Jet Skis and Helicopters

Last weekend, I worked JetSki races at Camp Far West, a local reservoir and campsite. Most of the day was fairly quiet (yeah, the "Q" word... Its ok to say AFTER the event!). Toward the end of the day, some of the faster racers were out on the course. One of them wiped out solo, necessitating an ambulance trip to the hospital for further evaluation. Before we knew it, there was an air ambulance helicopter from Reach overhead, looking for a landing site! So, we ended up taking the patient via our ambulance to the landing site, and "hot loading" the patient into the helicopter. Its been a long time since I have done that. I had to keep reminding one of the volunteer firefighters that showed up to keep his head down... I don't need a fatality out there from the helicopter blades. For those who don't understand hot loading, the helicopter is still running, moving the rotors and blades. Its a gigantic guillotine if you aren't damn careful. The Reach guys were very professional, BTW. Nice working with you guys!

So, how did we end up with the helicopter? We certainly didn't request it. We felt the patient was stable enough to go by ground transport. It seems that they couldn't get a normal ambulance out to us in a reasonable time, so the dispatch center for Yuba County sent them out. This was after the ambulance was dispatched. Right after we loaded the patient, we saw the rig on its way in to Camp Far West... they turned around and left.

Rory 11/5/59-7/28/04

Three years ago, Rory ascended to heaven, surrounded by David, Diana, and myself. Though he is no longer in pain, we still here on Earth are.

I miss you, lover. My heart still aches for you!

We all miss you.

Ramblings

First, the earthquakes:


By now you have hopefully seen the news of the day, and learned about the earthquakes (Yes, there have been 2 major quakes there now) in Japan. This is time for a wake-up call to all people in earthquake prone areas (Like, say, California) to prepare! Make changes around your home to secure heavy, dangerous objects. Have food for at least a few days. Trust me, if it is big enough, you won't be able to buy a thing for a while. Have a shelter and other supplies. And water. A good amount of water (1 gallon/person/day). Most of this can be placed in a plastic garbage can for storage. Rotate your food and water periodically for safety.

Next, a general update:

We are all doing ok. Jonny is still in the cast, but it comes off next Monday. Diana starts a new job on Wed the 18th at NEC. Looks like a good job for her. Still working on getting her into another, more permanent (and better paying) position, but this works for now.

I am dealing with a nasty digestive bug that has left me not wanting food at all right now, for fear of repeat trips to the toilet. Thankfully, no one else seems to have picked it up, so my assumption is possible food poisoning, unless I got it from a patient last week. I got through an EMS shift with the help of my boss, who happened to have a med I needed. Thanks, Mike! But today, I am feeling, for lack of better words, drained. And probably a few quarts low on fluid, based on the muscle cramping I had last night and this morning (Yes, electrolyte replacement is ongoing - Powerade is my buddy... Anyone got any I.V. Ringers Solution???).

Work is going well, both for my "day job" and my EMS jobs. Hard to believe I have been here 10 months now at DTSC! Time flies!

Me, an athlete? Who would've thought?

Yep, I am cycling a lot nowadays. Riding from my home to the light rail station is a good 8 miles. I am working up to riding the entire way to work, about 14 miles. I ride that frequently now. And it is really getting easier. I was planning on doing the bike part of the Luna Bar Womens Triathlon (a friend asked me to do the ride portion, while she did the swim, and another person did the run). Unfortunately, it is the same weekend as a DMAT training down in southern CA I will be attending.

I like having the time to think to myself. The exercise gets my brain working, and I can problem solve a lot easier now... seriously!

Anyhow, here is a pic I took this morning of me in my biking attire. Yeah, it magnifies every flaw I have, but it is really comfortable! The shirt was given to me by one of my bosses, who is really revved that I am into cycling (She rides 22 miles each way to work daily! And enjoys the Death Ride, the Rubicon, the Tour de France (she rode the course last year for her vacation - not during the TdF, but after). Quite an inspiration for me!

Obviously, I am still losing weight. I had a period of time that I was gaining. It was frustrating, but then I started losing again. The thought is that I was building muscle, and the muscle is now burning more of the fat. Dunno. But I am glad to be losing again! Current weight: 249.0