Happy New Year.

Posted from the home computer,,,, because that's where I am,,,,, at home and not working on New Years Eve!!!!!!!

I love my wife, I think that any regular reader would know that.

But this is one of those special nights.
For Ambo's it's full of drunks and cut feet and stupid stuff, with the distinct possibility of some really good work just because of the massive numbers of punters going into the city for the party and the fireworks.

I love this kind of work either as a special event coverage overtime crew or just as a normal roster shift, but no the boss had me doing my second day shift today so I'm not doing either.

Nothing really stunning that I want to share with you from the work so far, sorry.

I have been working on the idea of having another crack at Uni but I'm looking around the other Uni's to see who has like a conversion type course for already qualified and experienced officers who have been taught by vocational training with class clinical education but don't have that recognised as much as having that bit of paper from uni, (how many grads get into the job and then ask why did they stick around for the third year at uni?)

But I also have to work out the academic stuff, the whoops there cut the legs out from under me.

Anyway party safe if you are.
Thank you for returning to the blog as often as some have.
It has been very cathartic.
It's the first diary that I have every kept and it's one anyone can read?



Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

My festive nights.

Christmas Eve - Ten jobs for the shift.

Explain to me why, all the way through to the last hour of the shift (that's now Christmas Day), where we rescuing people from their own self destructive nature?

No particular age (but mostly young <30yrs).
Not the lonely or street dwellers.
Not lonely overseas tourists (they in fact have a very organised Christmas).

Just the Gen X or what ever, who believe that the world owes them everything and take no responsibility for themselves.

Tracy cooked a wonderful Christmas Lunch that we enjoyed mid-afternoon before I left for work.

Christmas Night - Four jobs, no Pubs open.

There's the difference straight away.
There were alcohol related incidents but they were falls and just the pissed un-co stuff not brawls and violence.

Some crews got a bit more of a pasteing then I did.
The station down near our big gaol or jail on the coast have been getting hammered, something needs to be done about there, they may need an extra crew.

But all in all the Big Jolly Fat Man day was alright.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Certificate to Practice

Has been renewed.

After a pleasant two days at a local education centre myself and eight other officers have received updates on best practice and new developments within the Pre-Hospital field.

Had an uninterrupted play with some of the tools we might not use as often as we like and therefore slipped in our skills and also brushed up on some core skills.

Thank you to our Paramedic Educator and the other education staff who came in to help and direct us.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Good service recieved.

Well we don't have young kids to celebrate Christmas for so Tracy and I really didn't need anything and were struggling to come up with presents for each other.

I've just had my bike serviced (just like you would your car, it does make a difference) and I had a pair of pannier bags put on the rear to increase what I can carry (uniforms etc,) and to keep them dry. So Tracy could give me them.

Tracy's computer has been running slow so I enquired with a manufacturer recommended agent yesterday by email and they were on the phone this morning and she drove there and had the up-grade done there and then.

Well done Express Computer Repairs, Bridge Rd, Epping.

Of course this is only for Sydney readers, Oh Renegade Cycles from Lane Cove do all my bicycle work.

The preceding has been an un-paid advertisement.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Male fallen, Intoxicated.
Intoxicated Male with facial injury.
Intoxicated person fallen.

And that was pretty much it for the night.

Spine board, Collars and Metoclopramide seemed the order of the night.

The Two AM lockout seems to be working with reducing party goers from drifting all night from Pub to Club and therefore anti-social behaviour.
Or so it seemed to me last night.
It was my first Friday night since it came in.

It doesn't stop the alcohol injuries though, nor the generalised effects of alcohol that most of the pretty people we attend don't acknowledge.
After hours on the grog you will have difficulty doing most things like,
Walking,
Talking,
Breathing when you vomit (well that one saves their lives I guess),
Getting a taxi because you can't walk and talk,
Understanding basic concepts (cars will not stop just because you hold out your hand!),
Does not increase your intelligence or charm.

Don't get me wrong I love my job and love my Friday/Saturday double but it does help to spray about the numb nut patient we do have to deal with.


So how about something for Christmas?

CHRISTMAS CAROLS FOR THE DISTURBED

* 1. Schizophrenia --- Do You Hear What I Hear?

* 2. Multiple Personality Disorder --- We Three Kings Disoriented Are

* 3. Dementia --- I Think I'll be Home for Christmas

* 4. Narcissistic --- Hark the Herald Angels Sing About Me

* 5. Manic --- Deck the Halls and Walls and House and Lawn and Streets and Stores and Office and Town and Cars and Buses and Trucks and Trees and.....

* 6. Paranoid --- Santa Claus is Coming to Town to Get Me

* 7. Borderline Personality Disorder --- Thoughts of Roasting on an Open Fire

* 8. Personality Disorder --- You Better Watch Out, I'm Gonna Cry, I'm Gonna Pout, Maybe I'll Tell You Why

* 9. Attention Deficit Disorder --- Silent night, Holy oooh look at the Froggy - can I have a chocolate, why is France so far away?

* 10. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder -- - Jingle Bells,! Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells , Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells


Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Yes!

Yes, Yes, Yes!

Of course I'm available for overtime tonight at my station.

It'll be another two weeks before the roster has me on my favourite Friday/Saturday night double.

It's not just that you can have a lot of fun on these nights but everyone is out, all the coffee shops are open and I just love the city.

I'll let you know if we have anything interesting.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Another four shifts done.

Well the Padawan and I have survived again.

New lessons learnt, job reviewed and the training goes on.

Nothing of great interest to you as the reader except that I had to use my Mental Health Act powers again (no assault this time) and the hospital agreeded by placing the patient in further care.
There must be some 'funky' heroin on the streets as we had two odd overdoses last night?

Well it's time to go home now.

I have my re-certification course next week (wish me luck) so I'll only have my night shifts next week.

(posted from the station plantroom)

Well really!

After five years in the job you do get hit by the odd flailing limb and such but this was a direct attack!

Using minimal force to restrain a patient that I had scheduled under the NSW Mental Health Act 2007, I was told that they would now be compliant and could I just loosen my hold so they could re-position on the stretcher.

Sounded reasonable, and the arm moved, aim was taken and even though I pulled back they still landed a cheap shot right on the end of my chin.

I was stunned not by the blow but by the deliberateness of the action.

My padawan and several staff were all witnesses and very concerned for my well being, thank you to them all.

While I brushed off an offer to be assessed by the doctors, but I remembered that it is important to document all such attacks on health staff even the unfortunate contacts with struggling patients so I have now got a medical record at our hospital even if most staff don't recognise my real name and Taz the Ambo.

Anyhow, the District Officer was called, I took the forty odd minutes to complete the incident paperwork and thankfully I returned to the job I love with no injury and only pity for the poor troubled patient who attacked a health care worker.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

I just got assulted!

I'm ok, more surprise than anything. Posted from Ambulance Bay of local hospital, more details after shift.

The training changes.

My padawan has had a different kind of week so far.
More intense jobs, more expectation of his ability and more constructive direction.

We've had a couple of hot days and the work has been very diverse.
We'll see what the night holds.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

I can't sleep.

I've posted about this before.

The night before I'm due to start my normal rostered shifts I sometimes have difficulty sleeping. My mind pulls work related scenarios or replays jobs. I recall really weird work related stuff.

Tracy and I even went for a bike ride today.
I bought a bike computer for mine and thus we have now found out that the ride we thought was about 23km round trip is in fact 35km. We had a head wind on the return and a 29 degree day so I thought that would knock me out but that doesn't seem to be the case.

So I've got up, made a sandwich, played some solitaire and am now blogging.

A message to Chris, your book should be out to you next week.

Night everyone.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Got one overtime shift.

On the Intensive Care Ambulance at my old station.
Had to knocked back a day shift at my own station because I had already accepted this one.
Four lousy jobs.
All jobs I would have normally been responded to as just a regular Paramedic from my station.

Some people might think of it as easy money.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

We met a nice lady last night.

She had lived a long life (ninety seven years in fact).
Was as sharp as a tack.
I met her Niece and Grandniece too.

She smiled a cheeky grin when I scooped her in my arms to place her on the stretcher.
She gave me a warm smile as I stroked her hair into place while I put the seat belts on.

Her family rushed to keep up with me as I got her out of the home and into my ambulance.
The nursing home staff chased after me with the med chart and her details.

Padawan had picked up that I took over the job and then re-turned it to him while I drove.
She got the smoothest, fastest lights flashing drive of her life.

They, the team where waiting for us to arrive (I called ahead).
I did the handover, Padawan still wasn't sure of why I took over (he's not supposed to yet, that's for me to teach).
I lingered in the Resucitation Bay, helping where I could, listening to what I could, to learn.

I was there while the doctor explained that there may have been reversible causes for her heart racing and then dangerously slowing.
I listened as he explained that there also may not be any cure. I had touched on that in the car.

She had been chatting to her nurse as I was on my way back to the hospital with my next patient and just went quiet and everything just stopped.
There was no pain.
She was ready.
It was time.

I'm glad I had been involved, I believe that I had made a positive difference, I brought a smile and pleasure to my patient, I had selected the right hospital with the right staff attitude and I believe we all did good.


Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Two very quiet day shifts.

Even the Padawan with all of his four week experience commented on how quiet it had been both at the Hospitals and on the radio.

Four jobs first day, five the second.
Most noteworthy?
Second day, until our last job our youngest patient had been Seventy four years of age.
So our average had been,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, yeah hang on,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, and carry the two,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, got it!

Our average patient age had been 84.25 years until we blow it on the last job.

A Sixty two year old with Wobbly leg syndrome (See post on the 27th Oct 08).

And that has been the most notable thing about our days at work.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Trainee Question Books.

The sale of my book was not really going well.

With fifty or so new trainee officers going through the Ambulance Education Centre every course I had expected there to be a regular sales pattern.

Just to retell the history of the book, my original mentor (training officer) prepared the first one for all the trainee officers on that station. I thought it was a bloody good idea, re-gigged the format and content, added a few things and made a better one for myself.

Other officers saw it and started to buy them off me either for themselves or their own trainee's. I thought it still a bloody good idea so I approached the Australian College of Ambulance Professionals in my state, they have an education bookshop at our school and were happy to stock it.

It's not an entrepreneurial undertaking for me.

I tried to give it to education but nobody wanted it so to get it out there I had to publish, assemble and promote it.

Well, it seems that a local Uni that has a Paramedic Course (that I didn't do well in, cause I'm a good ambo but a poor academic, and I know which one I want working on me in an emergency, Doctors and Nurses can be academicly smart{grads that get the on-road experience then make good ambos}) may be interested in my little book.

Looks like I'm going to re-visit publishers to investigate mass production (well more than the 100 I make on the coffee table), if any reader has contact in the publishing game feel free to drop me a line on the email.
It's a pocket sized book 11cm x9cm, with 22 pages printed on both sides, laminated and bound.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

And that's a wrap.

Of this week anyway.

Padawan and I are developing our communication skills with each other as you do when you work as a team for eight weeks.
The teaching and development goes on. I envisage what my training officers might say along with my own perspective and then rethink it again before speaking.

I have offered to allow him to have as much time (within reason) with the patient as he wants and I have seen the silent panic look that invites me to take over treatment.

We are setting boundaries of where his knowledge does in fact cease.
He is young and confident and we are learning when that confidence is misplaced.

I am proud of the journey he is making.
That is one of the reasons I like to teach the new ones, get them young and learn them about,

Shiny Boots,
Clean and ironed uniforms,
A clean, washed (don't forget the wheel rims) and stocked ambulance,
Station duties,
The right way to drive both response and with a patient,
Scene assessment,
Scene control,
How you can go up to a complete stranger and get their most intimate details, no matter their age, sex, religion or race,
The correct protocols for the job
Not all chest pain is cardiac, if there is a story or evidence of trauma,
Vomiting does for a moment interfere with normal breathing but it is not a breathing problem like true SOB,
When in doubt, Airway, Breathing and Circulation they always help.
Respect for every patient, work mate and allied staff,
Coping with what we do.

It's hard, tiring work teaching and it's an honour.


Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Whatsup!

So three shifts done now with the new Padawan.

We're starting to make some progress but time will tell.
There's a good reason why the probation period is twelve months.
It takes that long to perfect the basics of the craft of Pre Hospital Care.

So we're spending a bit longer on patient health care records and not doing as many jobs as we might be otherwise.


Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

So it's been about three months since Tracy last went riding on her push bike.

What did we do today? Along a new track I discovered three or four months ago. A nice easy but long ride from near the international airport and follows the canals out to Homebush Bay.
It's a good three hour round trip without stopping along the way and she made comment on returning that she bet that I wasn't tight (muscular wise).

So I guess I deserve the deep snoring that has me out here in my study posting at this hour of the morning.


Picked up an overtime shift for what will now be tonight at my station and I've just calculated that my new Padawan and I will be on our second night shift for the final of the Australian Idol at the Sydney Opera House.

Always a few hyperventilators and a few minor injuries there but don't watch it on the off chance you might see me because you won't. The cameras never go near the Johnnies tent out the back, God bless volunteer Johnnies (no offence intended Outback, I fully appreciate them).

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

New Boots

And the first thing you should do is put some polish on them.

I love new boots.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

NEWS FLASH!

Dit, dit dit, clack, clack sound like and old news reel news flash.

Zoom in on a serious looking newsreader with one hand over his ear and a deep voice.


Disturbing new 'glassing' trend found amongst Sydney party goers!
Several cases have been attended over the weekend of punters getting so intoxicated that they glass themselves.

Further detailed investigations (cutting through the pissed bullshit during history taking) has revealed this trend to be a result of slobbering clumsiness rather than violent intoxicated behaviour.

Fadeout back to normal transmission
Dit, dit,dit, clack,clack.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

So what would you do?

Call comes in, 'Suicide/Mental Health - Violent Patient.

You wait six minutes for the Cops (from whom the call came)
The two girls (still with big guns) who turn up ask
'Don't you know her?, '
'She hates us'
'It'll get very out of hand if we go in first!'

I failed the mental health course last year when I was doing Uni by correspondence.
I think it was designed by someone who didn't know what it was like to talk someone with a knife in to discarding it with out the shield of police protection in front of you.

I was not in great danger, the police were behind me, but out of sight and they did have those guns but I have to try my way first. She put the knife down, moved away from the chair (where another one was hidden) and sat in the middle of the lounge room while I pulled on every ounce of life experience I had to get us both out of there unharmed.

An hour we were there.

I never had her in my control but she let me guide her if it suited her mood at that moment.
She let me select Bra and Knickers to take because the bedroom had not been searched yet to let her in there.

Another three quarters of an hour at hospital trying to get her settled. She was aggressive to everyone but me, she had seen me before, I don't know where but she remembered the hair and moustache.

I felt I earnt my whole nights pay just on this job and did the other ten for free.

Those of you in the job will know I'm writing about this because it has had a profound affect on me.


Thanks for listening.

Taz feeling ordinary.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Sprung, in a nie way.

The Trouble an' Strife is back tomorrow night so I went to the local shops to get a few basics.

The hair is out of the plait and a mass of boofy curls.
The Moustache is hanging down off the lip, not waxed out to the handlebar style.
I'm in a bright yellow Hawaiian shirt and jeans.

As I walk up the ramp from the car park, there in front is an elderly, short grandmother supporting herself on, as much as pushing, a trolley.

She runs out of wind about two metres from the top so I slip my arm around her shoulder and one hand on the trolley (nice one too with wheels that ran true!) with my best Ambo voice 'How are you Grandma, let me get you to the top' while others stop and ? watch me.

She thanks me as I leave her on a seat to catch that breath and several of the watchers also make comment.

One dude walks along with me and asks,
'Your like with the Ambos?'
Yep.
'You saved my Dad!'
Now the awkward question 'Did we.How is he?'
'Oh good mate, real good your guys are great'

'Not as good as you dude, most people don't recognise me out of uniform'
'I wasn't sure until I saw you eyes. I remembered your eyes and the way you looked at my Dad as you saved him.'


As you have already guessed I have no frigging idea who this guy is or when I saw his father.
But how cosmic is that he was there at that moment and that he remembered me that well.

Humbling again how much our passion for our profession can touch others.



Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

The end of the Roster.

At my station we spend eight weeks with each other. In that time you get pretty close to your partner, their family, loved ones and history.

Well this Saturday is the start of the new roster and me with a new Padawan (Jedi for learner!)

The last night together with my last Padawan was in no small terms a disaster!
FOUR LOUSY JOBS ALL NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Commissioner of jobs should be disgusted!

Well I wish we had a Commissioner of Jobs so I could complain!

I don't sleep because I don't wake up well and I was bored and tired and grumpy and now I'm going to try to get some sleep.

Good Night.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

What would you do?

So your called to Urinary Retention.

Retirement age Gent, basket ball and a half size abdo, firm, pain scale 3/10.
Has had scans showing a common restriction in the bladder, needs draining.
Polydipsia, - I guess intake is down due to retention.
Dysuria, - Well it's blocked, not hard to nut out!

BP - 220/90, a tad higher than I'd like
HR - 72
Temp (tymp) - 37.2
BGL, cause we measure that stuff too - no frigging idea, Hi is all any of our machine say.

ASNSW protocol say fluids but the poor fella's tonsils are floating now and his plumbing doesn't need any more fluid.

He has a big bore in the arm just in case things turn ugly and lets get him to hospital.



They drained of 1600 mls!!!!!!!!!!!!! that is
54 fluid ounces,
3.3 pints,
1.69 quarts or
0.43 gallons of urine.


Oh and his BGL was 45.9


No history of Diabetes in this generation but his mum was insulin dependant and dad was diet controlled so for Christ sake you would have thought somebody was keeping an eye on it?

Only two more shifts with the current Padawan (sounds better than Probie, I mean Jedi Knight is a listed religion with the Australian Bureau of Statistics) and slip straight into a brand new one. Could be a testing time for him getting me straight out of school.
Cram as much work as you can into every shift night or day!
Drink buckets of coffee!
Have really shiny boots (Army time coming back there)!
And a spotlessly clean ambulance!
Study on your own time, we're here to save lives and have an insane amount of fun!!!!!!!



It really is fun in my reality!!!!



Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

She's gone an' I'm bored!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Silly isn't it. Tracy would be sitting on her computer designing anyway in the other room.
It's just that she's not here. I guess now days I don't do aloneness very well.

*****************************************************

So like I posted I got an overtime shift and management took me off road and into a classroom for half a day.
Two ambulance type (and only just at that) jobs for the rest of the day.
Not a very satisfying day.
Not by Taz standards.

******************************************************

There are a few broken light/power fixtures in the house I think I'll get new ones and replace them as well as do the lawns. If I don't mow the flea carrier will disappear with the rapid spring growth.

With the Cheese an' Kisses up at the Outlaws in Banana Bender country the dish licker is spending a lot more time out doors. She doesn't like it, tough.



Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

How good is this!

Pulled a late call for overtime,,, someone didn't show up for work.

Then Ops call up and me and my partner are off to 'Respectful Workplace' training.

I said you do know I'm on overtime "Yep' ok we'll be there.

So I got paid really well to sit in a classroom.

Sweet.

Tracy is off tomorrow to see her Mum for eight days so I'll be batching it.

That'll be interesting.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

The week that was.

One lovely old lady that we met as we took her to hospital for what turned out to be the last time.
Her family were able to get there and be with her and it was all very quick and non invasive as every system just shut down.

A very long life lived, a very quick death in comfort, with loved ones.

********** ********** **********

A tragic and violent end for another person with depression.
These things do happen, it is part of our job that we are in attendance and sometime have to bear witness to their last act in life.

********** ********** **********

Several nice (well done in difficult conditions) application of skills and clinical knowledge and much of the ordinary work that makes up the daily grind of Ambulance.


Highlight - We found a stolen car! my first one. Trainee had stated after a job that they felt like hot chips (I felt them???? felt nothing like hot chips![yes I am a silly sod sometimes]{as funny as a hat full of armpits}). So we nicked up to an all night Kebab shop in the Cross to get some.

On the way back to station via some back roads, we come across this new BMW 4WD stopped in the middle of the road. No one in it, what looks to be a spare key in the ignition and the doors locked (I thought this looked very suspect and put gloves on before I touched the doors).

Our friendly local Constabulary were called and we were standing beside them as they called the registered owner at 5.30am to tell them the car (they didn't yet know was stolen or the house burgled) had been found safe and seemingly undamaged.

I bet that a couple of hungry ambos won't get the credit for finding it, who cares anyway.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

No little Taz's right now anyway!

We lucked out on the IVF program.

Tracy is making some trips to see her Mum and the our son Chris before Xmas because as usual I'll be working.

We'll have a break from the IVF during this time and start again in the new year I guess.

So the world is safe for a little while.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Do you have you travel papers Madam?

Sounds like something from an old B&W war time movie doesn't it?

But the answer is yes, or will be in ten days or so.

The very pleasant and approachable young man behind the counter of another Australia Post Office was a credit to his manager and training. When getting to the part of her story where Tracy changed surnames his simplistic and accurate take on it was but you current correct name is this and therefore proved at the time of gaining her Australian Citizenship case closed no problem.

Now this doesn't mean we're off overseas.
Our priority is our possible pregnancy and we have the blood test on Monday for that.
Now if it is good news we will be letting everyone know because there has been a surprising amount of interest and support.

But if we don't or maybe if we are as a last splurge before the reported poverty of having a family it's better to have the passport just in case we even win a trip!!!!!!

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

We are water proof.

It was drizzling nearly all day.

Not a heavy rain just light drizzle.

So a Pedestrian pulls their Hoodie up and dashes across the road.

Not seeing the bus bearing down on them.

BANG!

Dual head trauma, frontal and occipital.
Road rash abrasions like you only see on motor cyclists.
But not a broken bone.
No neck pain, no pelvic pain, no abdo pain.

In fact no pain that isn't associated with the abrasions on almost every bony prominence.

Was it the quick reaction time of the bus driver?
The pedestrian did nothing but place themselves in extreme danger not knowing what hit them!

The fickle Gods of trauma missed this one.
Banged up good but at home tonight with their family.

Very, very lucky

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Tracy's Passport!

I thought for Tracy's birthday this year I would give something more lasting and useful.

A Passport - in case we had the opportunity to travel we could and it's also a very useful identity document.

Bloody hell the hoops we are having to jump.

Tracy was born overseas, in a British Army hospital and came to Australia thirty odd years ago on her parents passport when they emigrated.

She has born a son who has been involved in the military also, she has worked and paid taxes been a model citizen.

We applied for and received a marriage license.
She has applied for and received her Australian Citizenship.
And we have today had a very unsatisfactory interview at the post office with a mildly offensive and condescending little man who became fixated on the fact that her birth name is different to her current name even though we had the supporting documents to support the change.

When a women take her husbands name, as Tracy did, the only thing you need is the Marriage Certificate to change all her other official identity forms, - Drivers license, Bank statements, Electoral role.

But little dude down at the Post office could not get past 'but her names different'. Yes it was once and now the only thing that shows her maiden name is the birth certificate.

God it was frustrating. So much show that I scooped all the paperwork off the counter, thanked him for his time and told him we would be going to another post office.

No one will ever know who he is,
He will never read this,

But I feel better for the spray anyway.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

New concept!

All the IP's (intoxicated person) from this Saturday night just gone were people of refined character, class, charm, grace, bearing and dignity seldom seen in the drunk.

Now we all know that the drunk suffer from the associated inflictions of;

Mangle Tongue - inability to speak in the acceptable local dialect!
Gyroscopic Dysfunction - inability to sit upright even against supporting structures!
Wobbly Leg Syndrome - inability to operate functionality of one or both legs!
Gastro/Physical Self Defence - vomiting, you poisoned your body, it's getting rid of the poison!

Lesser liked symptoms that inflict both sexes when drunk are;

Spitting - Not at my foot, Not on my bed, Not in my ambulance and NOT AT ME!
Abuse - can be presenting with either or both verbal and physical.
Crying for their Mummy - this one really fu*ks with your friends minds, they stop trying to help you and ring for us because they are so disturbed by this action.


All our IPs were of an underlying goodness.

They would try slowly and carefully to communicate and would have the good grace to nod and shake their head to my questions because that worked better.

They had the dignity to accept that they were solely responsible for their current state and not seeking to deflect with claims of 'I didn't have that much' or a spiked drink.

They had the class to be embarrassed by their actions and apologetic for their actions to friends, rubber neck bystanders and the Ambos.

They had the bearing to indicate when they were going to be sick and to seek the vomit bag and try not to splash it on any of our clothing or equipment.

Charm to make me pleased to have helped what must be a truly remarkable person when they're sober.

Strength of character to accept the remedy (an anti emetic and a bag of fluids) and a trip to a safe environment (a hospital).

Weird fact, that night the little non trauma inner city hospital where we take these patients only had one male under the 'afluence of incohol'! All the rest were female.

Well done guys.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Steep!

Don't you just love the difficult extrication first job.

No single obsticle was incermountable it was just that everthing was a problem.

Long Narrow driveway,

Long Narrow Steep driveway,

Long Narrow Steep Concrete Walled driveway,

Long Narrow Steep Concrete Walled Fractured Crumbling Surface driveway,

So the drive was difficult.

Nice bit of room at the top of the drive to turn, that's a bonus!

The concrete is very uneven, fractured, loose and crumbling. That's nice to roll the stretcher over!

Patient was on the ground floor (bonus) but from front door to driveway was a 9o degree right, 180 degree left, 90 degree right & 45 degree left turn all going down tiled steps.

We all do them, but I thought to take some non identifying photos.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Where has all the good work gone???

Fickle aren't I!

A few quite shifts and I'm belly aching!

Well Tracy has gone and got the Health Care rebates for the IVF, covers about 50% of it or something close to that. We still have another week this Monday until we have the blood test so keep whatever it is you've had crossed, crossed.

Saturday night should provide some fun.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Yep, nothing interesting.

One Aero-Medical transfer from the airport to the hospital, standard stuff

Four Abdo pains that were sick, looks like there is a gastro bug doing the rounds.

And a gentleman who rang for an ambulance to drive him 500 meters and we did measure it, to hospital because he had the flu (probably a very severe case of man cold http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXLHWmjA5IE ) and didn't like being sick.

My station is short a player tonight so I'll be going in to help them out and they had some really interesting stuff that I heard over the radio last night.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Interesting News article.

No large organisation runs smoothly.
Management may be blind enough to publicly state that it does.
It doesn't matter if it's private enterprise or government.
When the majority of your employees believe your screwed then there has to be fire with that much smoke!

This http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/blowing-the-siren/2008/10/17/1223750333666.html appeared in the Sydney Saturday Morning Herald 18/10/08.

As I have stated in previous posts, I have been a union member in both of the jobs I have held during my life but I don't totally agree the militant views of some.

This article however does I believe discuss and disclose a true picture of the facts.


And enough of that.

Pulled an overtime at the other CBD station tonight.
It's Monday so I don't expect too much fun.


And I have proof that Ambos don't sit around and drink tea like a stupid (obviously mis-quoted) management media statement made recently.

Well known within the service locally for a possible obsession with shiny boots I have discovered that I have worn mine down to the under sole during a polish for tonight!

How's that for proof!!

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Friday & Saturday night DOUBLE!!!!!!!!!

I love 'em.
Nothing stunning as far as work, not like last week with the stabbings.
Last night, nine hours into the shift we had done ten jobs including a PFO with a closed head injury shown later on scans.

I think we only rolled over another four jobs in the last five hours.

In between the two nights Tracy and I had our embryos returned to the natural environment from the test tube. In the past the most developed has been at the four cell stage. This round of fertility drugs has included human growth hormone (shit! there goes her chances of a professional cycling career) and while also increasing the quantity, at implant the embryos were at seven and eight cells.

So a few more IMI and in for the blood test in a fortnight?

Fingers crossed then!

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

More about the IVF

Five of the ten split and grew!

Not half bad!
Ha, Ha, Ha
Sorry couldn't resist it!

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Further Update!

Under the microscope one wasn't any good but ten have been fertilised.

We await the call tomorrow!

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Egg Update.

Just got home from collecting Tracy.

The procedure went well, mind you we're old hands at this now.

From Tracy's perspective she feels the best she ever has after an egg retrieval

The official count was eleven, the other follicles must have been empty?

Next step, a phone call tomorrow to tell us how the fertilization went and how many we might have. As I said in the last post two to put in would be nice and maybe a few to freeze.


Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Pulled a daytime overtime shift in the Burbs on the days off.

Nothing hard, nothing urgent, nothing interesting besides being called to a young women crying.
She had arrived home hours early and had no key to get in.
My partner and I could find no way in for her and she wouldn't stop crying long enough to give me her boyfriends number.
I pulled enough bits of paper out of her handbag to have a small phonebook and pieced together what his name was to give him a call, nice dude, we waited for him to arrive rather than leaving her alone.
Not a bad way to earn extra cash.


I'm going to be a shift short this week.
I am taking some Family carers leave on my first day because Tracy and I have another egg harvest with the IVF and as that involves her going under general anaesthesia I have to pick here up and care and observe for the day.

On our last Ultra Sound scan (that I didn't attend due to work) Tracy tells me that they stopped counting at the 15 or so they found easily so that is a really big number for us.

So what we would hope for is;-
Two embryo's with four or more cells for implant on Saturday,
A fist full of likewise fertilised eggs that we can save in the cryo bank for later if they were needed.

Now is that really too much to ask?

One thing this whole process has taught both of us,

You never know what might happen!

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Someone has asked, no it was only a half moon out so I can't blame it on the lunar cycle.

I may have a conspiracy theory???????

You rarely see Ambos on the news at a scene, mostly its the Police or Tinheads (Fireies - they always wear helmets, everywhere????) The Ambos are long gone with the sick person, so when you do see us in the news it's pretty fresh news or there was a news team lurking somewhere near.

Well, at two of these attacks there were professional photographers on scene before we left and our on scene times were like under three minutes.

Now how did they know were to be and when?????

I leave it to you to make your own opinions!

The wedding was good, so good in fact that I have a general rule of not more than four hours at any party or function. We were there for seven plus hours. Check out Ambowifes blog for the photos http://tazmanianshe-devil.blogspot.com/2008/10/carina-james-got-married-yesterday.html

We even had a dance or two.

It was good to relax on the couch and watch the Bathurst 1000 while I recovered today.

GO the BLUE OVAL

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Bloody Knives

What the HELL happened last night.

Stabbings, multiple incidents all within a one kilometre radius!

My car got three of them, and two of the four casualties that I know of suffered real life threatening injuries.

Found this link on Random Acts of Reality http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7647731.stm

Got to go and sleep.

One of my workmates is getting married this afternoon and I don't want to fall asleep or be over tired and crazy (well more than normal)

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Jagged another overtime shift!

Nice and close too, just around the corner from home.

The previous night had seen a function called the 'Sleazy Ball' (name says it all) in central Sydney and I didn't do a single job related to it.

Tonight there has been a dance party on in the same location and one of our football codes is playing their Grand Final as well so you think that I would get some work from all of that?

Well we didn't!

That's not to say we didn't get a few good jobs,
An underage person attempting to get into the rear beer garden of an establishment by climbing over the three metre high fence that was topped with those fake arrow heads.
Fake or not they will penetrate if you slip, and they did, getting caught by the medial section of the distal upper arm.

Missed the Brachial Artery.
Missed the bone.
Missed the nerves and tendons.
Missed the Bicep.

A bloody great hole torn through the dermis and adipose tissue assisted by the fact the mates pulled them off the fence doing more damage.



Intoxicated elderly male from a middle European heritage who only spoke now in his native tongue.

The Police and ourselves tried and tried to help this gent.

We can't leave him on the streets in this condition and he doesn't need a hospital and repeatedly refused offers for one of us to take him home to safety.

There was an inner turmoil that would cause him to shout and raise him fists and shake them at nothing distinct, we didn't feel threatened at all but in the end for his own safety he was forcefully removed to a cell at the local to sober up.

They just never know how much we try to help them do they?

The man who hours earlier while cissed as a pricket decide that a Morton Bay Fig Tree would be a good climb however in a stunning surprise did know, because he was now soberish and hurting.

After having made his landing on Terra firma he told me that he decided to have a snooze under the tree and see if his ankle got better.

It didn't and we rescued him from the middle of a park with no paths or roads for easy access.

Not as lively a long weekend as I had thought, but I did my part to maintain minimal staff levels and after being single and doing the lions share of the driving it was nice to treat.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Got one overtime shift.

Worked with another officer also on overtime and also from my home state and we had a very cruisey night.

A young fella who had been having a bath and while Mum and Dad weren't looking had suffered a bit of tap trauma to the forehead, it just needed a little bit of medical super glue.

A couple of Mental Health patients.

Alcohol and Depression do not mix, everyone was very compliant, and I had no need to use the new powers provided by the NSW Mental Health Act 2007.

A very, very drunk man who had not eaten garlic prawns, (read June 13 post)

And my first job in a house of religious worship from the middle eastern lands. The patient was declared deceased after we had run the arrest protocol through once and they remained refractory asystole.
But think of it, a religious person, comes and says their prayers, makes peace with their god and then dies! That's a nice way to go when you think on it.


Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

As I have already posted it has been a pleasure to work with the officers that have been assigned to partner with me while I wait to get one for the rest of the roster.

Equally nice is doing ten jobs the other night, that being one every 72 minutes, and only one of them was possibly a waste of our time.

So of the nine,

Three went straight into a Resuc Bay, the rest also got beds rather than the waiting room. (Don't you love the look in their eyes when they realise their not getting a fast track just because they called an ambulance)

A very nasty fractured shoulder - lovely lady
And a nasty compound Tib/Fib - Obnoxious, Very Drunk, Drama Queen. We've all had one, enough said.

So it's a long weekend and I have myself down for availability any shift Saturday and Sunday, there's a big dance party on and the weather is hot.

Who knows what could happen,


Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

So what's the Wife been up to?

Starting what may become a financial career in Scrapbook Design.

From the link for Ambowife you will visit her blog and see what she does, the whole layout and content is of her design, created by her hand not something you just down load.

She has been on the creative team for an American based Scrapbook designer and has been increasing her knowledge and ability at every opportunity.

Last week she was approached by an American based web site that sells and promotes scrap booking to join the firm as it was and to have an on-line commercial shop to sell her own designs.

She keeps telling me that I won't become a kept man and that it may not even pay for a computer up-grade when she next needs one, but I'm totally amazed by her creativity and perspective that I believe others will be too now she can showcase her talent.

It's just another thing that makes me so proud of my wife.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

And more today!

Nothing hard or difficult about today but I did have the pleasure of working with one of the old senior officers from our station who while younger than me has now moved to less busy pastures to be able to spend more time with his lovely wife and their children.

We as our first job, were tasked to attend the Police Remembrance Day Memorial on the Domain.

While we were there to assist if any medical emergency arose it also allowed us to participate in this solemn occasion to remember those officers who had not been able to go home safe one night because they served the public and ultimately gave their lives to that service.

I thank the officers of the NSW Police that every day put themselves in possible danger to protect the same public that I serve.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

It just continues!

I knocked back an overtime shift because it is too stressful to do two extra night shifts I feel, but I picked up a day shift today and the day was great.

Lovely warm day.

A good partner with whom I shared a common level of patient care.

No lunch break we worked solidly through the day as did just about every other crew and so we got some penalty rates to reward us for that extra work.

Some good work,

A post ictal pt for whom I was able to follow a new initiative that ASNSW are rolling out,
Clinical
Assessment
Referral

Or CARe, that if the patient falls into a preset list of criteria we can safely leave them at home if they so wish.

And I was required to use my new powers under the NSW Mental Health Act 2007 on a patient who was really one of the most disturbed people I have had to deal with while outwardly presenting as a very well educated, smartly presented person who looked very,,,,, normal.

Until you spoke to them, very controlled and clear speech but of a very delusional nature.
Very, very interesting.

Any who, dinners out and I'm back at work tomorrow. Found out that I will only have another three weeks of being single before I get teamed up with another single officer for the balance of the roster.

Wont that be nice.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Well I'm going to have to pull my head in now!

I've in fact had a great week with being single and all,

Some very sick patients and some very difficult extrication's, all the things that get the juices flowing when you have to really work.

We had to get Rescue in to get a possibly septic patient out from the second storey rear bedroom of one place. It looked easy enough from the convenient balcony that lead off from the french windows.

Until we were all out there with the patient strapped into the Stokes litter and the balcony shifted underneath us and we beat a haste retreat to think of another exit.

The patient was safely removed and transported but we were on scene for about an hour and a half.

Successfully talking a Methamphetamine patient down to calm to transport him.

Amputated finger from a very large, store safe door, the manager didn't take his hand away as he closed it and took off the first phalanges.

And I've just finished an overtime in the city that had plenty of good work as well.

So I now look forward to the coming week to see what else I can get work wise that will push the boundaries of my training and knowledge.

Yeah, I know, I'm a sick puppy for loving my job so much.
Tough!
I'm not going to change to suit someone else.

Off to bed now in case there is another call tonight to help out in the understaffed city.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

What a loverly Saturday.

Tracy has been asking me to keep an eye out for a backyard table for a month or so now.
We have plastic chairs from an old set from the other marriage but that's all.

Lovely sunny, day do I want to come for a walk up to the local hardware store?
Off we trot and find a very nice, well made stained table for $169.00.

Pick it up in the car and assemble it and off she goes to the shops while I wash down the BBQ ready for the first use this season.

Lots of salad, steak, chicken skewers, hamburgers and a mild night. Very nice way to break in the new table.

She has been putting in long hours with her digital scrapping on a site that is having a four week challenge to discovery new talent.

And now the start of a new roster at work and I'm single for the whole thing at this stage. Very tedious, that means that I may have a new partner every day and likely someone who might not know their way around my patch so I'll have to drive.

The only up side is that we are short an officer making me single rather than being over staffed in which case I would be sent anywhere they needed an extra, likely a different station each day, again very tedious.

Such is life.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Industrial Action!

Well, well, well!
(Three holes in the ground) - sorry,

It seems that some sense has come to the table.

The Health Minister has stopped all proposed changes to penalties and changes to the roster, for now anyway. Another review committee (eighth in three years or something like that) will look at these issues and report back to him.

We await with baited breath?


Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Right then, I'm back

Thank you to those who have made their condolences known to me for the loss of my Grandfather. As you will have noted in the last posting I did have some Medico-Ethical issues to deal with and I think with the family and friends rejoicing in Pops life and what he had meant to us I have had closure.

To have the two Grandsons stand and remember him was great and I think Marshall and I honoured our Pop.

I did however start it off with this joke/story that Pop told me.

Did you hear the one about the old fiddle player?

Back when they still had local country dances, there was an old fella who played a cracking good fiddle who traveled around the districts playing at them all.

One night he turned up to the little country hall in his usual thread bare and much repaired old suit and took up position on stage sitting on an old broken wicker chair.

The dance was toe tapping away to the Jigs and Reels, Two-steps and Waltz's that the old man played, when a young buck strolled up to the stage and said,

'Do you know your balls are hangin' thru the chair?'

Lookin' up without missing a beat the fiddler replies,

'No, but if you hum me a few bars I'll pick it up!'

Pop told me my very first Ribald joke, as he had also told Marshall and many other males who put their hands up when I asked at the funeral.


The last set of four shifts have continued to be largely uneventful but not quiet just normal jobs.

For any in Australia and particularly NSW the last week has been a political storm.

Cabinet Ministers get dumped by State Premier.
The State Premier gets dumped by his own political party.
New State Premier picks a new Cabinet, losses one within two days over something he did months ago when he was a backbench nobody.
Industrial Relations Commission comes back with a ruling on the Major Wage Case for Ambulance Officers in NSW, we have been doubled over and SCREWED HARD!

The New Premier and New Minister for Health really need some good press right at the moment and the Health Department is trying to do what?

Taking penalty rates for extra productivity (not being able to have a lunch break) in the busy city area because of chronic staff shortages.
Increasing daily work hours to cope with work not covered by chronic staff shortages.
Removing specialised medical rescue units to try and band aid over chronic staff shortages.
Offer a pay increase that doesn't even get close to what we would lose from the profession voted for the eighth year in succession as the

MOST TRUSTED PROFESSION IN AUSTRALIA

Not saying what they do is not important, I was one for twenty three years, but do you know that the base wage of a clerk in similar or better than an Ambo's!!!!!

The pay rise in fixed but Industrial action is threatened if they try to strip us of our current entitlements, so very interesting times ahead.




Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Saying goodbye,

Pop's funeral is on Saturday but travel will have to be made on Friday as no flight gets in early enough.

Tracy and I had blood tests on Wednesday as we entered the second year of IVF with our current clinic and her's were 'inconclusive' and as we are very committed to this course they want her to have another on Friday so I will travel home by myself.

There are two grandson's, myself as first grandchild and my cousin and fourth born Marshall. Uncle Peter has asked if we may be able to talk at the service. I'm not unknown as a public speaker but this is not one I look forward to.

I know that my exposure to death and more so when it is in the home and with the family, you as the ambo are often all the support that family and friends have as is first sinks in. But this is my Pop and I'm not sure what I feel.

I know that emotion is never a fixed thing, it changes and alters as your exposure and environment changes, ask any military man who has returned from a war zone. I know that it is normal to outlive your parents and grandparents and while I know and understand Pops underlying illnesses and their associated pathways and complications I am left some what hollow.

Coming so recently after Nan's death I guess that it is just a combination.

The image at the start of the post is something that Tracy put together. All the artwork has been created by her own hand, none of it is a fancy computer program, she now creates this stuff, script, texture and colour even the flowers from scratch. If your interested in this scrapbook stuff zip over to her blog Ambowife Designs up in the links

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

My Pop

His passing was not unexpected but that makes it no less sad.

He came from a time different to mine but taught me much to make me a man.

A farm's a long way from the suburbs and values have more meaning.

I learnt the value of life from death in that rural setting.
I learnt about a full days work.
I learnt to shoot, trap and hunt.
I learnt to drive.
I learnt that English comedy was the best, Dad's Army, the two Ronnies.
I learnt to bowl and defend my wickets, to kick a footy and take a fall without crying.

I remember time spent in a sun warmed barn, dust floating in the air, with my/Peter's hunting dog sleeping on my arm.

I remember running around paddocks herding cattle by whistle and command because there was no dog with us, and loving it.

I remember loss as wine, women and other interests kept me away.

They sold the farm when it got to much, well before I left Tasmania to become an Ambo and I've never been near the place since.

I'll carry the farm at Sandfly as I knew it with my Nan and Pop for the rest of my life.


Mum gave me this photo, it was taken before she was even born.
When Tracy got it out so I could scan it for this post she glanced at it as she has before and said 'so that's where you get it from' and pointed to the pen in Pops pocket.
I don't know, but even as I sit here on my days off I do have a pen in my pocket?

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

My Grandfather.

Mum rang this morning.
Pop passed away around 2350 last night.
After a long time suffering badly with Parkinson's and the recent loss of his lover and wife, my Grandmother, he has now found peace.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

When will they learn.

Go out and get an absolute skin full of booze have some pills and fall over and suffer a closed head injury. Then have to have a hole drilled in the back of their skull to drain off the blood and wait to see if they have suffered any permanent damage and will be pissing and eating through tubes for the rest of their lives.

I'm not a wowser, I use to enjoy drinking and partying, hell I even use to play in pubs with folk bands.

I was a Brass Band musician and we drank like fishes and smoked like chimneys. I was a musician in the Australian Army, there are periods of my life that have just disappeared and there are thing that I would have done differently if I had been in control.

There comes a time when you must accept responsibility for your actions and hopefully modify your actions before they cause life long misery.

Today's young adults don't drink any more than say I did, in fact I sometimes think that they drink less with binge drinking. I don't know what the solution is. I have no idea where you would start and so until something is done with positive outcomes I guess, we ambulance officers of the world will continue to collect the intoxicated hoard and attempt to minimise their damage.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

The rain has stopped.

We have had two days of quite heavy rain. These have been my day shifts and I have stubbornly been riding my bicycle still to work. I think that I have got past the fair weather rider now so in the pre-dawn dark I have departed in what I had hoped for was only a mild shower and returning home in heavy rain.

Guys at work have variously offered me a lift or even to one who very kindly offered his car as he was on night shift and I would be returning the next morning for my second day shift. But I've been riding now for ten months and I really do notice the physical differences and am sure that even though I do still have a vise or two (too much coffee and smokes) the riding is responsible for my low cholesterol 4.2mmol/L and a 120/68 mmHg blood pressure.

What was pissing me off was the drying of the wet clothes. The extended time over night at home worked Ok but at work they just never made it to even partly dry. I even rode home after the last day shift in uniform with a wet weather coat on.

So I'm ready for a little bit better weather so that the punters can go out and we might get a bit more work. Yes I know that this does sound a bit of a double standard but public education will not in my opinion stop certain elements from binge drinking, risk taking and anti social behaviour and these people provide us with some of the staple jobs we do in the big city.

I think that I would also like to take this opportunity to say hello to a person out in far west New South Wales in Broken Hill who drops by often as shown by the visitor map and who was brought to my attention by a colleague at my station who know them.



Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

The excrement has hit the oscillating device now!

The following is an unpaid political spray about recent events within the Ambulance Service of New South Wales. All information discussed is freely available in the media. These are my personal opinions and are bleedingly obvious not those of the services management.

A day, to a day and a half notice that Ambulance Rescue at eight full time accredited station will cease to operate as at 0800 hrs Thursday morning!

We knew that the service wanted to get rid of rescue, but by the way the circulars and notices read a meeting of the State Rescue Board yesterday agreed and the axe dropped over night with officers getting an SMS.

And what is the go with SMS,,,, the techno-challenged service that provides us with a data terminal that is no better than an early mobile phone screen and sms text.

Who's bright idea was that! obviously not a personnel communications expert?
You don't break-up with someone via sms.
You don't terminate someones job via sms.

This is going to get bloody I think.

The public must be re-assured that they will not be effected.
That goes against the very nature of this job we love.
We do it for the patients not management.

If you are not a member of the union use the link http://hsu.net.au/



Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Match Fitness!

So I finished holidays and returned to work on a Saturday which is the beginning of our rostered week. My shift was first of two nights so Saturday and Sunday nights.

As I have said in the previous post, what would usually be a big and fun filled shift in the big ol' city was not for me but such is the nature and requirements of fluid deployment of resources within an ambulance service.

Sunday morning about four hours before knockoff I was starting to ache and drag my steps a little and when I got home I slept a very, very deep sleep until awoken by the alarm and dragged from that beautiful place.

Sunday's night shift was as expected slower and there was some down time that I did make some use of. I still slept soundly after that shift so my 'match fitness' has slipped while on holiday. But as I have already posted I did enjoy my break too, so I need to do some exersice on these days off to try and bring the stamina back up to what it was.

Not too much to ask now that spring is here and the days warmer.


Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

The first shift back!

So was it good?

Yes

Was it what I had been waiting for?

Well of course, I love my work. But we did have some not common jobs.

We ended up being tasked further and further from our regular patch. Our last job out there nearly had us so far west that we would have been two radio channels from ours.

But we ended up back home with ten or so job sheets in the back of the folder and an hour or two to put some stores away and for the others to have a little rest.

Not me, I'm answering emails and blogging to you from the new phone.

Be careful out there and see you at the big one!

Taz

What a wonderful night.

Tracy and I have just arrived back from a trip up into the Blue Mountains, about an hour and half west of Sydney.

The purpose was to have a relaxed dinner at a resort hotel we often pass on our travels to visit relatives in Mudgee.

Well may I now recommend to you who may be here in NSW or may be intending to visit at some stage, please consider the Hydro Majestic Hotel in Medlow Bath in the Blue Mountains.

While one of the main facilities is hydrotherapy and spa these don't operate on the day of our visit and as we are familiar with the area - we take visitors there to Katomba, we relaxed in wonderful decor and surroundings waiting for our dinner reservation time.

The room B&B rates was beautiful.




Our real wonder and surprise came with the Casino Lounge dining room

The alcove pictured centre is identical to the one in which we sat but on the opposite wall. The colours and textures are rich and from an era long past and we had thought to make our night more special by dressing formally and it was not lost on this excellent setting.

I apologies for the quality of the photographs they are from my phone as the camera decided to play up on Tracy.

I have no pictures of the meal and none would do it justice.

Tracy and I had three courses of culinary delights, each mouthful an explosion of tastes that made us linger over each plate to enjoy for as long as possible. Our table service was personal and engaging making the evening even more special.

We completed it with a stroll around the terrace to view the vista of stars above before returning to the main lobby and the large fireplace with deep inviting lounges and glasses of port before turning in for the night.

Some asleep faster than others (yep she really was asleep when I took this) and am I trouble for sticking it here!!!!!!

Well if you didn't quite pick it up, if you don't mind something a bit old world and special check this place out. This shaggy arsed Ambo is very pleased he did.

Second last day of holidays!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

The Last Week!

Tracy just stood there and said to me without a moments hesitation

This was going to be a long week for her!!!

I think I've done very well thank you.

There's no cabin fever here, I might be a little hyperactive that's all!!!!

We're going away for a night up in the Blue Mountains this week as our original plan about driving out west never happened. My last remaining grandparent has not been well, severe Parkinsons and recurring chest infections so we remained close to the airport at home.

If you we to take this link http://www.ambulance.nsw.gov.au/ to the public access page for the Ambulance Service of New South Wales you might come across this story too.

Or you could just follow this link; http://www.ambulance.nsw.gov.au/media_publications/2008_pages/080825zoll.html

Shameless self promotion about a job from 16th of May this year and with a very emotional reunion between Rosalind and myself.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Outlook test

WMWMWMWMWMWMW

Nothing Much.

As I guess you would expect seeing as I'm on holiday.

Tracy met up with another old friend from Hobart on Friday who was here for a family wedding.

Me, well I slept some, constructed some more of the question booklets along with a flyer to send out to some Sydney stations spruking it up I might even slip off a copy of that to our educators to get the probationers to consider buying it before they hit the road.

I've never had anyone tel me it was a waste of time or not relevant to on-road. I've only had compliments and encouragement about it and some suggestions about content (that I have acted on) so I believe in it's worth as a tool.

And now I have been reading the 260 odd page instruction pdf for the new phone to learn the hidden capabilities of the device!!!

I'm pretty happy that I can make and receive phone calls and texts. I find the eMIMS quicker than the old phone and have even taken the time to familiarise myself with the MIMS Interact program.

But the 'Young peoples internet' stuff needs some work on it before I will really have a good grasp on it.


Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Well I went back to the Doctor!

I'm going to LIVE!

Oh I can hear the shouts of joy even from here,,,,,


Thank you, thank you...............

In fact to boost a little, the doctor, who is not my regular asked what I took for my cholesterol!


NOTHING!!!!!!



Everything was midway normal. I will be going back in six months to have a followup on the liver function but as there is nothing to compare these results too it is just a check.

I was more worried about the brain cells I must have killed as a BRASS BAND/ARMY musician in my early years.


The union sub-branch AGM and subsequent general meeting was interesting. While I do carry the weight of years well I haven't been at this game very long and listening to other officers who do know the history of Union & Service is eye opening.

The ACAP AGM today is just down the road and again I will sit back and listen to the wisdom at that meeting not to mention the catering. As an ACAP member I am entitled to attend education evenings for free. These events apart from being interesting, are also well catered with food and drink and seem to be always held on my night shifts?

So I may also enjoy myself at this AGM, within moderation....

I also noticed the ART & CRAFTS fair to be on in Sydney at the moment and heard they had included digital scrapbooking this year so Tracy and I will go and check that out seeing as Tracy spends as much time with that as I do with Ambulance stuff nearly.

And then we might drop the dog of at the kennels and take a long drive west for a few days to see what's over the next hill.

Have you checked out the new ASNSW intranet site, imagine that, I made it there in a photo, nice!


Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Well the Lindt shop survived,

Other shops have also be likewise assailed and also will recover.

Unfortunately Tracy and I will not be parents just yet?

The results from the last IVF cycle has come back negative..... Such is fate.

Perky and Rachel leave tomorrow, it has been nice having visitors and we do look forward to who ever next come.

A reminder if your in the East or South Sydney area of ASNSW that the union sub-branch AGM is on tomorrow at the Hurstville Area Office at 1900hrs.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Just read this.

http://randomreality.blogware.com/blog/_archives/2008/8/5/3824984.html

This is a blog of a London Ambulance Service officer.

I try to follow his example as much as I can when I post and don't get over to his blog anywhere near enough.

Tonight I did and came across this one,

Do we all sit here nodding our heads,
We all see or fear this happening to our own services,
If it hasn't happened to you yet, be strong and fight it.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

The girls have landed!

Perky and Rachel that is.

So picked them up from the airport and came home to a coffee and some catching up.

I had gone for a ride this morning to Eastgardens to firstly see how long it took and if it was suitable for Tracy to do, not riding as much as me she hates traffic and will avoid riding near it. Secondly to return my old phone for recycling.

We went out for dinner going to a different hotel to our local.

We tried the Moore Park View, all reported their meal good and filling although I did think that my New York Sirloin was a little small and therefore glad I had got a salad extra with it. Prices were good for the size of the other meals and nobody left feeling hungry.

I would rather go to the Newmarket, the meals are great and I can drink as much as I want as we walk there! My choice.

Looks like the Lindt chocolate shop in Martin Place Sydney is going to be ravaged by them tomorrow so I might get my first Sunday morning sleep in.

You never know.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Found the disk!

In the box for the old phone!

Where else!!!!!!

Good thing I kept it to return the phone for recycling.

Oh It's not Brett coming up with Perky it's Rachel her daughter and one of our wedding photographers.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

I got a new phone.

The contract had run out on the old one and it had been dropped, kicked and generally abused as they do in our job so I visited the Telstra shop to find out what was now available.

As a communication devise I don't really use a shoe phone too much.

Text message to the wife when I'm about to leave work because she wont start cooking dinner until then.

The odd work text maybe and a phone call made once or twice a week.

What I do use my phone for is the PDA side.

MIMS - to identify any prescription drugs I don't know along with all their side effects and interactions, etc.

Medical dictionary - there is always a term you don't know.

A page of useful stuff, codes to staff toilets at hospitals I don't visit much, codes to staff tea rooms that kind of thing.

So they have changed quite a bit in two years. The brand I have if anything have bulked up their new ones and all of them were on a more expensive plan.

I, as the knowledgeable reader of the blog will know come from a retail background and I always prefer to got to the shop rather than online or over the phone because there is the personal touch and I'm keeping someone in a job.

I was very impressed with the sales man who served me. No push, just the info and in fact when I appeared to be struggling he just told me to take the brochures and go grab a coffee and read it for myself. Well done, that was just what I, as the customer needed.

Any how, now have this slim black looking thing that I'm learning to drive and have transferred over all the data from the old one except for the dictionary. That needed to be reloaded from the disk and do you think I can find the disk!

Does anyone out there know of some shareware or freeware that might help me with a dictionary???

I have the presentation of a ZOLL watch tomorrow to a patient that was successfully shocked during VT arrest, interestingly the CEO of the service will be in attendance, not usual but the patient rang him direct a month after the event and commended mine and my partners actions.

On the Home front we will have visitors from Saturday, Perky(Jo)

(That's her in the middle at our wedding)

and Brett from Hobart are stopping over for a few days on their way to warmer climates for their holidays.

So some activity for the next few days and then the Union and ACAP AGM for those local again.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

My visit to the Doctor.

As I have said in the early posts of my holidays I have been suffering from lots of aches and pains, I think from the body relaxing from work mode.

And as we can't raise Tracy's body temp too high while we wait to see if the last implant takes, I haven't been riding for a full week. Yesterday while Tracy was at Weight Watches I geared up and took of on a ride out to Homebush, the site of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

It was a good long ride, it is a route I haven't ridden before and most of it is bike track but sometimes it divides of to separate bike and walking so you have to circle around to get the right one.

I felt tired and muscle sore when I got home some three hours later and had a few twinges last night. I was in top shape when I rode to the doctors this morning. My doctor has seen action in my local hospital A&E and so we talk a little shop before we get into it.

So some blood was given, he accepted that as a blood donor and because I hang around hospitals that I do know my haemoglobin, 12 hrs fasted BGL, BP and I have had a twelve lead ECG done recently all being good.

Return for the results next week before the ACAP AGM for any locals who may have forgotten. And hopefully no surprises with any of the results.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

This really did happen!

At 1830hrs tonight my shoe phone rang.

It was the DI (District Inspector).

DI; - 'Why hasn't your name been on the (overtime) lists Taz?'
Taz; - 'Um'
DI; - 'Are you on holidays?'
Taz; - 'Yeah'

Silence

DI; - Oh, sorry, I needed someone to work tonight at your favourite station,,,,, enjoy your holidays'

Taz; - 'Thanks _ _ _ _'

Hang up.

There is a GOD.

I am missed.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Happy Birthday to Me!

Well that's another one gone,

I haven't really celebrated a birthday since the big ones of;

16 years - I can now by smokes
18 years - I can now drive without P plates and can enter and stay in a licenced premises
21 years - your a legal adult, on your own now!

Tracy did do a really nice and special cake for my 41st birthday,

That's a photo of me in the Tasmanian version of a K.E.D. or R.E.D. or whatever you call it, a short spine extraction device to stabilise the spine of a patient.

But birthdays are just a way of keeping count and I've met some very clever and smart young people and some very un-clever, dumb older people in my time so age does not mean much to me.

So that's the second day of my holidays, a few phone calls from family and friends and the body relaxing a little more.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Holidays.

Back in the other life - B.A. (Before Ambulance) I worked for the one company for twenty three and a half years. Eighteen months short of getting my twenty five year gold watch.

After two odd years they made me take my first ever employed/paid holidays.

I managed to find a completely legitimate reason to be at work no less than five minutes after opening time of my first day of holidays and did so to varying degrees for the next ten years.

A.A. (After Ambulance) for the benefit of those readers who aren't employed by ASNSW we don't get holidays until we have completed a full year. I believe that it is so we can complete our probation year without the distraction of holidaying.

When I first took holidays A.A. I managed to stay away for a full day before finding myself back at work to 'just pick something up'. My recollection of the incident was that I may have been chased out of the station by pitch fork and flaming brand wielding colleagues and told not to return until my three weeks were up,,, or something like that!

So the point of this post is what was my first day of holidays like?

My brain seems to have successfully sent messages to every muscle and nerve fibre in the body telling them that they are now on holiday and can ache and be uncoordinated as they wish.

I am filled with aches and pain, nothing to severe just annoying.

I did manage to laminate the dividers of my A5 C.A.R.E. folder as they were getting dog-eared as well as reading a few pages of the current RESPONSE magazine from ACAP that arrived the day before.

But I did switch my phone off.

And I switched it back on today, but only to see if there were any messages,,,,, about my birthday which is today!

I am now more than half way to Ninety years of age!

So I fully expect to feel even better tomorrow and steadily more so the days after that.

I have laid out my plans for the rest of the holiday time so it is a matter of getting as many done as I can before I go back to work!

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

One more overtime shift.

That's before the holidays start.

I'm at Australia's best known beach today.
Not that you would catch me in the water.

I may hail from the Island state (Tasmania) but I'm not a water person and besides it's a bit wild and woolly up here today.

Constant breeze, grey overcast sky's and the odd shower.

But the extra shift will help pad out the basic holiday pay that will be the only income for the next three weeks and allow me to do stuff with Tracy.

I'll be posting the media article on the last cardiac arrest save that I got in a week or so. Ambulance Media have arranged the date for the ZOLL (makers of the defib) watch presentation for next week and local media are being invited (any publicity is usually good publicity).

Well better go make another coffee.

Night shift have not returned with the car yet so we're cooling our heels on station.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

Working in the suburbs!

Got a call for overtime this morning.

First two jobs were transports of patients under one year old.

The rest of the day was jobs for patients eighty years or older.

Very different from a normal shift in the city.

Nice to exercise different skills!

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz

We have the IVF implant today.

One one of the eggs harvested fertilised normally so that's all we're getting.

If you were to research it, it is amazing that as a species humans have survived when compared to other birthrates and multiple birthing (litters) that other species use. At any given time there is only something like a 15% chance of conception.

Nice little job yesterday with a 'Nanna down'.

Simple mechanical fall, minor right forehead lac and contusion, pupils equal and reactive, complaining of pain in right wrist but she's waving it around and even supporting herself with it so I'm not concerned with it.

She keeps asking about her keys, what happened and was she bleeding!

Main Entry: perseveration-,

continuation of something (as repetition of a word) usually to an exceptional degree or beyond a desired point-

Concussion at the least, closed head injury at worst, so employed all the tools available, made a Bat call to the hospital and that's the only good job in a week or more.

Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.

Taz