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If Your Head Explodes, You'll Never Make It as a Doctor

Sorry I haven't been around, but a lot has been going on, and I'll probably be keeping this brief.
I moved. I am no longer in the apartment in Brady Heights, but have instead relocated to a little neighborhood near Cherry Street where the floors are nicer and bugs stay outside. It's a good thing, and I think I will be a lot happier there, with more light and a little skyline view. Plus I will be on the second story, so I can open windows and whathaveyou. We moved all of the furniture today, which didn't include my bed. We decided to leave that behind. Partly because it was cheap and wasn't really made to move over and over and thus was kind of falling apart, but mostly because when we took it apart, the entire underside was crawling with roaches. Roaches, mind you, that I did not bring into that apartment, but that decided they really liked my cheap-o bed frame and decided to move in with me. Awesome.
So, no bed frame. Everything else came out of it fairly unscathed, if not a little more scratched up than it was before the move. And I will eventually replace the bed, whenever I've officially decided I did NOT cart along any lonely bugs to the new place. Still not really sure. Still feel kind of creepy-crawly, actually, after the whole affair. Stupid fucking roaches.
Anyway, I have a handful of things to do tomorrow, but then it will be all done. I can transfer over the electric and the gas to the new place, and finish all of my laundry while I hang out with the wiener bitches (my mom's mini dachshunds) while my mom is away seeing the ocean or whatever. And then that will be that.
In other news, I was in my first ever car accident on Friday. I was at work, running hot to a call, when I came upon an intersection that was fairly busy. So, you know, I did what you do. I stopped and honked and alternated sirens and waited for them all to give me my right of way. And they all did, so I proceeded into the intersection. But, about half-way through said intersection, I caught a glimpse of a black SUV that was pretty much going to slam right into us. I said something along the lines of, "ohshitwe'regoingtogethit!" and reached out my arm to my partner and then, indeed, he slammed right into us. Hit the box dead on like it was a rock. Huge dent in the compartment that holds the computer, just missed the main O2 tank. Shattered the whole front end of his Jeep and fractured his femur. He was going fast enough, he almost rolled the ambulance. It was terrifying.
And then, like good little EMTs, we ignored ourselves, and extricated him from his vehicle with our bare hands--literally, in my case, because by the time I realized I wasn't wearing gloves, I was already covered in his blood. We got him out okay, with the both of us doing most of the work and a cop and a bystander helping where they could. And then, as fire was pulling up and the responding ambulance was in the area, I started to sob. I guess I just felt like I had no control over the situation and when we were finally able to get a hold of him and pull him out onto a backboard, I kind of felt like I could give up whatever control I was trying to grasp onto. A very nice firefighter took over my position at the head of the backboard and I went to wipe my hands clean and sob a lot more. Quite a bit more happened, with supervisors and other EMS personel and going to get my urine tested for drugs, but honestly, I am too exhausted by the whole thing to talk about it anymore-STILL.
We both have some whiplash and we both got some Flexoril--or however you spell it--and we're both getting through it okay. We got the name of the guy but haven't decided if we're going to contact him yet.
I'm not mad, or guilty--I did nothing wrong--or remorseful or whatever. Really just drained and ready to stop feeling so distraught over the whole thing. I feel much better than I did yesterday and a million times better than I did on Saturday and Sunday, but still there is a little unsettled feeling in me that hasn't gone away. I am wondering what tomorrow will bring, when I suit back up and head back out. I may not be on the streets--it's an OT eight hour shift and my partner for it is trying to get out of it (I assume because either something came up, or she thinks I am going to kill us all with my mad ambulance driving)--but, if I am, I wonder how I am going to handle it. I really won't know until I'm behind the wheel, running hot again. I am sure I will be fine, this wasn't all THAT traumatic, but the first day back is always the hardest one.
Anyway, got the weekend off and spent most of it laying around trying to feel better. Moved today. Tomorrow through Monday I work. Workman's Comp doctor's appointment on Tuesday to see if I need any physical therapy, and then an exam in my anatomy and physiology class.
Ugh...it's going to be a long week.
Sorry, again, to anyone who cares--which right now I am not sure anyone does (NO ONE sent me a message or a text or anything to ask how I was. How great does THAT make me feel?! Thanks for the support, EMS family. :/)--I will try and do better with the updating in the future, especially since I am pretty sure I'll be getting the internets at this new apartment ASAP.
 
You Look Ridiculous

If you want a picture, here's a little article from the first-on-scene news team: Jeep v. Ambulance

Comments

  1. Rider ToddThursday, 27 September, 2012

    If I would have known I would have called! I do hope you are OK it's tough being in those type of accidents. The great thing about EMS crews is that if they are not seriously injured or dead they usually self extricate and tend to the other people who usually caused the accident. I hope you are well.

    Oh and you spell it....Flexeril (Cyclobenzaprine).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Skeleton_FriendThursday, 27 September, 2012

      Thank you! I suppose I could have looked at the bottle, but you know, that would have required brain function and it's been pretty flat-lined these past few days. ;P

      Delete

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