2 Days to go...Passion

OK 2 days to go and tonight's topic is Passion. In my meetings today I realized one thing, from both of them. In this line of work (EMS) passion is a must. You have to have passion to be willing to take the risks we take. To leave your family on holidays, birthdays, day or night and take care of strangers. Homer Simpson said it rather simply "I'm risking my life to save people I don't like for reasons I don't quite understand." Many times this applies in EMS, how many times have you taken care of the drunk driver and the victim he/she hit. You might not like them, but you have the passion to save them. I had to explain to two very different audiences today why I am removing a leg, and that passion is the number one reason. My first meeting was with the command staff of the agency I work for. I know that I am going to be terminated soon. I have one year from the date I left work to return, or I will be fired. The question I was posing to them was is this a year from the date of injury or the date I started light duty? I spent that meeting explaining that I AM a paramedic. It's who I am, it's a part of me, so if I can remove a leg and return to work then that's what I am going to do. I have passion for making my service the best in the nation. It needs a lot of work, but I am still confident that it can and will happen. Next, was more of an interview, where I just had to explain what happened to me and how I can fathom removing a leg in order to return to a normal life.

It's a strange fact, the only way I will be able to return to a normal way of life is to have this amputation. If I had chosen to have the knee repair, then I would always be in pain and my knee would never be stable enough to run after my kids or do my job. So...normalcy comes with drastic action. I'm going to have to endure months of rehab and pain to gain this, and a lifetime of stares, but it's worth it. Who knows, maybe this will turn into a chance to be a motivational speaker...look out Matt Foley! I live in a van down by the river...with my prosthetic leg!!!! Sorry, side track. Anyway. I know that there are many of you out there that read my blog that are not in the EMS community. Just know that many of the people you rely on when you dial 911 are some of the most dedicated and passionate people imaginable, they have to be. Why else would you risk your life to work in rain, snow, and heat to get paid less than a high school janitor and to be talked down to by doctors and nurses? Now not all Dr's and Nurses talk down to EMS but there are those out there that view us as the dreaded "Ambulance Driver." Another side track...sorry my ADD is acting up tonight.

So, back on topic. Overall, the meetings went better than expected today. I have hope for the future. My second meeting made me feel like we may be OK financially, if we can get the donations he thinks we can. Until then, of course I'm going to be worried. I have to be, until I know that my family is ok without me making any income. I know that if we can pull this off, meaning, I can get the leg I need and we don't lose everything we own in the process, we are going to turn this into greatness. I am going to be the Prosthetic Medic, and I have 2 days till this process begins. Please if you are spiritual, keep me in your prayers, if you're not then just think about me as D-Day gets closer. Until next time...