Well behind again on this.... Seems like there's never enough hours in the day....
Friday the 20 got home and found a birthday card in the mail from a good friend with a very special note written in it that made me cry. It was a nice end to a cruddy week.
Saturday the 21 first day of the Extrication Class followed by a night out with Kenny. We went to Sput's Place for steak dinner and to listen to the band. Played a few games of pool and had a couple drinks.
Sunday the 22 by far the best part and most fun was cutting up cars and getting to use big tools! And it was a great stress relief. Using the windshield saw was a blast and I got out a lot of pent up aggression on it!
Monday the 23 started on the trauma chapters in class and LOVE it as gross as it sounds its super cool to learn about and learn how to treat it.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Auto Extrication cont
Well I am now certified in Vehicle Extrication Technician...
Fancy name for knowing how to cut up cars to get trapped occupants out. The
class was a two day class and was supposed to be 8-5 both days. We had a super
cool teacher he decided to do all classroom work on Saturday and leave at 2 and
then do the fun stuff Sunday!
Saturday I was a bit nervous even though I knew a couple
people taking the class I was worried I would have to deal with others who
don't think women should be in the profession. However I was pleasantly
surprised! I got to sit with some of the fire fighters from St. James and well
there wasn't a dull moment. I learned you don't want to leave your phone laying
on the table they like to lock them up so I took the pass code off then the one
guy thought it was fun to play with. I didn't know a iphone could be so
entertaining! We finished up with the classroom work and I stuck around to help
them put the tables and chairs away. I think it surprised a few of them I stuck
around, but the way I looked at it they hosted the class and I was able to
attend I wanted to at least help where I could.
Sunday we started at 8am in full gear which as cool as it
was out I didn't mind. Other than looking like a big banana dork. Anyway the
guy with the camera assured me I wouldn't be in many pictures yes wish I
wouldn't have believed him. Anyway I was able to stay with the St. James group
while the other misc. departments worked in another group. I was glad to feel
accepted and they let me get right in and do it all and several times. The
tools were very heavy but I managed to use them all on my own. There were a
couple times where you had to have someone else help if you were in certain
spots on the car. We decided to do a patient extrication since one of the guys
from another department needed signed off on for fire fighter one class. One of
the St. James firemen is a paramedic and they
were going to have him lead the rescue so I decided to step up and ask if I
could be the EMT in the scenario and he surprisingly said yes! However the
patient was a bigger guy in full gear but I managed to crawl in car with him
and get him on the backboard and strapped down! Plus I got to have that signed
off on my skill book for my EMT class.
We were in full gear for around 5 hours and well even with
it cold out your still covered head to toe in sweat! I stayed and helped them
clean up again. I knew I was going to be sore the next day it was one heck of a
total body workout but well worth it.
It was nice getting to be somewhere a whole weekend and be
myself and be around others who accept me as being a girl in a male dominant
profession. I was able to prove myself to some that doubted my abilities
because I was short and a girl. Had several tell me I did good which made me
feel even better.
But I think the best part was my mom commenting on my Facebook
status this morning she was proud of me for doing it!
Pictures From Auto Extrication
I will post more about the fun I had Saturday and Sunday soon but I decided to do the picture post first since I am short on time....
This was how they set some of the cars up for us.
Yes that is me next to curb yellow helmet way shorter than the rest of the group
Getting to use the window saw which was a lot of fun!
Me getting to use the cutters (which were super heavy)
The cut I made by those wires enabled the ram to push the front of the car apart
I got to use a saws all for the first time which its a fun tool
I got to use the cutters to cut the door hinges
Doing patient care and I got a guy on to a backboard in a senario we did.
That is me on far right...
There wasn't much left of the cars when we were done!
Taking a break after extricating patient I was getting quizzed by a Paramedic and EMT
I dislike this picture very much and mr sneaky camera person told me I wasn't in any....
Friday, April 20, 2012
Ride for a different town....
I have done 3 ride alongs with the Phelps County Ambulance, two for school and one for fun. Well I decided to schedule several hours with St. James Ambulance since that is where I would LOVE to get a job.
However Sunday morning as I pulled up and got out of my car I was more nervous than ever, it was like starting over. In Rolla I got to know several of the EMT's and Medic's not to mention one of my best friends works every Saturday. In St. James well I knew a couple but didn't really know them well. Shift change was at 8 but three of them were working full weekend so only one person left and one came in. I knew the one crew had been out all night with calls and transfers so figured they would sleep all day. Well both crews ended up sleeping all darn day.
We had two calls in the 14 hours I was there so it gave me about 12 hours to study which I guess was nice. Both calls we had were good the second was a wreck on the interstate in the median. It was my first ever wreck to work and first experience along an interstate where traffic is flying by at 70+ miles an hour. I was told I handled the experience very well which was good because I was trying to process everything that was going on so I could learn from it.
So now I have 38 of my 40 required ambulance hours in. All of my O2 administrations, all of my backboards, all 6 vitals and all 6 procedure observations done and all 10 required patient contacts. I have several more days scheduled with St. James and I think now that I have the school part of it done I can relax and get in to it and really learn more.
Next month I start doing shifts in the ER of evenings to get my 16 hours in.
However Sunday morning as I pulled up and got out of my car I was more nervous than ever, it was like starting over. In Rolla I got to know several of the EMT's and Medic's not to mention one of my best friends works every Saturday. In St. James well I knew a couple but didn't really know them well. Shift change was at 8 but three of them were working full weekend so only one person left and one came in. I knew the one crew had been out all night with calls and transfers so figured they would sleep all day. Well both crews ended up sleeping all darn day.
We had two calls in the 14 hours I was there so it gave me about 12 hours to study which I guess was nice. Both calls we had were good the second was a wreck on the interstate in the median. It was my first ever wreck to work and first experience along an interstate where traffic is flying by at 70+ miles an hour. I was told I handled the experience very well which was good because I was trying to process everything that was going on so I could learn from it.
So now I have 38 of my 40 required ambulance hours in. All of my O2 administrations, all of my backboards, all 6 vitals and all 6 procedure observations done and all 10 required patient contacts. I have several more days scheduled with St. James and I think now that I have the school part of it done I can relax and get in to it and really learn more.
Next month I start doing shifts in the ER of evenings to get my 16 hours in.
30 Day Challenge
Ok well once again its been a crazy zoo week at work, school and home. So I am behind again.
Tuesday-Kenny called me to come over to the new house as they were moving our new fridge from the garage where it has been half unpacked for months to our kitchen where it belongs. I get there as Kenny, my Grandpa and Kenny's brother are trying to move it. They had to take it out and around back (in the dirt) and in the french doors off the dining room. I was to nervous to watch so I just waited until it found its home in the kitchen and LOVE IT.
Wednesday the highlight was eating lunch with a new friend we ate lunch together last Wednesday and she asked if I wanted to again so I went for it.
Thursday-was a crappy day all around start to finish so the highlight was actually getting 3 hours of straight sleep!
Tuesday-Kenny called me to come over to the new house as they were moving our new fridge from the garage where it has been half unpacked for months to our kitchen where it belongs. I get there as Kenny, my Grandpa and Kenny's brother are trying to move it. They had to take it out and around back (in the dirt) and in the french doors off the dining room. I was to nervous to watch so I just waited until it found its home in the kitchen and LOVE IT.
Wednesday the highlight was eating lunch with a new friend we ate lunch together last Wednesday and she asked if I wanted to again so I went for it.
Thursday-was a crappy day all around start to finish so the highlight was actually getting 3 hours of straight sleep!
Monday, April 16, 2012
Fun Challenge Post
Wow I got behind again didn't realize my last fun day post was the 10th.
Day 11 and 12 didn't have anything I could classify as fun.
Day 13 Was date night with my husband had a nice dinner and even tho we had to go to Lowes and Walmart after it was still nice to have some alone time. I think it had been a few weeks since we had any us time.
Day 14 Having fun at the auction, granted it rained on us most of the day and we were in knee deep mud. But towards the end of the day I was in the trailer with one of the Jr. Fire Fighters who let me borrow his book to read up on extrication. We manned the trailer by ourselves for a while and it was fun forgot how crazy 17 year olds could be and boys at that looking at every pretty girl that walked by. But I sure don't miss being that age!
Day 15 I worked a 14 hour day on the ambulance and while we only had 2 calls I loved every minute of being there even the 12 hours that everyone was in their rooms sleeping leaving me alone in the main room.
Day 11 and 12 didn't have anything I could classify as fun.
Day 13 Was date night with my husband had a nice dinner and even tho we had to go to Lowes and Walmart after it was still nice to have some alone time. I think it had been a few weeks since we had any us time.
Day 14 Having fun at the auction, granted it rained on us most of the day and we were in knee deep mud. But towards the end of the day I was in the trailer with one of the Jr. Fire Fighters who let me borrow his book to read up on extrication. We manned the trailer by ourselves for a while and it was fun forgot how crazy 17 year olds could be and boys at that looking at every pretty girl that walked by. But I sure don't miss being that age!
Day 15 I worked a 14 hour day on the ambulance and while we only had 2 calls I loved every minute of being there even the 12 hours that everyone was in their rooms sleeping leaving me alone in the main room.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Excitement....Dissapointment.....
I love school.. well ok love the class I am taking and glad its only two nights a week. But I do LOVE being on the ambulance and learning more and more daily. Haven't started my ER time and well I honestly am not excited about that part not real sure why.
Several weeks ago our class was invited to do an extrication class in a neighboring town. They gave us the choice of two dates in April 14 and 28 I knew the 14 was not an option for me but 28 I could do. Well last Monday they picked the 14 I was bummed and disappointed as I had already got my fire gear from our department for the class. The teacher knew I wanted to do the class since she knows my love of fire fighting. I knew St. James was doing an extrication class this month as well but we found out it was a two day class and probably not open for any of the students to go to. But she told me she would call and see what she could do...... So I went thru the next two days super bummed about it. Went in to class Thursday night and she told me I was going to St. James the 21 and 22 I looked at her and said I am only on schedule for 22 fully thinking she meant ambulance time. She once again said no you are going to St. James you are in the class! Talk to me after our class tonight, I was to excited to contain myself. Then I realized the 21 was a day I had planned to shop with two of my good friends who are more like family. We had been planning the trip for several weeks and I then had to text and cancel. While I was super excited about getting in to a class I was told I couldn't get in to I was equally as upset on cancelling a shopping trip.
After class I waited for everyone to leave and asked her how in the world did she get me in to that class. She had told them she had a student who is associated with the Vichy Fire Department who really was interested in a extrication class and he said that was fine. In her conversation to him she also got another girl in our class in the class due to her husband being on that department. Needless to say I was to excited to sleep much that night!!!
This past Saturday at the auction we always have several St. James Fire Fighters that come to auctions and eat and stand around talking to us. And one of them saw me studying and asked if I was in the EMT class then asked if anyone on the Vichy Dept was going to the extrication class. Two of them pointed to me.... So I am glad to know I will know a few that will be there and trust some of them because its not an easy class and could be dangerous if you don't know and trust who your working with.
So hopefully April and Connie and I can reschedule our lake shopping trip for next month because I desperately need some girl time and some shopping relaxation!
Several weeks ago our class was invited to do an extrication class in a neighboring town. They gave us the choice of two dates in April 14 and 28 I knew the 14 was not an option for me but 28 I could do. Well last Monday they picked the 14 I was bummed and disappointed as I had already got my fire gear from our department for the class. The teacher knew I wanted to do the class since she knows my love of fire fighting. I knew St. James was doing an extrication class this month as well but we found out it was a two day class and probably not open for any of the students to go to. But she told me she would call and see what she could do...... So I went thru the next two days super bummed about it. Went in to class Thursday night and she told me I was going to St. James the 21 and 22 I looked at her and said I am only on schedule for 22 fully thinking she meant ambulance time. She once again said no you are going to St. James you are in the class! Talk to me after our class tonight, I was to excited to contain myself. Then I realized the 21 was a day I had planned to shop with two of my good friends who are more like family. We had been planning the trip for several weeks and I then had to text and cancel. While I was super excited about getting in to a class I was told I couldn't get in to I was equally as upset on cancelling a shopping trip.
After class I waited for everyone to leave and asked her how in the world did she get me in to that class. She had told them she had a student who is associated with the Vichy Fire Department who really was interested in a extrication class and he said that was fine. In her conversation to him she also got another girl in our class in the class due to her husband being on that department. Needless to say I was to excited to sleep much that night!!!
This past Saturday at the auction we always have several St. James Fire Fighters that come to auctions and eat and stand around talking to us. And one of them saw me studying and asked if I was in the EMT class then asked if anyone on the Vichy Dept was going to the extrication class. Two of them pointed to me.... So I am glad to know I will know a few that will be there and trust some of them because its not an easy class and could be dangerous if you don't know and trust who your working with.
So hopefully April and Connie and I can reschedule our lake shopping trip for next month because I desperately need some girl time and some shopping relaxation!
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