To the Anonymous Commenter....

How dare you question my writing and not have the guts to reveal who you are.

Since you feel like you need to nitpick and judge me and my personal thoughts, I'll respond to every single one of your "concerns" in public.....I don't need to hide behind "anonymous".

Anonymous said...

"I found this via a friend who frequents BBC and after reading these two lines I just had to say something.

"Thankfully, I didn't have to do anything really..."

"I don't really feel much like working today..."

I would hate to be the person who burdens you with my car accident when I have three kids and we all need calming down. And if you don't feel like working- you shouldn't! After all, when people need help but you just don't feel like it, why bother? And don't you worry- I'll drive safe because if I get into an accident I can not trust that you will want to save me (even though that is your job)!"
04 December, 2007 12:06


First of all, did you ever stop to consider that perhaps I was thankful that I didn't have to do anything at the wreck because NO ONE WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED?

Do you not think that I've seen enough children's brains splattered over the roadway, their lives cut way too short?

Or children who have lost an extremity?

Children who have suffered traumatic brain injuries because their parent chose to drive under the influence and didn't buckle them in properly?

Do you not think that I've seen one too many children whose parents have rolled over on them in the middle of the night while co-sleeping and suffocated them?

I've done CPR on far too many precious little children. I've pronounced too many babies dead.

So yes, I have earned the right to say that I am thankful I didn't need to do much more than try to calm down Mom and the children.

If further treatment had been needed, you bet your critically judgmental arse that I would have done everything in my power to have saved the lives of those children and/or their mother.

After triaging all the patients and determining what resources would be needed, I sat there with those children and held their hands, cuddled with the youngest, and helped to calm down Mom for nearly 10 minutes before EMS arrived.

I'd also like to point out the fact that I had no legal duty to act and was not required by current state legislation to stop and render aid. I did because I care AND because I have the training, the skills, the knowledge, the equipment, and the authority to provide emergency medical treatment to my fellow human beings.

As far as my other comment about hoping my shift is mellow....Have you ever worked in public safety? My guess is um, NO you haven't. If you have you'd understand that hoping we are busy is a double edged sword. If we hope to be busy, we are hoping tragedy upon our community. Because to get a "good" call (shooting, stabbing, bad wreck, heart attack, code, etc) that means something bad has happened to someone else.

What kind of fricking sadist would I be if I wished harm and tragedy on my community?

Now, with that said, just because I said that I didn't want to do anything doesn't mean that I wouldn't. Big difference, in my opinion. I ALWAYS do my job to the best of my ability, ALWAYS. And since you don't know me, you couldn't possibly have any idea how many times I've brought a patient "home" with me and cried over them. You don't have any idea how many times I see a patient's face as I close my eyes at night and attempt to sleep.

My partner and I assisted our local ER with the unexpected cardiac arrest of a school aged child earlier this year. We did chest compressions on this youngster for almost 2 hours, assisting while the doctors, nurses, and air medical crew valiantly tried to save this precious child's life. We did chest compressions even when it was clear that this child had already been cradled in the loving embrace of our Lord. We did chest compressions with tears running down our faces while Mom and Dad were brought back and realized the light of their lives was gone forever. After we returned the flight crew to their air craft, empty handed, our strong and stoic firefighters cried with me while our hearts broke for the loss of that child and for the parents who would go home mourning the death of their beloved child.

Until you have walked a 24 hour shift in my shoes, don't you dare tell me how I should think, feel, act, or write. Do you have a positive attitude towards your job 100% of the time? Are you always happy and upbeat when going to work? Do you never have second doubts about things that are happening at your place of employment?

And if you wreck your car with your three children, I will do everything I can to save your life and your children's lives because it is my PASSION and not just my job. I will do it because I care about serving my community and the people who live in it. I will do it because I provide medical care to my community without regard to your ability to pay, skin color, religion, infectious disease status, etc.

Please do not EVER question my dedication to my job again. It's insulting and demeaning. I would give my life for yours or your children's lives if it came down to it.