While I only fit one of the above listed categories, a friend and colleague in the department I work for now shared with his Facebook friends a great piece he wrote on being both a paramedic and a father. Seeing as how he has been at this for around twenty years, and has four little ones at home, i bow to his expertise on both. So for today’s post, I bow to the wisdom of Paramedic Corporal Lee Morris:
“I’ve come to realize that being a father and a paramedic is quite alike. Both titles involve a steady stream of people trying to excrete things on me and my attempts to dodge the mess. Both titles often require I solve problems others have caused for themselves. Both involve my efforts to keep others from playing in traffic or fixing the boo-boos associated with similar activity. Both involve long overnight hours, busy weekends and holidays, occasional soul-crushing fatigue, and little time to rest before my charges are out to play again. Both titles require I respond at rapid pace to the siren call of someone in dire need, and at times they really only think they are in dire need.
Sometimes in both jobs I have to medicate people or stick things in people that don’t want to be stuck. Occasionally they both involve me holding someone down who is inconsolable, kicking and screaming and completely unresponsive to reason. Sometimes in both I have to attend to people creating a scene in a public place, help them while remaining calm, and try to keep them from disturbing the general public. In both titles I am expected to be professional, positive, helpful, and have a never-ending source of energy and solutions. Sadly, I occasionally miss the mark when performing in both jobs and have to humbly ask forgiveness and move on.
For one title I am paid, the other I am not, and there are days during which I would gladly trade that fact between the jobs. (Neither title pays enough, by the way.) Both involve the occasional sense of extreme accomplishment as I look back at my efforts to see the difference I have made and know my hard work was not in vain. And unfortunately, at times under both titles, I patch people up only to have them foolishly make the same mistake and require my help again.
You can read, study, or take a ton of classes to prepare for both jobs, but until you actually do the work, you cannot begin to understand what either title truly involves. The risks and rewards are great and the reality of the possibilities of the level of responsibility both titles give the bearer is at times terrifying. I know I am lucky and blessed to be called both ‘Dad’ and ‘Paramedic,’ and my life is forever richer for the experience both titles have brought me.”