reminders of just how short life is sometime sting
Many of you know that I have worked Part time for the last 8 years for a local Fire and Ambulance dispatch agency. It covers an entire county. With my background of Firefighter/EMT and husband who is employed as a full time Firefighter within that County helps contribute to a greater level of understanding of each others jobs. This job usually entails me working a 6 to 8 hour shift from 6pm to midnight or 2 am. In my younger days (geez am I old enough to be using this term?) I would go from my full time teaching job to this job with little more than batting an eye. Nowadays working till 2am lends for an entire week of messed up sleep to recover. But, since I pick and choose when I work and make excellent pay it all comes together.
I rarely thought about how some people could not do this job.I seem to gravitate to public servant of sorts naturally. When a person remarks about it being a significant thing I nod, thinking sure ok. Most shifts it feels less important than when I was the person who showed up at the caller's door. Each call is met with a minimum of basic information gathered and a standard set of questions asked, specific general instructions and that is it. There are times when a person is truly in their worst hour and more is needed, CPR instructions etc but for the most part it is the same thing over and over. You get hardened on the surface and are not easily affected by chest pain, difficulty breathing complaints as they are common and numerous. Don't misunderstand...I am not burned out or do not care at all. I do care but 95% of the time the person will be just fine after they receive additional care.
Yet, there are days...infrequent hopefully when something the person said hit a nerve, or got a little closer to home. Some days I have that mom instinct that senses the desperation in a person's voice and think about them long after the call. It might be loss of a parent, spouse etc. There is a lot to be said for hearing between the lines when people talk, especially when that is all you have to go on.
The last shift I worked was one of those nights. I cannot remember the last time a call has stuck with me quite like this one. Typically, the next day will lend itself to a twinge of this or that from the night before. After a day or two most is forgotten. But, not this call. A mother dialed 911 because an hour before she laid her sweet 2 1/2 mos old baby girl to bed. Just 1 hour later when checking on her discovered she was no longer breathing. This night I was not taking 911 calls but instead I was the person who spoke to the field units as they were responding, on scene, or available. I was blessed to not take this call.
However, on later discussion to clarify some information the person who took the call played the audio back. The voices of the mother and father as they attempted to save this little baby are a chilling reminder of how short life really is, how at any moment you or I could be making that call. I can still hear the uncanny awareness of the situation in the mother's words, the father's sobbing. I can hear the noteworthy way they each pushed on to follow the instructions being given. The mother's lack of hope.
I waited not so patiently so hear from the medics who transported, praying for a miracle in the place of those two people I have never met because they may not have had the strength to pray themselves. I held back tears when we were told she did not make it and tried my best to pretend that it didn't hurt me too. This my friends was too close to home.
I can safely say that I have personally been on scene of many a medical call but never had to watch a baby die. I have been at work when serious calls have taken place, and lives were lost. Yet, this one is lingering in my mind. I am thankful that today was Sunday and attending church gave me the opportunity to give it to God. I pray these people feel his peace as they try to recover from such devastation. I pray that an army of angels, family and friends are able to lift them up in there darkest hour. I pray that they find a way to bond together instead of being torn apart.
I pray that each one of you take a moment to realize how very short life is...
I rarely thought about how some people could not do this job.I seem to gravitate to public servant of sorts naturally. When a person remarks about it being a significant thing I nod, thinking sure ok. Most shifts it feels less important than when I was the person who showed up at the caller's door. Each call is met with a minimum of basic information gathered and a standard set of questions asked, specific general instructions and that is it. There are times when a person is truly in their worst hour and more is needed, CPR instructions etc but for the most part it is the same thing over and over. You get hardened on the surface and are not easily affected by chest pain, difficulty breathing complaints as they are common and numerous. Don't misunderstand...I am not burned out or do not care at all. I do care but 95% of the time the person will be just fine after they receive additional care.
Yet, there are days...infrequent hopefully when something the person said hit a nerve, or got a little closer to home. Some days I have that mom instinct that senses the desperation in a person's voice and think about them long after the call. It might be loss of a parent, spouse etc. There is a lot to be said for hearing between the lines when people talk, especially when that is all you have to go on.
The last shift I worked was one of those nights. I cannot remember the last time a call has stuck with me quite like this one. Typically, the next day will lend itself to a twinge of this or that from the night before. After a day or two most is forgotten. But, not this call. A mother dialed 911 because an hour before she laid her sweet 2 1/2 mos old baby girl to bed. Just 1 hour later when checking on her discovered she was no longer breathing. This night I was not taking 911 calls but instead I was the person who spoke to the field units as they were responding, on scene, or available. I was blessed to not take this call.
However, on later discussion to clarify some information the person who took the call played the audio back. The voices of the mother and father as they attempted to save this little baby are a chilling reminder of how short life really is, how at any moment you or I could be making that call. I can still hear the uncanny awareness of the situation in the mother's words, the father's sobbing. I can hear the noteworthy way they each pushed on to follow the instructions being given. The mother's lack of hope.
I waited not so patiently so hear from the medics who transported, praying for a miracle in the place of those two people I have never met because they may not have had the strength to pray themselves. I held back tears when we were told she did not make it and tried my best to pretend that it didn't hurt me too. This my friends was too close to home.
I can safely say that I have personally been on scene of many a medical call but never had to watch a baby die. I have been at work when serious calls have taken place, and lives were lost. Yet, this one is lingering in my mind. I am thankful that today was Sunday and attending church gave me the opportunity to give it to God. I pray these people feel his peace as they try to recover from such devastation. I pray that an army of angels, family and friends are able to lift them up in there darkest hour. I pray that they find a way to bond together instead of being torn apart.
I pray that each one of you take a moment to realize how very short life is...
And I am sure they felt the comfort of your prayers, as angels surround them and hopefully ease their burden of heartache.
ReplyDeleteHugs to you dear friend as you deal with and work through the aftermath of this difficult call.
P.S. My verification word: holis
Now if that isn't a sign from Him, I don't know what is.