Adapting to the lifestyle

        When Double D started in the EMS world, he actually started as a Volunteer Firefighter. When he first started volunteering as a Firefighter, I have to admit, I was pretty stoked!  I was in my early 20s and I was engaged to a Firefighter!!  LOL


During a couple parades:

   Here is one of the first "Fire/EMS" cakes I made for him:

    A picture of Double D dressed in his fire gear, our daughter (Widget) with her Halloween costume and Double D's vehicle with the lights on:

      A few years later after we were married and had a Daughter, we moved to a community that was needing EMT's within their Fire department (There was only Fire in the first department he started with). and that was where he became certified as an EMT.  I was so proud of him!  


      The second "EMS" cake I made for Double D's birthday:

      I soon adapted to the lifestyle of pagers going off in the middle of the night, interrupted dinners, and family times.  Sometimes it was inconvenient and sometimes I got upset about it, especially if it was a non-emergency call, such as a hang nail, or needing a ride to the hospital because a relative was there. But I realized this was the lifestyle I was in and Double D really enjoyed this career, so I knew I needed to give him all my support. I learned to adjust our schedules around the times he was on call for the department.  There were still interrupted dinners, and family times, but that just meant that the food went in the microwave, and goodnight kisses and hugs were given later. 

      After getting his EMT-B certification, he was able to obtain a paying EMT position at a private company.  With that, I quickly learned not to plan anything for after his shift was done.  Because there might be that last call before he is supposed to get off, that causes him to get off later than scheduled.  I don't mind that because that last call could be a bad car accident or maybe a young child that is hurt badly and if that was someone I loved, I would hope that an EMS crew would stay over to help them out and not just say "my shift is done, I'm going home".  All I usually ask, is that if he is going to be longer than 2 hours, if he can, call me or text me to let me know so I don't worry.  If it is longer than 3 hours and I haven't heard anything from him, that's when I start to worry.  He works in bad neighborhoods sometimes, so I do worry.  I know he can't always call, because depending on the severity of the call, he may not get a chance, so I don't get too upset that he didn't let me know what was going on, but it doesn't mean that I don't still worry!  

      Our next move was a big one.  We moved to an area that had more job opportunities for me since it was closer to a big city which meant more jobs for entry level IT, which is what I was.  He drove over an hour back and forth 3 days a week til he could find employment near where we lived.  

      That's when I realized this was the perfect career for him, in the EMS world. 

      That also meant that if I was going to support him in a field that he enjoyed, the way he supports me in my field, I would have to "not sweat the small stuff", which included not always getting off on time, being there when he needed someone to just listen, and realizing that if we come across an accident, He's going to stop..... :)


      He originally tried to join the local volunteer fire departments but soon realized that in order to be really welcomed at the departments here, you almost had to have NO life outside of the departments.  They would have weekly mandatory meetings which makes it hard to attend when you have a regular full time job outside of the volunteer position.  Many of the members would hang out at the station waiting for a call to come in.  Again, that's fine if you have no family, no job, etc outside of the station.  So he reluctantly gave up the fire part.  Though he still longs to be a part of it...


      Being an EMT is a fitting position for him though.  I feel he is very good at it, and he is happy with it.  I especially like watching him with the children.  He's so good with kids, it isn't even funny!  He knows just how to calm them down and get them laughing so they aren't scared.  


      I know, because I have seen him in action with a child that was hurt.  


      This child wouldn't talk to anyone, wouldn't even answer her Mother when asked a question on how she was feeling.  Her Mom wanted Double D to take a look at her, and asked if I thought he would mind. Of course he didn't mind, because he loves what he does!  Not even 5 minutes after he started talking to her, she was laughing! and answering HIS questions!  It made her Mother feel so much better! 


     So, it's not hard adjusting to the lifestyle of the EMS world, it's more about loving and supporting the one that is in the EMS world.....and, "Not sweating the small stuff" =) because it's very easy to live your life around the schedules and mayhem of EMS, if you truly love the person....