Yesterday we did a low speed MVA involving a police officer, who we took in for lower back pain. Another officer followed us in his squad car. I don't know if I am the only one, but I always get paranoid when I am driving to the hospital with a cop on my tail. I always come to complete stops, watch my speed. Is he going to pull me over? I wait for those lights to flick on. Damn! License and registration. What did I do officer? I haven't been drinking, I swear. I'll walk a straight line. Got any tickets to the ball?
I know its silly, but you are shaped by your youth. I didn't come to know and work with cops until I was in my thirties.
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I look forward evey month to getting my issues of JEMS and Emergency Medical Services, the two leading trade publications in our field. This week I read the new JEMS while on duty and I have to say, it was a great issue. It had a very moving story about the September 11 EMS responders five years later and how many are suffering from respiratory problems. There was also an interesting story about "crush injury" - it gave the account of the treatment of the trapped port authority officer played by Nicholas Cage in the new Oliver Stone movie about September 11, and how proper treatment saved his life.
I haven't watched any of the September 11 movies yet. One of these days I will. I also want to write something about September 11 and the aftermath. This morning I was listening to Jamie Davis, the podmedic's regular pod cast and he was talking about the articles in JEMS and some other news stories about the way EMS responders have been treated (Listen to Episdoe 32), and this is really a topic that needs more airing.
MedicCast
Both JEMS and Emergency Medical Services have web sites and newsletters you can subscribe to that come weekly. They are an excellent way of staying on top of the latest news, and I particuarly like the updates on research. To subscibe to the newsletters go to the following sites:
JEMS.com
JEMS Newletter Signup
EMSresponder.com
(Note: Click on email alerts to get newsletter)
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Friday night I went to a dinner for the EMS coordinator of the suburban service I am contracted to work for. He is a police officer who is leaving the position to go back to the street because his term is up, and the police chief is hiring a new person. It was a nice event. All the volunteers came. We had hot dogs and hamburgers and chicken and ribs. The local state representative came and presented him with a plaque from the legislature. We had a big photo of the three ambulances mounted on a frame and everyone signed it and wrote messages on the matting. A diverse group of people, but one big family all the same.
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I worked yesterday with an old friend. We did five calls in eight hours and reminised about old times. Our first call was to pick up a large diaylsis patient so they switched us into our bariatric ambulance. They are supposed to send a crew to help us lift anytime the big ambulance is used. When they asked us if we needed a hand, my partner said, "I don't know, my partner is almost fifty, we might."
I made him bear the brunt of all the lifting for the rest of the day because of his comment.
His wife is sick, and he's been having a bit of a hard go lately because of it. I was glad to hear him say the company has been taking good care of him, as far as alerting him to his family medical leave rights, and being understanding. We talked about how you are healthy one day and disabled the next.
Our patient, who used to be an EMT himself, has really been going downhill. He wasn't his boisterous self. He slept most of the way, and moaned whenever we moved him.
At the end of the day, they asked us if we wanted to stay late and do some more calls, but we both wanted to go home. He needed to go home and take care of his wife. I wanted to go home and have a couple beers.
I had two little 7 ounce Cornonitas, and then fell asleep on the couch. I was beat down. I woke up two hours later with a headache. I got up and cleaned the house -- or at least part of it -- the kitchen, living room and one bathroom. I even got on my knees and scrubbed the kitchen floor.
Then I watched the Red Sox lose to the Yankees while I folded laundry, and then went to bed after laying out my work clothes for today.
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I'm thinking about becoming a triathlete. I read this article about it in Men's Health magazine.
Anyone Can Be a Triathlete
The problem is I haven't run a mile for over twenty years and I am afraid of bicycles, especially biking in traffic. Still, that would be something to say you had run a triathlon (They have mini-triathlons 1/2 mile swim, 4 mile run, 18 mile bike ride).
I will probably take it incrementally -- swim first, and then if I can run four miles, then think about trying to get on a bike.
It's just that I have been feeling out of shape despite going to the gym twice a week. I know I should be going four times, but I have been working a lot.
A triathlon -- that would motivate me.
I just don't want to be old and sick.
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I'm going to Las Vegas September 26-30 for the EMS Expo.
