badger_14

Ultimately, the only thing that gets rid of stones already there is surgery. But it's not all that bad. I was much happier after having my gallbladder out - the surgery hurt less than the attacks! Then again, because I thought the gallstones were back spasms, I sat through attacks for like 2 or 3 years, so YMMV. By the time I got it into my head to go to the ER, they were basically incapacitating, and the ER doc thought it was kidney stones at first. Glad you got it checked out and it's nothing serious.

Gallstones are horrible. I'm sorry. (healthwise yes, better outcome than a heart attack, but still painful). Did they at least give you good drugs and a schedule for a prompt removal?

Be careful what you wish for, or EA might well give you 20-minute intermission segments with Don Cherry.

Yeah, I got that from the ones bouncing off my blocker yesterday. It is pretty flattering when the skaters don't believe you when you say you've only been playing for six months, though. That's right, you grew up playing catcher, right? I wouldn't try glove side on you either.

There's a high correlation (for me) between 'fantastic save' (like Saturday's sprawled-on-the-line glove save) and 'way out of position, never do that again'. Things just seemed to flow today.

Had a great pickup session with the inline group today. Beautiful, clear, bright, cold day. Definitely feel like I'm improving, making solid saves, even "won" a couple rounds (of play-til-10). Just for good measure of course gave up a few awful goals and made a couple of crazy, how-did-that-even-happen saves. Best possible way to spend a New Year's Day. (or, really, any day off.)

It's surprisingly easy to keep cool when your head is vibrating. Some people take this stuff far too seriously. I'm glad I had a real mask and wasn't an inch or two closer to the post. Still feeling dizzy and out of sorts today but it could've been worse.

Congrats!

Guy at street hockey was apparently frustrated that we were losing (at the time - it's a play-til-7-&-take-a-break pickup, so it's more like 6 mini games over two hours), and whacked his stick on the net. Unfortunately, right between his stick and the post was my head. Clipped me right across. Had my ears ringing and I stayed down for a minute. Not so much hurt as straight up pissed off, although I do have a nice headache going. I don't care how frustrated you are - never, ever do that.

I can only hope that my first shift doesn't involve a shooting. (Second, third maybe, that's cool).

I passed my NREMT exams! Who has two thumbs and is a nationally certified EMT-Basic? THIS GUY.

As soon as I can. I have to submit my payment and get the formal authorization to test, then I'm on that like white on rice.

Congrats, that's great!

The word is in: I passed my NREMT practical exam yesterday! I still have to take the cognitive/written, but passing the practical is a huge weight off my shoulders.

Good luck!

Hey, if someone wants to come be my patient for the exam, or help me practice, I more than welcome it...

Since Friday morning: my mom broke her hip, my patient for my exam backed out on me leaving me scrambling to find a new one, and the hockey I was looking forward to to keep from strangling people was cancelled. This is not the relaxing weekend I had hoped to have.

As a member of MSH, if I pass on the first try, expect me to celebrate with as much hockey as possible. Likewise, if I fail on the first try, expect me to vent my frustrations through as much hockey as possible.

Officially finished (and passed) my EMT-Basic class tonight. Certification exams are a couple of weeks away, but I still feel pretty proud of myself for making it this far.

They're mostly college students living on campus, but yeah, for the most part you're correct. They really don't venture out of their bubble that much. Our EMT-Basic programs in the US aren't as competitive to get into as the paramedic programs in Ontario - you sign up, you pay, you attend. If you pass the course, you take the national practical and national written. A lot of the kids do the thing where they try to wheedle extra points on quizzes out of the instructors - "does spelling count", "what if it isn't that exact wording", etc. Hopefully, they don't pass, because I don't want to work with them.

Miserable week all over the place: got very, very sick after street hockey on Saturday, made a bunch of dumb mistakes during practicals on Sunday and Monday, went to the doctor to find out I have an infection in my leg for which I have had both oral and IV antibiotics (third and hopefully last session tomorrow), and it also looks like I'm not coaching this year because guy in charge is making clear he just wants parent involvement in the org. Which is totally fair and I don't begrudge them that at all, it's just disappointing because I enjoy hockey and coaching.

Our class building is on top of a very large hill...

It's about 2/3 of the class. I can only hope they won't make it to the national exams. It's totally okay to strap the offenders to longboards and just leave them in the hall, right?

Example: There's a guy in my class who is trying really hard, but just plain lacks the physical coordination to perform the skills correctly and efficiently. I wouldn't want him passing the NREMT and working on an ambulance with me, but I do respect that he's honestly trying. I don't think he'll pass the NREMT, though. I have no respect for the kids from the college (or, the 'kids' closer to my age who are also putzing around) who don't take the course seriously, assume they can breeze through, and complain when they do poorly on quizzes and exams. I don't want to be a cranky 'old' (I'm 28, I don't get to complain yet) man about the young people these days, and I think it's simple naivete as much as anything. The course is hosted by an expensive, exclusive private college and the kids don't get out of the bubble that much. Maybe a field trip to the Shattuck hospital or Boston Medical Center would help.

The instructors do know, and have collectively taken a stripe off the class for messing around. It doesn't seem to have made a dent in the offenders particularly. Luckily, they will probably fail the national exams and not certify, or even better, they'll fail this course and not even make it to the national exams. What irks me most is these are the college kids who intend to go on to nursing and medical school. I'd like to know where they plan to practice so I can avoid those areas/hospitals.