Emergency Medical Services (EMS)

**I took the test last night and I am confident that I passed the written however I may have failed the practicals. My nerves got the better of me and I couldn't get my calm, collective aura back. I know I failed the KED practical and I WILL be practicing with the BBVRS crew on how to operate one. I haven't ever put one on by myself. It was always myself stuck holding c-spine therefore, never quite getting the full steps. I plan to know this better when I redo it. I will find out all the results next week, mid-week. I am not the only one who's nerves got the better of them. It was a truly stressful night. I had spent 12 hours at the squad the day before until 6 a.m. that morning, went straight to work for 6 hours, and then to the testing site. I didn't get to test my practicals until about 9:30 p.m. and I was truly too tired at that point. I couldn't function and my nerves had an easy go at my heart! But, alas, they allow us up to 90 days to retest the portion failed. I imagine this is a common thing. If we all had a switch for our nerves, our beautiful minds could operate! I am a great EMT, I think on my toes, but I am also a very visual person. The practicals are NOT visual. They are all roleplaying which is the part I find the hardest. Wish me luck on my retest on January 27th! I'll still be running at the squad and practicing. Practice makes perfect!

Emergency Medical Technician (Basic)

This seems to be my current and new path in life. I am still working on becoming a Nurse in the emergency room but, this is my first stop on the medical and life-saving journey. Tonight, is a very big night for myself, and many other students on Chesterfield, VA and surrounding cities. Tonight, we will be taking our EMT-Basic exam. It consists of four parts. The written assement in which you must past 70%, then three scenarios: The Trauma Assessment, the Medical assessment, and the Random Skill which could be anything from splinting, removal of patient from car, controlling bleeding, to airway suctioning. We are evaluated using sheets in which we must gain points. There are critical points in which if we miss certain ones can automatically fail us. According to my teacher, Mr. Nevetral, our nerves will be in 'shock' mode. We will forget our names, we will stumble a little bit, but I have learned that you can do a lot in 10 minutes (per physical assessment) and to take a deep breath, calm my nerves, and get to it! There haven't been too many live scenarios that I have run with Bensley-Bermuda Rescue Squad. I am screaming for the experience but it's been difficult to get hours lately. I plan on becoming affiliated with more than one squad. I feel alive when I can help someone and save someone's life. I love working alongside the firefighters and the paramedics. I feel part of my community and I feel like I am worth something in this life.

Wish me the best of luck on the exam tonight! I ran at the station last night to hopefully have some calls but we had a 'dud' call. We got there and everyone was fine, which is great considering how bad the car looked, but... I could've used some experience and practice.

Youtube'in

It wasn't until I met Matthew that I went on Youtube to watch people's frequently posted series. I used to just go on there to see previews of movies, songs, and funny cat videos. Well, I started looking up 'talking kitty cat' and we found this series by Steve Cash. He is actually a musician who posted his silly songs and his covers on Youtube to I suppose, show them off? Either way, he is hilarious! He posted this video of his cat Sylvester, where the cat is talking. It aired on NBC and became very popular. Well, I love his series! He doesn't post videos TOO often but just enough to keep you interested. Check out Steve Cash and if you don't feel like watching all of the videos in one sitting you can do the timeline video to catch up to the most recent. However, there's nothing more hilarious than his cat talking. He doesn't have a very clean mouth so please don't play it around children. It's definitely for adults.

Besides watching Steve Cash and his family of animals, I watch Ray William Johnson's viral video reviews. He calls his channel "=3" or equals three. Check him out here. He even featured a video from the city near my hometown Richmond, VA. They lost the Rudolph float by puncturing a hole in it. They try so hard every year not to lose it. Richmond really just isn't built for huge floats because of all the traffic lights.

I love watching videos on Youtube however I just haven't found any other channels I would like to subscribe to, not yet. But check out those guys and their awesome videos! You will be entertained, at least I was. I am not much for idiocracy and that might be why most Youtube videos, I just don't find funny.

Christmas Gifts, Pondering my choices in life...

My lovely mother got me an ENTIRE B60 KEURIG COFFEE SET, PLUS A KEURIG CAROUSEL. (Not to mention tons of coffee cups to go with it.) My mother's boyfriend got me a P.F. Chang's $25.00 gift card, yummmieee! And, my best friend Christina got me a $25.00 Bonefish Grill gift card! My little cousin got me an adorable pair of slippers and a nice sweater-shirt. I was dieing to get a pencil pinstripe skrit to go with the top and my lovely boyfriend Matthew decided to buy me the few items I was panting over on Torrid.com. The items come today! It's a floral dress (black), high-heel knee-high boots, a pencil-skirt pinstripe style, and skinny jeans. I am super excited! This was one of the best Christmas's ever.

Besides what I listed above I also got: Ferngully on DVD, Kitten Journals (3-set), gluten-free cookies, hamburger mix, and Chebe pizza mix (omg yum), a purse, a martini set, and leopard TY from my aunt. My boyfriend got me an Army t-shirt and the two items that I picked out during Thanksgiving with his mom which was a chinese bistro set and a scarf. When we went to Christmas Town at Busch Gardens he bought me a beautiful (real) pearl ring.

I really missed Matthew this Christmas and was thankful to have a snow-day with him yesterday. We went to Waffle House for breakfast and then to the bowling alley for three games.

Now that Christmas is over I am trying to plan for my New Year's eve party this friday and for my EMT test on Thursday. I am very nervous about the test as it was rescheduled last time due to snow, and it really would have been nice if it hadn't been. I've been pondering if it was the right time for me to take this class but I suppose it was. Next semester I will be way too busy to take an EMT class plus all my college courses.

So, I was thinking last night of how long it is taking me to get my education. But, I remembered that not everyone is fortunate to have scholarships and a ton of financial support from home. I just truly wish I had better luck when it came to education. Sometimes I feel like an idiot for not having my education completed. But, I plan on getting a degree. I don't care if it is in general or not. I just wish I had the opportunity when I was 19 to live on campus and experience that lifestyle. But, now I have four cats and a lovely boyfriend, I would be too afraid to give up this lifestyle and freedom for a college dorm. Instead I have found other ways to make friendships through EMT'n or college or the Virginia Defense Force.

Christmas Eve

There are no presents for me to open up this year, as soon as I crawl out of bed that is. We all decided that we are going out to my Aunt Roo's house as she has more room. The whole family, grandma, grandpa, mama, my somewhat step-dad like (and live with him), my cousins, and my aunt and uncle. The thing is, my family can be boring. I do love them to death but I'd give anything to be in the arms of my boyfriend Matthew today. But, then I remember, Christmas is about family and Jesus. It's about the birth of a child and a man who sacrificed. I think sacrificing some time with my boyfriend is well worth it to spend time with family. Either way, last night I fell asleep with quite the bedfull.

All the kitties and my roommates dog were curled up in bed with me. I think this is the sweetest thing ever. I will update this post later to say what I got for Christmas but this little endevaour was a lot! My cats gave me a present and I didn't even ask for one. Chipsy RARELY ever sleeps on the bed and they all RARELY ever sleep on the bed at the same time.