Day 120 - The last day of Academy Classroom. We started the day with dress out drills.
For me and a few other, it was just getting our gear out. Because we had already done the drill (done on Wednesday) we watched the others go through it. After that, we prepared for our Practice Practical. A few folks went before lunch. The rest of us waited in the gym.
Lunch was at an all you can eat sushi bar. It was good, but something I probably will NOT do again.
After lunch, the rest of us waited to be called up to the room. Dill and I (which is not surprise...he and I have had a few adventures throughout this academy together - Jewelery, Ladder Rescue, carries, runs) headed up for our turn, I pulled IV and nailed every part. Dill also did well....
The rest of the day was spent waiting for the rest of the folks to go. Finally, it was time to go...Academy Classroom complete....
Day 121 - Clinical Week begins. Monday I had my very first clinical. I slept horrible that morning. I kept waking up every 20 minutes. I think some of it was nerves. I didn't want to be late. Most of it was (however) caused by a sick bug.
I left the house around 6:15 and headed over to the Medic Hall. Once there I observed and helped set-up and check off the truck. As soon as that was completed, we got our first call. Chest Pain. We headed over to the location (lights and sirens of course) and once we got the patient loaded up in the ambulance, the medic put me to work. I started an INT (I did get blood all over the place, but I did get the IV started). I checked a blood sugar, and about the time I wrapped that I up...we were pulling in to the hospital. A quick change of the sheet, and we were heading back to "quarters".
No sooner had we closed the doors to the ambulance, when another call came in. This one was altered mental status. I checked a blood sugar in route to the hospital. I also saw the use of the stair chair. I also ran into my first responding fire company. I missed the chance to get an IV stick on this patient. We changed the sheet and I briefly talked with another cadet working his hospital shift. Soon enough, we were heading back to the station.
And at the station we stayed until late afternoon. In the meantime we washed the truck, watched a little t.v.,and ran some errands.
Call number three happened right after we were cancelled off of another. We were sent to a shoe store downtown. There we picked up a gentleman who was fine physically, but mentally not all there. He was very nice and very complementary. We transported him to the hospital.
We then headed to dinner at Fire Station 13. There we received our fourth call. A gentleman had fallen out of his wheel chair 1 week prior to the call. Now his knee had swollen up, and he could no longer move on his own. We transported him to the hospital.
After another cancellation, we filled the ambulance up with gas and headed back to Medic 11. I parted ways with the medics and headed for home. It was a great learning experience.....
Day 122 - It was Tuesday and lucky for me...I had the day off...and finally I slept...
Day 123 - Wednesday - The morning started early. I had to be at station location at 6am. I arrived at six, to find the lounge locked. It wasn't until 6:45 that I was told that the shift change was at seven. I met with the medic and the emt, and we headed over to East Ridge to wash the truck. Sounds simple enough, but this company was very particular about the ambulance washing. It took about 2 hours (including drive time). We got back around 10, and there we waited until 4:15...our 1st call. This ambulance company does nothing but transfers. So we transfered one patient to another hospital. On the way back, the ambulance was stopped by a homeless man. This gentleman was in a great deal of pain. From the looks of his arm...it may have been broken. Even though it was not their protocol to pick up folks off the street and take them to the hospital, we transported him.
After that, we returned to the station...and I headed home.
Day 124 - Thursday sent me to Medic 7. I got there just before seven. We spent the first two hours of the shift observing the cardiac cath lab at a local hospital. Very interesting. We returned to the hall, just to go out on our 1st call. A man fell off of a scaffolding. We packaged him up, and headed to the hospital. I started another IV in the ambulance...that was stick number two. We them grabbed a bite to eat, and headed back to the hall. Before we could close the door...in came call number 2. This was for a wreck on Shalloford and Gunbarrel. It was interesting flying down Gunbarrel in the back of an ambulance with lights and sirens going. We packaged this patient up, got her in the ambulance. There I got stick number 3.
We then ran a few other calls....a patient at a doctors office, who did not want to go to the hospital, but the doctor forced him against his will (we didn't transport him) and a guy who called 911 just for an ambulance ride (he didn't get his ride). We ended the day responding to a call that involved a robbery, wreck involving a cop car, and a tazing. Never did I think I would be standing in the middle of Interstate 75 (all lanes blocked) transporting a cop to the hospital.
We returned to the station and I went home. A busy day, though not a ton of calls.
Day 125 - Friday---the end of clinical week. I had a 7:00am call time to the ER. Not a ton went on, though I did get IV stick 4 and 5. One was on a young pregnant girl...who unfortunately cried when I stuck her. I only had a four hour shift, so around 11, I left. And with that...Clinical week ended. Next up...live burn!
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