Failure is not an Option!

I'm less than a week away from orientation and getting back on the ambulance. I'm 15 months from the fall that set this path in motion and only been on my prosthetic for 7 months. I've been told that while in the ER I was told not to worry, I'd be back to work in no time. This was to placate me and keep me from worrying while I was healing. Then was told I could go back to work with the prosthetic in order to give me a goal to keep pushing forward. All the while, most people doubting it was possible. More frustrating was a former "boss" more concerned with either breaking me if I did succeed or trying to force me out by saying I'm incapable. To him personally I say thank you. This is the motivation I need to not only have the strength to try to return, but to succeed beyond what I thought was possible.

I'm not delusional. I know I'm charting into unknown territory. This unknown is a first for my new employer and for this region. I am expecting to have to learn quick and live up to one of my favorite sayings...Adapt and Overcome. I know I will have to adapt my technique but I have regained something most of us in the Public Safety world have lost...passion. I am more driven to succeed now than ever before. I have too many people watching me to fail. I am a example to 2 (3 on January 2) wonderful sons, I have had the pleasure of inspiring people I've never met through this blog, and I have the handful who are hoping I fail because they said it would happen. Part of me wants to smash this in their faces and say look at me now. I'm the "gimp" you said was finished, yet instead of airing dirty laundry, I will simply move on and show my sons how to not only have dignity, but also to have integrity.

I hope for big things from this job. This is the new springboard for my life. I am walking proof that nothing can impede determination and that can carry you further than you (or those around you) expect.

Can't wait to fill you in on my first shift. Until next time

PM

Prosthetic Medic Rides Again!!!

Great News!!!! The Prosthetic Medic will ride again! I'll be starting my new position on October 29th, of course I have orientation and classroom stuff to get through before I get back in the ambulance, but just the prospect of being back where I belong makes me feel like I'm about to start a new school.

There are several opportunities outside of being a street medic at this service that I'm very excited to possibly branch out into. That's all for tonight. Busy day tomorrow at the Prosthetic Medic household. Kate's cardiology appointment is tomorrow so we find out what the plan of action for correcting the hole in her heart. For those out there that believe in a higher power please send some prayers/goodvibes/thoughts in our direction. They have set the C-Section date for Liam on January 2, 2013 so for now that's our goal. Keep him baking until then, unless the cardiologist has other plans for us.

I'll update some more in a few days.

PM

Job Interview Tomorrow!!!

Tomorrow I go for my interview at a local private service ambulance company. While I've been assured that this is a formality and nothing more, I have to admit that I am more than a little nervous about the prospect of getting back on the ambulance again. I am confident that I can do the job, it's just learning to do the job with my new set of obstacles. I'll let everyone know how it goes, if I do get the job then I will be working 24 hour shifts, which is another new playground for me. I've done 10, 12, and 16 hours shifts, so 24 is the next logical step right. I'll have to ask the company how they feel about being mentioned here, as I don't want to go into this by upsetting them off the bat.

On another note, in our personal life we have just found out that the Mrs has been diagnosed with a patent Foramen Ovale. For those who have no idea what that is, it's a hole between the atria of the heart. In itself that isn't too much of an issue, the issue that arose is that she had a TIA on Sunday. So now we are trying to game plan with the cardio docs and OB to find out where we need to go from here and what this means with Liam.

I'll keep everyone updated as things progress.

PM

Coming to an Ambulance near you....

Well I have put in an application at a local EMS agency. It's a private service company and they are just as excited for me to start there as I am to be getting back on a truck. I'm also going to be speaking to a personal trainer to finish up the last bit of muscle training and stamina building I need to feel very very comfortable in the back of the truck.

Still having a few problems with the prosthetic, that I'm hoping that will be resolved in the next few days. The knee is still sticking and I'm still waiting on my new foot to be delivered. It seems that it takes a while for Otto Bock to make a size 14 prosthetic foot...this is one of the big foot curses you never are told about!!! No matter...life is moving on and so am I. I'm so excited to attempt this again, I'm still not sure how it's going to turn out, but that's what makes it so promising.

Until next time

Otto Bock Commercial and Photos

A month or so ago I let you all know I would be shooting a commercial for Otto Bock...well here is the final result, along with some photo's from that shoot.

 

Redneck Tested, Medic Approved

Well...I have somehow managed to break my prosthetic. I'm thinking that Otto Bock should hire me as a crash test dummy. I've had my prosthetic system since March and in that time I have broken the foot 6 times and now the prosthetic knee itself. They could send me new ideas and I'll put them through real world testing. Put a big stamp on the side "Redneck tested, Medic approved!"

So now I have to wait for a "loaner" knee to be sent to me. I'm on a list and have no idea when it will get here. My prosthetist is going to try to get them to speed up the process and get it here quicker. Later in the week I should be getting my new foot (as I said, I broke the other several times) . It's been a trying week to say the least. I have made the decision to move forward and start applying for paramedic positions, with the dream of starting sometime in October. I'm absolutely terrified of getting back on the truck. So many variables to contend with that I haven't had to think about, but still I'm excited at the prospect of getting back at it. Hopefully later this week I can tell you the problems have been solved and I'm up and at it again, until then I will be using the broken leg and moving a little slower. Hey, adapt and overcome right.

A Farewell to LMEMS

Today was my last day as a paramedic for Louisville Metro EMS. Not the way I had expected this day to come. In 2006 when I first moved to Louisville, I had expected to make this service my home for the next 20 years. As it turns out, that is not to be. I have seen many life altering events during my course as a paramedic there, I just had no idea that my own life altering event would be the one that would finally close this chapter. As I look back I have many great memories, a few bad ones, but overall I have had the opportunity to watch amazing paramedics and EMT's take care of patients in a way that should not be possible with the equipment we had, or with the hours we had worked. To have a crew be as sharp and on their game on their 3rd sixteen hour shift in a row as they were when they started that shift 48 hours ago. I am, and forever will be, proud to have been called a Louisville Metro EMS paramedic.

The reason for my departure is two-fold. Louisville Metro Government was gracious enough to extend my one year off work date from May to Aug, in this time period I have grown by leaps and bounds in my ability to use this prosthetic as it's supposed. Yet, I am still a month or so away from being able to function on an ambulance. Second, they offered to let me fill out the ADA paperwork again, with the caveat that I have an "exact date of return to full duty." This was not possible. There's no way to know when my muscle will have the strength I need it to, and any date placed there would be guesswork at best.

That being said, I will forever consider Louisville Metro my home. I am just moving on to another chapter in my life, and will be returning to work in the near future for another ambulance service. The Prosthetic Medic will ride on.

Thank you all for the support during my recovery, I'm sorry I couldn't make it back there, but I know that you all will work hard to make LMEMS the service it deserves to be.

For my readers out there that stayed through that Obituary of Employment past, I do have some good news. I was able to see the rough cut of the Otto Bock commercial that will be on their website in the near future. It looks great and I can't wait till I can share it with you all.

Going tomorrow to start working on getting stretchers in and out, as well as hopefully going for a bike ride with my step-son.

Prosthetic Medic