wow..apparently it has been a while..

Hello Loyal Readers!

I have neglected you, left you in the corner to starve like small pitiful creatures, and I apologize for that.

I have been incredibly busy for the last few weeks. Between working my full time Big City Trauma Center job on nights, picking up a few shifts at my contingent squad gig, working Big Rock Concert, and getting rolling with the Oompa Loompa EMS Co, I have had very little free time.

At the Big City job, the warm weather event type patients have been coming in with more regularity. More patients are coming in with extra perforations that they were not born with, whether formed by sharp pointy objects, really fast and small lead ones, or using their own motor vehicles to unleash Mayhem on themselves, people have been leaking out more fluids than they intended when they left their humble abodes. Granted, true Summer has not arrived yet, so there is MUCH more to come. Since I have such fantastic staff that I work with, I look forward to the challenge. Between the nurses, respiratory therapists, residents, attending doc's, and my fellow medics, I think we got this.

Big Rock Concert was a blast as always. One of the best things about working in EMS are those rare occasions we get paid to do something fun. Big Rock Concert is definitely one of those things. Saturday kinda sucked, as I was stuck on a transporting unit, in a city that I was not familiar with, with a partner (ambulance driver) who also was NOT from the area. Granted, we pulled through and rocked the job, but definitely not as much fun as getting paid to watch the shows and the crowd. Had several critical patients we took in, including a nasty trauma-alert head injury that was not discovered until well into the transport. Was pleased to receive several compliments on my assessment and field treatment, which I chalk up to my new experience from Big City Trauma. Sunday was amazing, as I was up at the main stage almost all day. In short, for being some people who are getting to be some Old Farts, Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie F#$%ING rocked! They put on such impressive shows that we had many less injuries than during headliner shows in the last few years...I attribute this entirely to people too busy actually enjoying the show than thrashing and dropping each other.

Picked up a rare shift on the road for what I guess is now Big Aquamarine EMS..worked with someone I truly enjoy spending time with, and had a blast. Got to pick up one of our regular dialysis patients that I had not seen in almost a year, and happily attended. Got to drive out to BFE and do a ridiculously short tote to a doctor's appointment and back...approx 1/40th of the mileage for that trip consisted of the transport....

Got hired on with the Oompa Loompa EMS Squad, which consisted mostly of "You are a paramedic? *insert drooling and fawning here*." Gotta say, the only reason I went over to this agency was at the request of Epijunky..apparently she would like to work a shift or two with me. Orientation was a disorganized mess, at least to someone who has worked at several different agencies over the last 10 years. Had my "training" shift today, which consisted of getting quizzed over drug dosages (have I mentioned I have not seen the protocol book yet??) and writing all the reports. Oh, and I drove back to the station to prove I won't recklessly play bumper cars while being supervised...yeah. All of my patients today were neck bubblers. For those of you who have not had the joyous experience of deep tracheal suctioning, I think there is no way to put across in words what a nausea inducing experience it is..Between the sounds of the thick mucus and sputum, to the vibrations of the suction tubing..UGH..grooooosssss. Yes, I understand it is part of the job. Yes, I understand it is NOT the patient's fault that they have a trach. No, it does not make it any less hideous and disgusting to me.

On a separate note, Oompa Loompa EMS is not as bad as I thought it was going to be, based off of what I was told by many people. They are a small start up company in the already flooded EMS market here in Big City. They have issues as does any EMS agency, be it private, fire dept, or some other system. However, they are trying, and by all accounts things are improving. Plus, they have several contracts for special events in the area, AND they pay an extra $1/hr for working them. I like the sounds of that.

For now though, it is time for this Nocturnal Medic to head to bed. I have my princess this weekend, and have to drive to pick her up tomorrow, and then work tomorrow night.  Sleep well, be safe, and as always, until next time!

TS&T