EMS Haiku

So there we were - my FTO, another new employee, and the patient. During the interview/assessment, the patient said that he had chest pain, but couldn't remember the name of the disease.My FTO spoke up and said "Oh, Vag.... I mean angina?"Only a few of us standing around picked up on it, but we were all thinking the same thing... You dirty old man, we know where your mind is.On another...

OK, it was actually a 2-hour tour, and a very delightful one at that.Hilda and I embarked on the Portland Spirit dinner cruise along the Willamette River. Enjoying each others company, and away from work, children, and everyday stresses, we spent a few hours alone.The crew, especially our server, Eliot, was entertaining and very attentive. Dinner was awesome. The view was spectacular,...

It's time for an update on my new job.In a nutshell, I'm loving it.This past 4-day rotation has been awesome. We've been busy every day, running 5-7 calls per 12-hour shift. The patients are challenging and making me think. Various medical problems, some interesting trauma calls, the whole gamut. Psych patients, 'nosepickers', drug seekers. I'm getting the geography of the county down. This...

This post is for my former colleagues on the coast.Anybody catch the resemblance between this gentleman:And this one?Uncanny.Eerie, even.The fine specimen on top is the best looking physician adviser in Oregon.The guy at the bottom is a Bering Sea crab fisherman.Other than they're both Norwegian, I don't know if they have anything in common or if they even know each other.But I'd wager a...

Just for a day or so. My FTO took a couple of personal days off to attend to, well, personal stuff.In the meantime, my skill base is limited. Apparently I can act as a Paramedic on scene, but can't care for the patient during transport. Oh well - I get to learn the country on the drive in.3 patients today. The first was a trauma entry (and a candidate for the brown band, while his girlfriend...

Gobbling up the miles Of rural roads and freeways Just like Pacman doesMy first 4-day rotation at the new operations center is done. It's been fascinating to say the least. The first two days were slamming for the whole 12-hours. New geography, same medicine, more opportunities and patients. Had some challenging situations, and plenty of laughs. There were definitely some candidates for the...

What will we do today? Fish? Hike some waterfalls in the Gorge? Find something new to do?We'll have to kick some young butt out of bed & make some decisions.Here's what we did -We started off fishing:Gaelen kicked butt and outfished Michael and I: He learned how to clean them after he caught them:I did 'catch' a salamander - at least on film a chip: We went up to...