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Our class had our first of two sessions of CPR training last Monday, which consisted of all of sitting in the floor with our little dummies (I named mine George) and watching the cheeziest video produced by AHA. The guy in the video looked like Janitor from "Scrubs", but wasn't *quite* as funny... Our instructor told us that the AHA didn't like the way CPR was being taught, so they made up the video so that they had total control...all rightey then.
Why is it that whenever you KNOW you're going to be kneeling in the floor in front of 15 other people, you don't think ahead and wear pants that are two sizes too big and a shirt that's too short, so the band and half of your tighty-whiteys are on view for the whole class to see?
My partner for the class - Jenn - is a cute little blond that has a wonderfully bubbly personality. She and I had to run an unwitnessed-collapse scenario in front of the group, and I was told afterwards that none of the guys could criqitue us, because they were all rubbernecking to see her butt while she was doing compressions....I guess some things never change.
Just makes me sad, to remember back when I actually had an ass that guys checked out. Guess it's time to start jogging again, huh? I'm a firm believer that if I give up cigarettes and McDonalds, and become a size 4, and start a running program...I'll get hit by a car.
Ain't that always the case? :)
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
My First Blog
Greetings, fellow bloggers!
This is my first attempt at anything like this, but it can't be too painful, right? I guess it's a lot like losing your virginity...a big build-up, a little bit of pain, and then you're left wondering, "Was that what all the fuss was about?"
Obviously from the title of this blog, I'm an EMT-I student, currently in my first quarter of classes. Jumping into this field was a big decision for me - I have no background in either public safety, or medicine. My husband is a firefighter, so I know what goes on - I'm not a total doofus when it comes to emergency medicine.
On the first night of class, my instructor has us each introduce ourselves, and tell him why we wanted to be an EMT. Of course, there were the standard "I want to help people" answers, and even more of the "I'm a firefighter, and the county is making me take this class" variety. Then it came to my turn, and I went totally blank for a moment...
Why did I want to be an EMT?
Yes, I did want to help people. But isn't there another way to do this without slipping around in blood and guts and who knows what else that comes out of the human body? Not that the thought of bodily fluids makes me gag or anything - I've got two kids, and have had my share of projectile nastiness.
What about seeing someone with their bones sticking out of their skin, or a bullet hole through their abdomen? Was that going to freak me out? I can't say that I've had a huge experience with massive trauma, but I think I could probably handle it. I've never been accused of being squeamish, and I'm certainly not a "girly girl" (although spiders do freak me the hell out, I will admit. It's just not normal to have that many legs!!)
I thought about it, and I want to be an EMT because I want to be able to make a difference in someone's life. I want to be able to say, "See that guy over there? When I got to him, he was in full cardiac arrest, and was circling the drain. But I pumped the life back into him, and now he's going to go back home to his wife and kids. "
Does that make me sound like I have a God complex or something? I didn't mean it to be taken as such.
I just want to know that, when I put in a good day's work, that someone is going to be here on this planet another day. Someone can finish up something important to them, tell their kids that they love them one more time, or try to make the best of the time they have left.
I know that we can't save every patient on every call...but I know that if I give it everything I've got, I can walk away knowing I did my best.
This is my first attempt at anything like this, but it can't be too painful, right? I guess it's a lot like losing your virginity...a big build-up, a little bit of pain, and then you're left wondering, "Was that what all the fuss was about?"
Obviously from the title of this blog, I'm an EMT-I student, currently in my first quarter of classes. Jumping into this field was a big decision for me - I have no background in either public safety, or medicine. My husband is a firefighter, so I know what goes on - I'm not a total doofus when it comes to emergency medicine.
On the first night of class, my instructor has us each introduce ourselves, and tell him why we wanted to be an EMT. Of course, there were the standard "I want to help people" answers, and even more of the "I'm a firefighter, and the county is making me take this class" variety. Then it came to my turn, and I went totally blank for a moment...
Why did I want to be an EMT?
Yes, I did want to help people. But isn't there another way to do this without slipping around in blood and guts and who knows what else that comes out of the human body? Not that the thought of bodily fluids makes me gag or anything - I've got two kids, and have had my share of projectile nastiness.
What about seeing someone with their bones sticking out of their skin, or a bullet hole through their abdomen? Was that going to freak me out? I can't say that I've had a huge experience with massive trauma, but I think I could probably handle it. I've never been accused of being squeamish, and I'm certainly not a "girly girl" (although spiders do freak me the hell out, I will admit. It's just not normal to have that many legs!!)
I thought about it, and I want to be an EMT because I want to be able to make a difference in someone's life. I want to be able to say, "See that guy over there? When I got to him, he was in full cardiac arrest, and was circling the drain. But I pumped the life back into him, and now he's going to go back home to his wife and kids. "
Does that make me sound like I have a God complex or something? I didn't mean it to be taken as such.
I just want to know that, when I put in a good day's work, that someone is going to be here on this planet another day. Someone can finish up something important to them, tell their kids that they love them one more time, or try to make the best of the time they have left.
I know that we can't save every patient on every call...but I know that if I give it everything I've got, I can walk away knowing I did my best.
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