Ok, so my three months spent in the EMT class was not nearly as traumatic (no pun intended) as I had anticipated. The instructor turned out to be very entertaining, and I learned enough about basic life support to be mildly dangerous. Now, to tackle my required ambulance ride along before taking my National Registry test. I wasn’t sure which I was more frightened about…the test or the ride along. The test turned out to be a piece of cake!
The night of the ride along was upon me. I was dressed up in my navy EMT pants with pink trauma shears buckled in the right thigh pocket, and extra gloves in the left leg pocket. My polo shirt was ironed. I was wearing brand new shiny, black Rocky boots. Hair and makeup looking good! I felt like I looked like a real EMS professional. My look screamed ROOKIE.
I was given a pager and was told to be out at the “rig” (I felt so cool using their lingo) when it starts up. BEEP…BEEP. OMG! First call! I hustle out to the “rig” and climb in the back. We pulled out of the ambulance bay, and the EMT that was driving hit the lights and sirens. The sirens began to wail, and my heart began to race. I had no idea what we were headed to, but it was the most exciting feeling I had ever felt. I can only compare it to the adrenaline rush you get while on a roller coaster.
We were speeding out to the main highway, and we finally stopped. I was in the back of the ambulance, so I couldn’t see what was going on outside. So, like any “Rookie”, I barreled out the side door before taking in the scene around me, and and as soon as my feet hit the ground, I slid several feet on a gelatinous substance…and fell straight on my rump. Oh…S*#t! (No, it was not feces.) It was like everyone stood still for a moment and looked at me. It didn’t help that the paramedic was my best friend, and I think he was waiting for me to lose my dinner…or maybe every meal I had eaten that day. This is the that whole body fluid/body function thing! My shiny shoes were definitely NOT anymore, and my crisp looking pants and shirt were now covered in things that should not be on the outside of the body.
As my friend stood looking at me for that split second, something happened inside me. No…it had nothing to do with my guts riding a Tilt-a-Whirl! There was a “click”. The scene around me didn’t “gross me out”. I was made of tougher stuff than I thought!
On a somber side note: That MVA was caused by a drunk driver. The drunk driver was the unfortunate casualty, but there were three survivors that night.