. The nurses start by raising or lowering the bed. When it’s not at the right level Karen snaps at them with an attitude. “That’s not level with our cot. We do this all the time. We know what we’re doing.” This prompts nurses to huff off offended. Leaving me to try and apologize out of Karen's earshot later.
When I am taking the run I like to get my vitals when we get into the squad but I am often rushed to go stat 3. I tell her I want to get vitals hold on. She tells me to just copy them off the paperwork. When I say I want to get vitals she’s hurrying me because. “They can tell we’re not moving on GPS I already called stat 3.” This also doesn’t give me time to do a proper assessment
She often gets angry with me when I don’t do what she expects me to even though she didn’t ask me or tell me anything. When we get to a location I wait until I hear from her that she’s ready. Many times I have been yelled at “What are you doing? Let’s go.” Even though she didn’t tell me she was ready. I can’t read minds. There have been other times when we are raising or lowering the cot that she just looks at me. Then gets mad when I didn’t do what she wanted me to do. Or she wants me to hand her a blanket or move a bed over but she just stands there and stares at me then gets mad when I haven’t handed her the blanket or moved the bed.
On Thursday February 3, 2005, we were transporting a patient to a nursing facility. The bed we were transferring her to wouldn’t raise high enough to be level with our cot. So she says to me we need to lower the cot I say okay and get at the foot of the cot and get into position. I plant my feet bend my knees and Karen counts off then I release the lever and we go down. We went one click to far down. She yelled at me “That’s to low. We need to go back up one.” I say okay replant me feet bend at the knees. She counts off I release the lever and start to go up but the she isn’t lifting enough and the cot starts to go down. She is bending at the waist and lifting with her back. We end up going all the way down nice and slow. She starts screaming at me “Don’t ever do that to me. Don‘t ever do that to anyone.” Then she puts her hand on her back. Now I was not hurt at all. I was in a lifting position so that I wouldn’t be hurt. We got the patient into the bed gave paperwork to the nurses and She hurriedly walked out without speaking to me. When I got out to the squad she was in the distance talking on her cell phone and I heard bits of what happened and her saying I dropped the cot. I started remaking the cot and she came up and barked at me to hand her the clip board. She got into the passenger side and didn’t say anything to me. When I finished making the got I got into the drivers side and Karen was sitting in there back turned away from me writing something in the dark. So I started the truck and turned on the light for her so she could see what she was writing. As I was about to pick up the radio and call us stat 6 dispatch came over and said “Not to pry but I heard that there was an injury? Are you guys okay? Do you need to go the ER or come back to base?” Karen snatched the radio before I could grab it and said “No, we’re fine to continue our shift.” She hadn’t said she was hurt to me. She hadn’t told me what I did wrong. I asked her if she was okay. She said she was fine. I told her we could go to the ER. I apologized for letting the cot go down. We got called back to base and she didn’t talk to me until we got back. However she did make a little noise every time we went over a bump. She grabbed the clipboard so she could finish up paperwork. (During the day when we have a lull if she hasn’t finished a run I’ll remind her and ask her if she wants to finish it. She always says no she’ll finish it when we get back to base. But I like to finish my runs right after so I don’t forget anything. She usually rushes me to stat 6 and I don’t have time to finish even though I ask her to wait a sec before calling so I can finish my narrative.) She said she would get the stuff from the back and put it away. I was kind of glad she wasn’t going to be there to wash the truck because usually she doesn’t let me scrub it she just wants to rinse it off. She also doesn’t let me mop out the back. So I got to actually scrub the squad clean and clean out the inside. And as usual she did not get all the stuff that needs to be taken out of the truck. Defib batteries, Pulse Ox.
I have for a long time now really been looking forward to working in EMS. It is something I have been passionate about and enjoyed. Since I have been working with Karen we have had one shift where we were not scheduled together. I realized that was the only day I enjoyed my job other than training. Since working with Karen I have asked myself if EMS was my calling but then I remember how I enjoyed working with those who were training me. David was patient and told me how to do things and explained how things worked and treated me like a colleague. Barry and his partner were also very patient and showed me how to do things as well as Rudy and his partners. When I was working with them I enjoyed what I was doing and didn’t feel bad. When I think about working with Karen I get an anxiety and dread. But if I think about working with the people I trained with I am happy an excited to do my job.
I know I am new at this and that must be frustrating to people. I know I don’t know how to do everything just right or exactly where I am going. But I’ve always thought new people should be given a little grace. I’ve only had 7 shifts so far. I didn’t want to say I can’t work with her right off the bat. I wanted to try and work things out. But I also want to learn and to learn to do things right.

- Jessiye 5:3

Partner Issues

2005-02-04T21:43:00.000-05:00

So last Sunday I left my cell phone in the squad because using our own cell phones is the only way we can call report to the ER. So Monday I went to pick it up and ran into the HR person who asked me how things were going with my partner I told her the jist of it and how I was trying to stick it out before I asked for a new partner. So with yesterday's escapades my Supervisor comes to me and asks to talk to me about my side of the story and how she knows I've been having issues with my partner. So I tell her all the stuff that has been going on and she hands me an incident form and tells me to be very detailed and write up everything I told her so they can handle it the right way. And have proof of things in writing so it can be referenced. My supervisor also said I shouldn't feel bad because they have had a hard time placing her with a partner in the past. (So why stick a newbie with her?) So after I write this form and see what's going on I will probably have a new partner and a new shift. Or if this is a big problem she might be fired. Because apparently some of the stuff she isn't letting me do is wrong. I will post the whole incident form when it's done so look for that post by at least Sunday evening. - Jessiye 5:2

When the cot goes down

2005-02-03T23:22:00.000-05:00

We all in EMS know how improper lifting and cot problems can lead to or aggravate back problems. Well my partner and I need to lower the cot to the right position to get the patient into the bed. So she counts I'm at the bottom with the handle. I lower it to a position. She yells at me to low lets go back up. (Now when ever you are doing any kind of cot maneuver you position yourself so you will not get hurt if the cot falls. Feet planted a little more then shoulder with apart knees bent to avoid back lifting.) So she counts I release the lever I start to lift up but she isn't lifting and the cot starts to go down so we have to go all the way down. Now she's yelling at me "Don't ever do that, Don't ever do that to anyone! The she winced. (Now realize she was bent at the waist and the cot went all the way to the ground. So all lifting was with her lower back.) Now I was completely fine cause I know how to lift and not be injured. So we finish with our patient, we lifted her from the floor to the lowered bed. She quickly goes outside and starts talking on her cell phone to someone complaining about me. But if the cot had just dropped I would have been hurt too if I wasn't in the correct position. Apparently she called one of her friends in dispatch and said something. She never said anything to me she just barked for the clipboard and got into the front of the squad while I finished remaking the cot. Turns out she was writing an incident report at this point she hasn't even said anything to me and at this point I was not exactly sure what I had done. So I get into the driver side and am waiting for dispatch to send us somewhere else. (I still don't know what's going on and she is turned away from me writhing in the dark.) dispatch comes over the radio and says " Not to pry but I heard something about an injury are you ok does anyone need to go to the ER?" She snatches the radio just as I am about to answer. She says "No we're fine we can continue with our shift." All she did was wince and huff off. How could I possible know she was hurt. So I say to her are you sure you're okay. She answers with attitude. "Yeah I'm fine." So I'm worrying like. Crap I didn't want to hurt my partner. And also thinking is she was lifting right she wouldn't have gotten hurt. But was it my fault cause I was working the release. But as other people told me later back at base if you're lifting right you are not going to get hurt. We got called back to base early and she made little sounds every time we went over bumps. I told her I would take her to the ER and I was sorry and it wasn't intentional. (All the while I wasn't sure it was really my fault) When we got back to base she grabbed the paperwork slammed the door and left me to clean the truck. Fine with me. - Jessiye 5:1

Partner Blues

2005-01-30T22:18:00.000-05:00

So I have been trying to decide if I can stay with my partner. She is very short with me when it comes to EMS things. I am new I have worked about 4 shifts so far. We go all over the place and I don't know where I am going yet. I am not sure all the time of how to get from A-B cause I've never been there or never gone from there to there. She keeps getting a little attitude when I ask her simple questions. I am new at this I don't know all the stuff yet. Today I asked her if she wanted me to help her with an ALS call. You know how partners help each other. I could do vitals and get tape ready and stuff. She yells at me "No, Get out of my damn way. And close the f***ing door" Which seemed really unnecessarily to me. She doesn't tell what she wants then she gets made when I didn't do something. She doesn't tell me when she's ready then yells at me for not having called dispatch yet. But after any calls she's all nice. Talking about stuff and joking but on runs it's a nightmare. I don't know what to think. So I am giving it a few more shifts before I ask for a new partner. - Jessiye 4:14

The Saga Begins

2005-01-28T23:40:00.000-05:00

So it was my first real day. Met my partner who I am pretty sure I will be permanently with. But she had a cracked dentist who forgot a filling so since she couldn't take it anymore she went to the dentist and the supervisors set me all over town. Picking up squads that have no heat or have horrible smells coming from the engine. Then when she got back we were blessed with a wonderful squad (note the sarcasm) All night long the headlights flickered on and off. We couldn't go back to base and get a new one because none of the other.....20 in the maintenance garage were road worthy. We got flicked off so many times. Not to mention flashed back. And of course when we got back to base it had completely stopped it hadn't done it for the entire ride back. But fortunately I always have a camera and I filmed it. (once I figure how to post movies you all can see) I so need to sleep. Punch in time was 0855 punch out time was 2257. It was supposed to be a 12 hr shift. I do it all over again tomorrow. - Jessiye 4:13

Reappetite

2005-01-27T23:01:00.000-05:00

So my appetite actually came back for the first time today I mean it was back to being me. I was hungry today. I haven't truly been hungry since last Thursday (SVT incident). And this is also the first day that I didn't have any weird slight pressure in my chest or an elevated heart rate. When I tested our pulse ox yesterday I was at 120. But it went down to about 90 before we left the base. Today I'm at about 78 bpm. Come on heart stay that way. So I'm hungry and it's past 20:00 so I can't eat anything. Good night I watched ER so everything is good. - Jessiye 4:12

End of Training

2005-01-26T22:16:00.000-05:00

So yeah last day of training it was fine. Last run we had a pt who didn't have keys but a neighbor did and might be in the house. We knock nice and loud a couple times. No answer. Pt tells us to try across the street. I talked to about 5 people one of them a deaf guy trying to get keys or let in. Finally I get a cell number of the guy who's got the keys. 10 minutes away he's coming fast. So he gets there with the keys goes to open the door and someone on the inside of the house opens the door. We had tried like 3 different times knocking. We sat there for about 20 min waiting past end of shift. Oh well we got the pt in there we got back to bass turned in paperwork and washed the squad. I am off tomorrow so I will be sleeping before I work Friday, Saturday and Sunday. - Jessiye 4:11

WHAT THE FUZZY

2005-01-25T21:36:00.000-05:00

I just wrote a great little ditty of today's exploits and THE FREAKIN INTERNET ATE IT! So here's a little sum Siren wouldn't work patient in back chest pain nitro not working line not working stuck behind traffic on an off ramp ETA 15 min. There was more a lot more but I am upset that it all disappeared. Tomorrow is my last training day though. I had to have one more due to the SVT incident (yep finally analyzed the rhythm). Friday I get a partner and Tada. I'm a transporting whiz. How fast can you write a patient's Medicare #??? It's all about the money baby. (Gotta love private) Tomorrow I will write something better and maybe the internet won't eat it. - Jessiye 4:10

Work Anxiety?!?!?!

2005-01-24T18:42:00.000-05:00

So here I am tonight getting my uniform ready and thinking about work. You know since I am working tomorrow. As I am thinking about getting ready and making sure I have all my gear that feeling starts to come back. That feeling in my chests. Only this time no pressure just that throaty anxiety feeling. That anxious tachycardia. I am always so calm and collected in emergencies. It's one of the reasons I knew I was meant to be a Medic. I think it's the driving. Cause I've been thinking about the driving. But it's really not hard I just worry about hitting something or backing into something or turning to hard and tossing the patient of the cot. But I am a good driver. I know I am. I am so careful. Dang it the feeling is so back. Can you believe this. No it wasn't caffeine at all or diet pills. I'm a freakin pansy. I think it's because I keep second guessing myself. I know what I am supposed to do. I do it well. But that it's the wrong thing or it's not enough or I forgot something. But I do know what I am doing I know I do. I stare at my run reports and I am so sure I forgot something in my narrative or forgot to check a box. I know I can't work in this field if this keeps happening. Any of you veterans out there have this worrying when you first started. Does it go away with time and experience? Or does it mean I'm not supposed to do this? If it means that I don't know what I'll do. I've wanted to do this for .... As long as I can remember really wanting to do something. How do I crush this anxiety? I mean when I am with the patients I go and I'm quick and good and I do it all. But as soon as we drop off that patient and I am finishing my narrative. I fear I forgot something or left something of the patients or didn't get a good history. How do I get rid of this Paranoia. Or is this good? Does it make me better. I triple check. Does this fear mean I won't kill a patient or does it mean I will? - Jessiye 4:9

Normal Sinus = No More Starbucks

2005-01-23T08:49:00.000-05:00

OH yeah I am back to normal...Well I don't think my resting rate is back to 80 or below. It's sticking to about 85 but I guess I gotta deal with that. I finally got my appetite back after 3 days. Yeah I'm hungry. But not even close to as hungry as I was before. I am not craving super sweet and super carby which should help this diet. Kinda more tired then normal but I attribute that to the fact that I am giving up caffeine completely. I'll miss you starbucks (sniff sniff). Now I know we all came to the conclusion that it wasn't stimulants but since my resting didn't go down to where it used to be I am going to stay away from stimulants. I loved those energy drinks. I loved my triple expressos. You stay go with decafe. I think decafe is stupid. If I am drinking coffee it better have caffeine. I sit here and stare at my coffee mugs and my coffee maker. But it's not hard to give up. It's actually very easy. I did not like that feeling in my chest AT ALL. And even though I may still look forlongingly at Starbucks as I pass by I know how much more I like my normal sinus. I am also in the process of finding a good cardio workout. If anyone knows of a FUN one let me know cause I likes dancing! - Jessiye 4:8

Cardiac Issues

2005-01-21T10:40:00.000-05:00

So this pressure in my chest keeps coming and going...Nothing like yesterday afternoon though. The pressure is at a 0.5 again then it goes away for like 15 minutes then it comes back. What the heck is wrong with me I mean really? I don't feel normal. I don't feel like me. I feel like not me. (sigh) Well I have to go get ready to visit my friend and her new baby. 10lbs 8oz LARGE CHILD. Born around the time I started experiencing the pain/pressure that sent me to the ER. I hope this goes away and I feel normal soon. How am I supposed to care for patients when this is going on????? - Jessiye 4:7

EMT in the ER

2005-01-20T18:23:00.000-05:00

So today was my second real day on the new job. It all starts with this... Last night I had a dream about terrorists and a bomb threat and stuff. Where I was involved as an EMT. So in the end on the dream I get shot. With what turns to be a BB. However in my dream I got shot right in the sternum. So in my dream I had this pressure over my heart making my heart hurt. I wake up this morning and after I check the clock I feel this pressure in my chest. I was like huh feels weird. So I grabbed my stethoscope for a listen and it really sounded like my left atrium was fluttering or really tachy but my ventricles seemed just fine. Normal rhythm. So I was slightly concerned because of course there is no reason for that. It went t away I showered and got dressed for work. I took my vitamins and some Xenadrine. (trying to be less fat) Got to work find out what crew I was riding with. Had one or two transports and then that pressure and some palpatations came back. So here I am driving the squad and trying to ignore this pain. I started getting a little sweaty and since I didn't want to just stop there in the middle of the road I waited until we got to the facility where we were picking up a patient. So since it had been about 10 minutes since onset and it was not getting better but getting worse I said " Umm guys here's the thing for the past 10 min or so I been getting some palpatations and pressure in my chest." They asked me if I wanted to go to the ER. (of coarse not) They said get in the back. (I thought they were just going to hook me up to the monitor and see what was going on NOPE!) They made me sit on the cot and they hooked me up. Then I heard whoa that's a little fast. 142 I was like crap my resting is 80. So one of the guys says ok were are going to need to start a line. So I got the whole work up in the squad and after the O2 was on board my pain went from a 4 to a 2. I was on 4 LPM. I get all strapped in and then dispatch calls to wanting my emergency contact. The guys take me to the ER all the time saying I'm just trying to get out of working. I get on to the bed in the ER and there they are all ready to hook me up to all those cords. My pain had been at a steady 2 for the last 15. After about an hour to hour and a half of onset I was at zero. Now they tried to blame this on the xenadrine and caffeine (I had a small cappachino that I didn't finish earlier in the day about 2 hrs after my diet pill) But the kickers is I WOKE UP WITH IT. My parents are trying to say I was nervous about the job. What is there to be nervous about I know what I'm doing. The only time I was nervous was at about 1400 yesterday when the guys I was riding with were like. YOU'RE DRIVING! Mind you I haven't driven that many ambulances and I didn't know where we were going but the anxiety lasted all of 2 minutes. My BP was up too about 150/90 also. My regular is 120/60. So after about 3 hrs I got discharged with no real reason that this happened and a finger shake to not take any more diet pills (which obviously didn't cause this) I haven't had caffeine in 2 weeks. So now I have to go pick up my car from the station and talk to my supervisor. This will be a lot of fun! I don't know what caused this I feel fine now...Well actually after I left the ER the pressure came back slightly like at an .5 on the pain scale. But I don't know what it is and I ma not going back I am just going to sleep after I get my car. So this is the EMT with a cardiac history. GREAT! One day and I've got a heart history! I know the guys at the station are talking about me! - Jessiye 4:6

Two Jobs

2005-01-15T10:58:00.000-05:00

So as SeaDoc takes less jobs I am considering taking two. After I got my EMS job riding around in the bus one of the ER I applied to called wanting to set up an interview. So hmmm I am full time this the ambulance service but they my schedule works maybe they can squeeze me in. 60 hrs a week shouldn't kill me. My squad shifts are 0900-2100. So it's fine and it ends up working out to just about I'm on two days in a row and off two days in a row. So why not add some 0730-1600 shifts in there since the ER time is only part time. Inter view is on Monday so we'll see how it goes. I really need to get my debt together. I am not a lot in debt at all but there are a few outstanding bills that are eating away at my credit. So job number two will be the bill payer. and job number one will help me save for a new car. Bob (my 1990 Honda) is getting old. I mean he's 15. Pants are getting tight so I gotta go to pilates (clever death). - Jessiye 4:5

New Job Day - 1

2005-01-11T20:50:00.000-05:00

So my first day at my new EMS job was pretty okay. We had driver training I only hit half the cones. No I just had to readjust to using side mirrors. My car doesn't have a passenger side mirror so I am used to just looking being me when I back up or using my rear view mirror. Now you can't do that in an ambulance. They won't be letting me drive until I know the streets anyway though. Orientation on Thursday. - Jessiye 4:4

CELEBRATE

2005-01-10T13:21:00.000-05:00

I got an EMS job!! Oh yeah!!! Dance with me!!!! WOOOHOOOO!!!!!!!! Now I gotta go re...umm get things in order and turn this life around and start doing stuff right. This is what I've always wanted to do. So yeah. The pay isn't what I really want and its a private agency but this is what I want to do. Once I get this under my belt I'll find a refresher to retake my Paramedic tests. THANK YOU JESUS FOR THIS JOB. - Jessiye 4:3

Youth All Nighter

2005-01-01T05:41:00.000-05:00

So yeah we took the youth out for an all nighter. Cosmic Bowling. Laser tag. Basketball. Football. Movies. Dance Dance Revolution. I hope they all had fun. Oh and Napoleon Dynamite is a horrible movie. I slept through part one of the 2 movies we showed. But Since I was only 1 of 3 leaders with 30 kids. I had to wake up and supervise. I slept til 1500 today. Then at 0130 I have to take my uncle to the train station so he can head back to Milwaukee. So off to chat with the fam. - Jessiye 4:2

2005

2004-12-31T18:30:00.000-05:00

So first of all HAPPY NEW YEAR I am resulting again. But since I never have kept a resolution my number 1 resolution this year is to keep the rest of my resolutions. I need to lose 100 lbs. In fact I am starting a diet blog to help myself know how I am doing and at the end of the year we will see. It will be graphic and such. But writing in a journal hasn't ever worked for me so... So my I also plan to exercise 30 minutes everyday. Also I HAVE to get an EMS job this year. Those are my big 4. The question is can I keep them??? - Jessiye 4:1

Post Christmas

2004-12-26T22:06:00.000-05:00

Wow I had so much to eat yesterday and more today. But I got some really great stuff and food. And family is great. I got everything I was hoping for except for a DVD tower. So the next day or two I will be off WalMart to get one I have more DVD's then my current holder will hold. I finally got the terry cloth rob I wanted. Ahahaha. I will be dry when I get out of the shower. And rubies and diamonds oh my. I'm a July baby. Well I hope you all had a wonderful celebration of Jesus birth. Many happy returns of the day. - Jessiye 3:5

My Tree

2004-12-25T03:49:00.000-05:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS! - Jesus is the reason for the Season.

Blizzard Snow Rain Slush Ice Goop! WINTER!!

2004-12-23T23:07:00.000-05:00

So this morning was interesting. I go to start my car and brush it off for work. The screen door wouldn't open at first. Then when I stepped outside snow almost up to my knee. So I went to my car and then went back inside to call work and tell them I would be late. After about an hour or so of my family and I digging one car got out. Then two....Then I got stuck. Then I got unstuck. Then I got stuck again. Then I got unsuck. Then my father kept yelling all those things fathers do. Turn your wheel. No no straighten it up. Turn it the other way. Come forward. Back up Your wheel isn't straight. Then I got REALLY stuck. A neighbor came over and about 15 minutes later my car was in the street. YeeHaw! Oh am I glad to go to work in this stuff :( Then I did a little 180 in the sludge. So yeah my truck to work was great fun. I was supposed to be at work at 9:30 I clocked in at 10:45. Don't tell anyone but I was one of those people begin for a white Christmas.......I just wanted a little dusting on Christmas! Lo siento!! - Jessiye 3:4

Lack of Blog

2004-12-21T08:02:00.000-05:00

Has anyone noticed the lack of people writing in their blogs of late (including me)? I mean my favorite blogs have slowed to not even a crawl but a stand still. Cranky Chick hasn't been around since the beginning of November. I just visited Medic Mom and it looks like she's had a fatal arrythmia. But I absolutely love her explanation. The way she worded it is hilarious. (Well if you're in any kind of advanced life support). I hope she comes back, love her stuff. But hey I have to give her kudos for not just leaving the planet without saying anything like Beer Mary (poof). Seadoc has even been slaking lately. Of all people I never expected SeaDoc to not post so often. But he does have a baby on the way and work has been crapping on him. So I can let it slide. Listen to my hypocritical self. I don't have anything to write about either. Well actually I do with all the Christmas stuff happening. Well all my favorite blogs I miss you! - Jessiye 3:4

Snow Play?

2004-12-19T08:32:00.000-05:00

So since we are supposed to be getting 20in of snow today with windchills below zero. Will the play go on....Will I be snowed in at church......? hACE fRIO. Man weather guy just said an inch or two per hour. Plus apparently since it rained all last night the "lovely" snow is covering about 1/2in of ice. EMS has been busy....ALMOST makes me glad I have to get that card renewed and am not currently in ems. Well its church time. - Jessiye 3:3

The Play

2004-12-18T23:50:00.000-05:00

So Friday night was opening night and also our first full rehearsal all in one. Umm snags here and there. I am the stage manager and have a 4 person crew plus me. So 1 of my crew wasn't there last night. So I had to fill in his roll and also do mine. But we had major major changes. So Friday morning the director calls me and says. There are some changes. I say okay then he tells me the kids are gone we are cutting 2 songs. The order is completely changed. I had the crew spaced out so that I could use them at the right time since some of them had parts in the play. So now since I had to work Friday I get to church around 5 mind you the play starts at 7 and at the last practice I told them to be there at 6. So I get there and see a bench front and center on the stage. Apparently for the one solo of white Christmas. So okay now I have to get two guys to move this bench....But wait oh my goodness it weighs 80lbs.....Great we have a cast iron bench. So now I have to be me and another person and another person due to the fact that I don't have time to use the other person. Then for the send half I almost missed a set change because I was originally told AFTER the pastor talks. But then like five people come running and start yelling at me to put the stuff on stage while the pastor is talking/praying. I'm like I am not having me and my crew walk out on stage with the lights up while the pastor is praying. But these crackmonkeys keep yelling at me so I send my crew out and I replace that one guy. Mind you we all wear black so you can't see us in the dark. But when we go out the light in the whole sanctuary are on. After that little mishaps and the choir freaking out on me because they're nervous it went fine. So tonight was good too except for another sequence change! I had my whole crew and the changes seemed to flow well. Now tomorrow we are supposed to be getting 14 in of snow so that means 2 of my crew might not be able to make it. So can I be 2 people again? Well I have ranted away - Jessiye 3:2