Wicked Tuna

 

 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!"

The Demon Door

  Sorry, no song to go with this one, just straight thoughts from me.

  Every time I come home, without fail, My wife, my children ask "How was your day, Dad?" Even my buddy Carl is excited to see me, tail wagging "HI DAD!"

  My day was "OK" is my standard answer.

  What I don't tell them, or ANYONE is about my Demon Door.  The Demon Door is a place way back in the darkest corner of your brain that you store stuff you do not want to deal with.

  Today, I saw a woman overdose on heroin. At 5:00.  In front of her children.  In front of her grandchildren.  The grandchildren were watching Nickelodeon like nothing was wrong.

  Today I saw a completely psychotic woman about to end her life, because of things she had done in her past.

  Today I saw a 16 year old girl talking to her mother in a fashion that would NOT be accepted in my generation, and would have probably landed me in the hospital with a fractured jaw and missing teeth if I had uttered those words to my mother.

  Yesterday, I saw a Cop, who happens to be a lifelong friend of mine,  put himself in danger to make our community a safer place to live.  He ended up at the hospital getting stitches.

  I was very fortunate enough to talk to a new dear friend of mine tonight.  Wanted to know stories.  That's when WE realized the Demon Door.  There are things we deal with in the Police/Fire/EMS world that the general public cannot deal with, yet we do on a daily basis.

  We all have saved and lost loved ones.  We have all seen tragedies and travesties.  We have all been angry at the situation found, but have done what we were trained and hired to do and made a positive outcome.

    So, you people from "Outer Space" that want to know what's in our minds, out of your curiosity?

BEWARE

We ALL have a "Demon Door" 

Hey, I don't know

WHAT a day!

Hey, I don't know!

  Obviously by the lack of my blog posts, I done fell off of my mountain again. But this is a great story, and I'm climbing again, and NOTHING is getting in my way this time!

  This story depends on a past story, so if you're new to my blog or not familiar with my New Stanton exit story you need to read this first: The Country Song

  Cool story!  So a short time back I realized I fell off my mountain and lost my way.  I was asking GOD, Karma, The Universe to help me find my way back.  Thought I was doing good by trying to help others, but I wasn't "ALL IN" and it wasn't working.  There was a hump I couldn't get over, but I was trying.  I even thought to myself "Why isn't this working anymore? I'm really trying." Yet I was bitching about my idiot neighbor, Obamacare, and had a "Why me" kinda attitude somewhere in the back of my mind.

 Friday the 13th, June 2014.  Run over to Gibsonia PA to look at a car fire for job #2.  My son wanted to go with me for something to do, I explained that he can't go because you have to literally be on "the list" provided by the insurance company to even get in the yard, let alone look at the car.  He was curious as to what I do, and wanted to learn something.  I felt bad for telling him not this time.  So I get to the salvage yard, I LOVE this place.  I consider everyone there a friend of mine because I go there so often. Nice conversation with the office staff, Bob brings my car out, nice conversation with Bob.  Do my thing, figure out what started the fire, yadda yadda.  Then I get a text from my "brother".  "I need a HUGE favor if you're in Da Burgh."  I'm not in Da Burgh but I'm a hell of a lot closer than you are!  Just needed some pics of an accident scene he's working on.

  Drive back towards town until my "awesome" T-Mobile phone gets a signal, and we can figure out where the hell I'm going.  We figure it out, and before you know it I'm eastbound on the PA pike again.  This should be a 2 hour delay in my day to help my "brother" out.  On it!

  Send him a text, trying to be a smart ass, "OMG It's the New Stanton exit!  On Friday the 13th!"   Even send this pic:

 Yes, that's MY guardrail from the previous story.  Get off in New Stanton, head to 70 westbound and literally 10 min later my truck dies. I'm 2 min from where I need to take pics of the accident scene, and 2 hours from home.

12:30:  Well, I know how this ends up!  Been there, done that!  OH! Go figure, my awesome T-Mobile phone has ZERO signal!  Fantastic!  I jump the guardrail and walk towards the motel until I get a single bar for a signal.  Call 911 because I have NO CLUE where I am. Call my new roadside insurance because I learned from the last time!!!!  They're on it!

13:15: PA State Trooper shows up.  I have a CCW, my weapon is in the truck, loaded.  OK.  You're off the road, we're good, I'll check on you later.  Thank you sir!

  I don't think I'm in a safe place at all, so I remove myself from the potential accident scene.

  So we sit and wait. For 2 and a half hours!  Insurance Co calls me back, walk back towards the motel to get a signal, call them back.  Finally found a tow truck.  ETA 1 hour.  Tow truck driver on conference call tells me he has to stop for fuel first. GOOD BOY!  So here we sit.  Trying to help a friend.  All alone. Angry at my situation, my phone, and the world.  What else bad can you send my way?

Wow! Really?

  Ok, I'll shut up!

  I was ANGRY.  Wondering why I was being "punished" for trying to help a friend.

 FINALLY made it home, and still didn't know what my lesson was.  Grabbed a beer, hugged my wife, chatted with my son. It's been a looooong day.  I need a shower.  Then it hit me. WOW did it hit me!

 I was literally ASKING for this!  Needed some alone time. Got it!  Desperately asking for a way to get over that hump, and back on track. Got it!

  It took me a long time to figure it out, but I did.  I asked for exactly what I got.

  Standing on the side of the road alone. 

 I saw breast cancer stickers.  I saw POW/MIA stickers.  I saw Lupus, Autism and Alzheimers stickers.  I saw a Convoy of USMC troops that weren't with they're family's.  I saw a Dassanti truck when I was thirsty. I saw an ambulance on the red.  EVERYONE that passed me had problems of their own that don't concern me.

  So, Hey!  I don't know, why don't you tell me?  God sure did.  Just took me a few hours to understand my lesson.

  I didn't realize it at the time.  

  But I was the fortunate one.  

  My big problem was a faulty fuel pump.

Cruel World

Watch this first:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxCUyy_aVzA

The 100% MOST depressing video I have ever seen.  Did you happen to see the positive in it???

Holy CRAP did I teach myself a lesson tonight!!!  This is AMAZING!

As you all know, I fell off of my mountain.  Let me tell you, it was a deep dark place.  I said "was".  Such a Hurricane.  But I found it in myself to teach another about the ways of positive thinking this evening, even though I wasn't and haven't been practicing what I preach!

But the simple fact that I found someone willing to follow.  He's on his 24 hour test right now.  The simple fact that he's willing to follow brought back something inside me.  I was excited to start him on his way!

And ya know what else happened?  The fact that I was willing to "teach" and send my happiness to others that are willing to accept it, made a "happiness hole" in me.  God said, "HEY!  Lucky is low on happiness! I'll give him more, cuz OBVIOUSLY that's what he wants!"

BECAUSE I GAVE MY HAPPINESS TO OTHERS!  I made a blank spot to allow more happiness.

The video I asked you to watch.  Did you see it as a suicidal "Good Bye"?  I bet you did!

Here's how I take it:

Say Good-Bye to all the negative in your life.  The world IS yours. All you have to do is BELIEVE, and get rid of the happiness you have to others, and be thankful for the happiness that is about to rain down upon you!.  God (MY preference!) Karma, The Universe will see you want happiness, but you're giving it away.  More Happiness is coming your way because that is what you're focusing on!

Most NEGATIVE video ever!  I'll change your mind.  There IS positive in everything, if you know where to look. Need a lesson?

Watch it again with a POSITIVE attitude!  The first time you saw it, you were pre-programmed to think NEGATIVE about it.  When it says "Good-Bye", I want you to think about saying GOOD-BYE to your negative thoughts.  There really is POSITIVE in everything!

POSITIVE

See what I mean?  It's all perspective and train of thought.


YOU can do this.  I believe in you!

Who got the keys to the world now?

Just a quick post tonight.

Play this ----> Pitbull

  Such a learning experience!  Let my guard down for two days, and got my ass knocked down to the bottom of the mountain.

  But i've seen the top, it's indescribable! So I hit the bottom, yet again.


But with this attitude:

"Ziggy Ziggy Ziggy ZOW! Who got the keys to the world now?"

Rule #1: Don't forget the rules!

Rule #2: Do good to others, ALWAYS.

  I have the keys to your world in my hand. My world too!  It's sooooo simple!

Keep climbing!!!!!

The Avalanche

Avalanche  <--right click that, open in new window while you read!

  Last blog I mentioned this positive attitude was like climbing a mountain.  Well, it is.  This song from the Butthole Surfers explains how my January has gone.

  I fell off the mountain.

  Some things out of my control happened, and I spent WAY too much time and effort on them.  Remember the rules? Things we have zero control over deserve and get zero of our thoughts and effort.  I forgot that rule.  And summa bitch, here comes the Avalanche.  I found myself at the bottom of the mountain, yet again.  But once I got over the self pitty, and being a "victim", I learned something.  A LOT of somethings!  First off, the ONLY one that lets me or you be a victim of anything is US!  I was a "victim" of some bad circumstances, but only because I let myself be a victim instead of looking for and believing in the positive.  I'm not a victim, however I was afforded an opportunity to learn something.

  Once I let myself become part of the Avalanche, it was literally a downhill snowball ride!

"I can taste you on my lips, and smell you in my clothes."  That's all about my wife.  I literally smell her on my clothes all the time, and her long blonde hairs are EVERYWHERE!  She constantly reminds me of her presence.

  So I'm at the bottom of the mountain, self doubt, self pitty, self, self self self self self. Get it?  It was all about me focusing on the negative that just happened.  So I metaphorically smelled Michelle in my clothes. It's NOT about me! At all!  Being negative and self absorbed solved nothing.  All it did was guarantee my position in the Avalanche, when all I had to do was step aside and say "No. Thank you though!"

  So here I am at the bottom of the mountain, shaking the snow off asking myself "What the F*<$ was that?"  It was a learning experience, that's what it was. So what am I going to do about it?

  I'm heading right back up that fucking mountain!  Thankful for the lessons learned!

  I won't call it "teaching", because obviously I'm still learning, but I'm trying to share this way of thinking, and being with you. It's NOT easy.  It IS worth it!

  This song says, "You never just know how you look through other people's eyes."  That way of thinking will get you to the bottom of the mountain.  I'll leave you with a quote from my man, Andrew Carnegie.

"What other people think of me is none of my concern or business."

Bad Attitudes And Good Pizza

  This attitude of mine just keeps getting better.  I was explaining to a friend the other day that Its literally like climbing a mountain once you start.  Difficult to do, and one little slip sets you back 50 steps you've already taken.  But once you get used to the ideas, it becomes a little less steep, easier to climb and small mistakes aren't so costly to your progress.

  On duty at the FD yesterday, shift started at 0700 hrs.  "Red phone" rings at 0706 for a lift assist.  Oh, gonna be one of THOSE days.  Next to "I'm 'hurt' and want to go to the hospital instead of jail", lift assists are my absolute least favorite calls.  Nothing against the people that need our help, but these calls are such a pain in our butts.

  So we travel up to 123 Main St, all kinds of angry because we HATE these calls.  Wait for the garbage truck to get out of our way, park in front of the house and make our way up the drive.  A nice elderly (85) lady greets us at the door with a tear in her eye, a smile and a warm Thank You.  Find out the problem is her daughter who lives in the finished basement and is confined to a wheel chair.  Let's call her Agnes.  Agnes tells us that her daughter "Betty" was reaching for some cat food and fell out of her chair. Betty is downstairs sitting on the floor sobbing.  My partner tells her that she's not allowed to cry two days before Christmas, and that we're here to help.  She says she's embarrassed and angry that her F*&^*NG legs don't work anymore.  Move the wheelchair behind her, make sure she's not hurt from the fall, and she's back in her chair literally before she knows what happened.  Agnes starts with the "Oh my! God sent me two angels this morning!  Let me give you money for breakfast." Explain to her we're not allowed to accept gifts, and we're just doing our job. Exchange "Merry Christmases" she demands a hug from each of us, and on our way back to the station.  Great. I wanted to be angry and two NICE people just sucked it right out of me.

  See how that works?  NICE overrules ANGRY each and every time!  Positive vs. Negative!  Oh, but wait!  This one gets even better!

  Back at the station, around 0740, 0751 "red phone" rings again, and I can tell from the tone in my partner's voice, I know exactly where we're going. 123 Main St. Now my partner is really angry.  I ask if she's hurt or wants an ambulance, he says "Nope, she just fell again."  Since I was in charge that day, I made a decision to bring an ambulance with us anyways. No lights or sirens. I'm ANGRY, NOT going to do this all day!

  Pull up in front of 123 Main St. and my partner says "Oh, I saved this little tid-bit for you. She fell off the toilet this time." Now I'm UBER ANGRY.  I felt myself and my anger about to ruin my whole day.

  Decision time Bill.  You gonna let this negative kill your whole day?  Or are you going to do something about it right here, right now?

  Climbed out of the rig, and grabbed Agnes' empty trash can on the way up the drive.  Get to the side door, and Agnes is in tears, yelling down the stairs, Betty is yelling up the stairs, and I can tell my partner is angry.  WHOA!!! I'm putting the brakes on this shit right now.  I pull Agnes aside upstairs, calm her down real quick. She WANTS Betty to go to the hospital, Betty doesn't. Betty is about 35 years old and can make her own decisions.  Agnes informs me that Betty was in a bad car accident in 1988 and has been on Oxy since this past Halloween.  Then she got angry, started drinking heavily, and "gave up."  "Agnes, this is the first step to getting her some help.  I'll be right back, you stay here."  My partner and I get Betty back in her chair, and move her to the bottom of the steps so she can talk to her mother.  Then the fight starts again.  My partner gets on the steps to be in between them and I pull Agnes around the corner into the kitchen.  We both do our own things to diffuse the situation, Paramedics show up and head downstairs to talk to Betty.  After a lengthy conversation about her legs not working because of the edema, we ask Betty if she misses having breakfast with her mom upstairs in the dining room, and that the doctors can fix her legs, but she has to go to the hospital first.  She agrees and we start bringing her up the stairs, at the landing Agnes kisses her on the forehead and they both start crying.  Get Betty loaded up, make sure Agnes is OK. More hugs, and she tells my partner and I "Please be careful of your angel wings today, don't clip them on anything."

  Get back in the rig, proud of not letting a bad situation get worse, and overwhelmed with the help we just provided to this family

  Around 1045 the doorbell rings. A lady hands my partner a Pizza Joe's box, a note that reads "We pray for your safety while you look after ours. THANK YOU for all you do!" and a box of candy.  Another call almost immediately, diabetic emergency.  Meet the Paramedics in the driveway, we all go into a nice family that is very concerned about Grandpa.  Get some D50 on board and Grandpa wakes right up and says he feels great.  Thank Yous and Merry Christmas from the whole family as we leave. Talk to the Paramedics a minute in the driveway, and the conversation turns toward our pizza we have waiting for us at the station.  On it!  Get back to the station, open the pizza box.... COOKIES!!!  Who does that???  Grateful for the homemade cookies, but now my belly wants pizza.  Call our favorite pizza shop to order lunch, they don't open until 1600. DOH!  Thinking about pizza allllllll day, run a couple more uneventful calls, and call back to order pizza at 1700.  2.5 hour wait. Wow. Really?  OK.

  1930 rolls around, and FINALLY my partner goes to get the pizza we've been craving since 1100 this morning.  Now, the owner of said restaurant is a notorious tightwad.  Use 3 sugar packets in your iced tea and he'll charge you a nickel for the third one.  Well maybe not that bad, but you get the idea.  My partner gets back with the long awaited pizza, and informs me that said tightwad didn't charge us a dime for it, and said "Merry Christmas!"  Open the box, and it was cooked to perfection. It was glorious.

  The best pizza I've ever eaten.