Thread by @tacbarbie44

25 years ago today I worked my first shift as a Paramedic….25 years!
So young, with so much responsibility.
Man did I love it...I still do!
I was one of those fortunate people that found a career that they truly loved early in life.
👇🧵
1/

EMCA,PCP,ACP,Tac, ITLS,ACLS, Superintendent,PALS,AHLS,CBRNE, HAZMAT,TCCC,Aeromedical, Rope Tech,Confined Space, Trench, Marine,SAR,POU, K9TCCC,Educator... I went for it all! I've worked near & far, day & night, 5-6 jobs at a time. So many stories...most that will never be told /2

We are a unique breed in emergency services, the bonds we form can only be compared to those of family. I have had the opportunity to work with some truly amazing people, & am grateful for the role that each & every one of those crazy family members have played in my life /3

I guess the big question is, would I do it all over again? That’s hard to answer. I often wonder who I would be if I had chosen a different career path.
Would I be softer? More patient? Be able to sit at a social function discussing 1st world problems without rolling my eyes? /4

Always first done eating & can be in & out of the bathroom in 60 secs. I used to read true crime, now only romance novels. If it doesn't have a happy ending, not interested.
I don't watch the news or read the paper. I use "f**k" as a noun, verb & adjective. (In most sentences) /5

You see lawn tools, I see weapons.
You see rope, I see ligatures.
You see food, I see airway obstructions.
I sit with my back to the wall & egress in mind.
I watch your children as closely as my own.
I always have a plan.
/6

It is a scary world when you have the knowledge of a medic.
My son was in a booster seat at the age of 10 and I’m still tempted to cut his grapes as a teenager. I check him every night to see if he is still breathing. EVERY NIGHT.
/7

It was not an easy path I chose, the suffering I've seen in my 25 years has had a profound impact on who I've become.
/8

If I knew then what I know now?
I'm sure my choice would have been the same. I thought I had an idea...but what I now know is you can not anticipate the horror you will see. Even after 25 years, I know tomorrow I will see something that I couldn't imagine in my worst nightmare /9

But it has also been very rewarding.
I may not have solved the world's problems,
But I have made the world of difference to some people and their families.

It's hard to regret that.
/10

So to celebrate, I am taking another 6 month sabbatical starting next month. Time with my family and traveling the world 💕🌎 🙌
And in 6 months, I'll come back to the career I love...I can't wait to see what the future years hold!
#paramedic #thatothersmaylive \11

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