Some of you may have already seen my Facebook post about relating my patients to Bluefin Tuna. If not, here it is:
"Picked up just under 3/4 of a ton of women at work yesterday. Welcome to EMS! On the bright side, if they were Blue Fin Tuna, I'd be $18,660 richer."
First of all I would like to say, I meant ZERO disrespect to my patients! This post was meant to be a humorous post to get a chuckle out of my FIRE/EMS friends, which they obviously did. Hell, even a few of my 5OH friends chimed in, as did my "outer space" friends. (Outer Space meaning normal friends with normal jobs.)
Secondly, I would NEVER compromise the safety and care of another human trusted to my care. EVER! 24 years ago I signed my name on a blank check payable to citizens I didn't know, and some I haven't met yet. I promised on a bible to give them my BEST day on their WORST day. And trust me, I've paid for that promise and blank check, oh how I have paid!
I'm not done paying. I can walk away from all of this shit tomorrow and make more money. But I'm not done. My choice!
So back to the story behind my FB post. Did I think of my patients as a Blue Fin tuna? Absolutely not. Did I formulate a plan to get them out of their current position and to the hospital, with THEIR safety and comfort in mind? You betcha! Did I write a check, payable to a really sore back, for THEIR comfort and safety? YUP! This is someone's Mother, Sister, Wife. Someone that is trusted in my care.
Have you ever had a 3 minute old baby handed to you to "fix"?
I have! What kind of trust does it take for a new mother to hand over her 3 minute old baby to a complete stranger? That's an awesome responsibility my friends, and one that we need to be prepared for and not take lightly.
Seems I started something with the "Tuna Cash" among my little community of friends and coworkers. Its simply a "fun" way for us to get rid of stress. Plain and simple. Something to chat about while we wash the blood out of the back of the ambulance and try not to think about the family's that were just destroyed. The family's that called us first. The family's that had no other option. The family's that hand you a 3 minute old baby, the family's that don't understand why Jimmy OD'd on Heroin. Something to chat about at 0300 HRS when sleep isn't gonna happen. Something to think about when we drag our asses out of bed at 0430 HRS to go to work to help others. TO HELP OTHERS.
Those family's called YOU to fix this!
Find your own "Tuna Cash" way to get rid of the stress, or jump on board. Don't judge. Don't assume. Don't ever disrespect the tradition laid down by those that came before you!
Be professional. Be nice. Be understanding.
"BE THE ONE!"
