A day in the life of a Paramedic......

 It's 3 am and with the lights and sirens blaring we race to the dying woman who is entrapped in a vehicle that has no resemblence of a vehicle upon our arrival. Watching this person take their last breath and not being able to do anything for them because the call came in too late gives us a unemotional aftermath of thoughts and with many attempts to  understand why or how this could happen to this person we never got to meet. They are someone's daughter, wife, sister, mother,etc. Now we leave the horrible job of telling the family to those men and women in law enforcement who have just as much of a difficult time dealing with situations as this as paramedics/firefighters! The sounds of emergency rings out yet again just less than an hour apart of yet another unexplained incidence of tragedy but this time it is a child. A child that was given life by parents who have such a loving and caring aspiration to be great parents. Always doing the best for their child who was born with abnormalities and who they saw as a miracle from GOD! This morning however will be there very last time to hold their child this time so lifeless. Then as we arrive you look up and make eye contact with the mother to realize she was a high school friend and the desperation in her eyes for you to save her precious gift of life is so overwhelming. We hurry to save this child when in reality and in the back of your mind you know that GOD had already took him home.  As you grieve in your own way, you get another sound of emergency to a house where a mother to be is expecting and says she knows its time! O my, now you are nervous, excited but cautiously awaiting for the child's arrival as much as mom and dad! Then she is here....seems like hours go by when it actually is just few seconds and this lively child pinks up and begins to cry! The joy both you and the parents have overcome them is breath-taking. Just a few hours ago you were in the pitfall of tradegy and now you are in the bliss of joy! To think, this is just the first 18hrs of your 48 hr shift! This is just a small minute view of the life of a paramedic but I can promise you in my 14 yrs in EMS ....the good outweighs the bad. I have held many hands of the dying along with the lonely, the joyous and the uncertain but the ultimate gratitude I have is the fact that I have a job where I can make a difference maybe not immediate but something as small as saying, "May I help you?"....may be their last memory.  For those I have hand and hand with or around they too are as delightfully gracious! My lesson I have learned throughout my career is it isn't about glory to get recognized its the unrecognized ones that count! I'm not in this for the money or heroism....just to help others! The next time you see an ambulance, fire truck or police racing by think of the one who they are responding to, it may be your family! Take Care!

The Heart Broken Moment......

On July 9, 2010......My mom was discharged from the local hospital and placed in a nursing facitility for rehab. She arrived to the nursing facility at around 3pm. The nursing staff was outstanding and welcomed she and I. Both were very nervous and scared but then one of the nursing staff members came in and they were close friends for over 15 yrs and had lost track of each other. I owe this lady my sincere thank you. She easied my moms anxiety and fears along with my own. They talked for I know at least 3 hours. In the mean time, my mom told me to go home and be sure to bring her "babies" back in the morning to see her. Which I was so excited because my mom, my daughter and I had already planned what we were going to do for her room decor.....ELVIS! My mom was his #1 fan. She was given ice cream galore prior to me finally accepting it was time to go to be with my hubby and kids. I was an emotional wreck leaving , we hugged and I told her I love you Momma and please know You are in the best hands!.. I left approximately 6pm. After arriving home I was getting stuff ready for the next day. My hubby was still a reserve officer in our county and I work as a paramedic. I was getting a load of clothes from washer when I heard the local fire rescue get dispatched to "a 53 yr old female patient who is NOT breathing and CPR is in progress in ROOM 18! My body started to shake, I couldnt speak, my heart did a plunge and I knew ...............IT WAS MY MOM! She was in room 18, 53 yr old, and had known lung issues. My world was tossed into shambles in less that 2 mins of information! I sprung to the living room where my 2 boys were sleeping so peaceful and told my hubby I had to go it was her, it is her, is all I could say.....threw on clothes and out the door I went. I was driving so I dialed one of my closest friends  and it went straight to voicemail. In my heart I knew she was gone but my mind had not caught up yet. Hysterically I called her two sisters which arrived shortly after me. I made it to the hospital just in time to see the ambulance pull in! THEN is when it was REAL....working as a paramedic you know most systems use same protocols and when I saw them with NO lights NO sirens.....in NO 'hurry up" mode I just knew. As I watched them back in the hospital a friend/coworker who was the person in charge stopped me and held me and that was when I just ......................fell apart.......then I looked up and saw my Friend glowing with many wings walking to me, the one I tried to call.............and I knew Momma was in the best care possible! This person is also a paramedic and I know she did all she could for her. But part of me is MAD AS HECK at myself because I wasnt there! Of course, there wasnt anything I could do but ...........hold her tell her I loved her and not to worry the babies will never forget her! But those feelings come and go and I truly feel at peace with things. From the time I saw no pain or suffering on her face my heart wasnt heavy it was smiling knowing she was in an awesome place!........If you have never lost a parent , you have no idea the emotional roller coaster ride you endure. It will be one year since her death this july and Im just now getting to the point to where those emotional rides dont happen as often. A song, smell, glimpse of my child or something they say will trigger it! But mostly I fight it every morning when I look in the mirror! I see her in me soooooo much more now! ITs been sooo hard this year without her but I know she still giggles at our "Bennett Bunch Moments" and how fast the kids are growing and the fact happiness is squeezing back in our lives not to push the happiness she gave out but to add on! Life is something no one can prepare you for, or teach you the tricks or trades of the position you hold. Life is free, full and loving! This has been one heck of a trying time for me, my family and friends and all I can say is thank you for all the prayers, phone calls and continue those please! Ok on a funny note...........my head hurts and the flood gates lost its latch! LOL ......R.I.P  Nancy Hudson (aka "MiMi") WE LOVE YOU!

Life Lesson #1

Life Lesson #1: Growing up as an only child with my mom as single parent helped me learn life isnt handed to you! I had to watch my mom struggle many times to get the essentials....not air jordan shoes, levi jeans, or the most exspensive tv. No I"m talking about food, shelter and a loving home life. Have you ever just stopped in the middle of a store and noticed the one person who seemed nervous, maybe "weird" looking, little dirty, or possibly smell. Have you ever offered a dollar or 50 cents? Maybe just a hello can I help you look for something or I hope you have a blessed day. I learned this when I was 8 years old. My mom and I took a 15 hr Bus ride from South Carolina to Mobile, Alabama and there was an older female who fit that category. My mom packed a lunch with some snacks and drinks etc. and I noticed this lady had nothing. I went to the bathroom and on my way back I noticed she was very sad. SO I asked if everything was ok and of course she says yes and tells my eight year old self she is tired. I get back to my seat and looked in our bag of "stuff"....we had couple of drinks left and snacks so I asked if I could give the lady a drink and snack. Momma at first was weary but I told her she had nothing for her snacks. So my mom agreed. I walked down the eisle and said," Maam I have something for you." SHe looked up at me with tears in her eyes and said "Thank you sweet heart GOD BLESS YOU!" My mom and I told the lady your right and he blessed you too! The point of this lesson is to show you it doesnt matter where you come from it is all about WHO YOU BECOME! Life is always going to throw curve balls the only way to avoid it is to be a very good catcher! Always help others as you would want those to help you! My mom always told me this and I'm teaching my children the same not many of todays children have been taught that! So lets start here!

Potty Time!

Ok as you see we REALLY HAD WORK TO DO!...........But thats not the only one ................

Talk about major confusion! LOL However, Biggest Tip for you moms is consistency! Also carry extra outfits for them and YOU!  Last Tip: For Boys- wee wee outside is fun, Girls- potty in front of tv! .....and they ALL like to touch it! Just saying!

Happy Potty Time!

The mind of a child

This was one of those days in the Bennett House...Kids screaming, supper burning, one referee hand on left and one oven mitt on right. Husband working late so I decided its time for everyone to have some energy-removing music soothing fun! We decided to put on the Jason Aldean DVD and from the first drum roll........SILENCE! AHHH LOVELY SOUND! Those kids sat there for 35 mins which allowed me to finish supper, make plates, and set the table. I went to turn it off so we could eat and those 2 boys pitched the best inning of tantrums you could ever imagine! It took them 20 minutes to settle down enough to come eat supper. SO the parent that I am, I told all three to sit down in the living room and we had a game to play. We  sat around in a circle and played the duck duck goose game. After about 15 mins of that it was time to tackle sissy and momma. Then I sent my daughter to go get in shower and boys got a bath. They wanted to watch some tv before bedtime. Would you believe these kids were watching the Waltons! This is the type of show all children should watch for a while to understand this world is more than "SELF" or "ME ME ME" ......The episode we watched was where the grand baby dies. Also this was shortly after my mom passed in July of 2010. My 3 yr old at the time came and sat in my lap and said, "Momma, why did Jesus take that baby away?" I told him, "Jesus loved him very much and I dont have an answer for why he took him." He said," Well, I know Mimi is in heaven you know why?" I said,"I think I know but why do you think that?" He said," She was in my dream last night and wanted me to tell u not to cry no more she was ok then she was GONE!" POOF!"....I still get goose bumps thinking about it but my point is children know far more than US PARENTS give credit. There has been many similar occurances in that sense but one I wish I could reverse for my daughter. December 2006, my dad had open heart surgery and we told her he was very very sick well she went up to the hospital the next day. Things were not good and he was hooked up on all the machines which is a visual I still have a hard time releasing much less my child so with that said she wasnt allowed due to her age but mainly by my hubby and I. When the news came by telephone that he was only held alive by the machines I didnt hesitate to let go. I listened as all the alarms were going off and then heard the doctor say ok time of death.....on our way home that night I had many calls to make and she was in the back. She listened from call to call in my words which I "thought" I was not saying too much. I heard her in a whisper. SHe said, " See Papa's heart wasn't working right and the doctor tried to fix by opening his chest and got his heart out but what he doctor tried to do didnt help and he died." Sadly enough she took the news very hard and even harder with my mom's death this past july. A child's mind is just like yours and mine but they just haven't had enough living to understand how to process it all. However, They cope and come up with unique answers. On a lighter note, Last night I was deleting text messages on my phone and Zack came up to sit with me while I was doing this. He looked at the phone with the trash can lid open and shut. He says," Momma why you throwing the people in the trash?! What did they do? Are they in trouble???!!" Next time you talk to your child or other children hold back that "baby talk" because these kids are very very intelligent and quick to catch on! LIVE LOVE LAUGH! Until next time!

Bennett Bunch Life Lesson via Animal Kingdom

As many of you know the animal kingdom is an unique entity in itself. Well it is absolutely hilarious when you add in young curious children and animals who have no constraints of who or what is around them. So, Lets start off by giving a little background of my family members and four legged/feathered ones also! My husband and I have three children: 11 yr old daughter, 5 yr old son and a 4 yr old son. Our animal family members consist of 9 pigmy goats, 9 dogs, 30+ chickens, 5 ginnys and one cat! Needless to say with all of us there is never a dull moment! So to get on with the "Life Lesson." After supper the family went outside to feed up animals and exercise that stored energy after such a great meal! Well, My husband was working in our garden with my daughter I was swinging with my oldest son which lasted a brief moment after his younger brother requested for him to jump on the trampoline! All of a sudden this awful "dying" sound came bellowing out of one of the nanny goats! My daughter looked up just in time to see all the fuss.....lets just say she wasnt in agony! Need I say more! So the pitfall came....she said "Moma what in the world is that goat doing to Thelma?!"....I slowly looked in my husband's direction and said well I believe its your explaination time now hunny....(I had the puberty talk like 2 weeks before my baby found out the true meaning!)...so he with a straight face, might I add, said,"Well they are animals dear thats what they do that and you better get used to because that is how it is." She said, " Boy am I glad I'm not a GIRL GOAT because that is disgusting!"....of course as a mother you think YES YES YES keep thinking that until you are out of college! So the boys don't have a clue as to what just transpired (thank goodness!)....and the three of us were working in the garden and was all startled when we heard that awful sound yet again only this time, my daughter says," wooo....that sounded like Thelma said "HEY BO!".....only in the Bennett Bunch! .....Hope you have a great Memorial Day Weekend and BE SAFE!~ Until our next adventure!