I wish you could understand

I know that most people don't care. I am going to write this anyways. Mods if you think this belongs in another forum please move it. I am a medic and can't stand it when people think that we have it so easy. Most people don't know what it's like to put in 120 hours a week if needed, go without meals and sleep because you have to, tell someone they will never see their loved ones again, go to a call and get assaulted or have someone stick a gun in your face, or go home after a shift and cry because it was so overwhelming. So here is a poem that I found a long time ago that I read everyday.

I wish you could see the sadness of a business man as his livelihood goes up in flames, or that family returning home, only too find their house and belongings damaged or lost for good.
I wish you could know what it is like too search a burning bedroom for trapped children, flames rolling above your head, your palms and knees burning as you crawl, the floor sagging under your weight as the kitchen below you burns.
I wish you could comprehend a wife's horror at 3 a.m. as I check her husband of 40 years for a pulse and find none. I start CPR anyway, hoping to bring him back, knowing intuitively it is too late. But wanting his wife and family to know everything possible was done to try to save his life.
I wish you knew the unique smell of burning insulation, the taste of
soot-filled mucus, the feeling of intense heat through your turnout gear,
the sound of flames crackling , the eeriness of being able to see the
absolutely nothing in dense smoke-sensations that be become too familiar with.
I wish you could understand how it feels to go to work in the morning after having spent most of the night, hot and soaking wet at a multiple alarm fire.
I wish you could read my mind as I respond to a building fire " Is it a
false alarm or a working fire? How is the building constructed? What hazards await me? Is anyone trapped?" or to an EMS call, "What is wrong with the patient? Is it minor or life threatening? Is the caller really in distress or is he waiting for us with a 2x4 or gun?"
I wish you could be in the emergency room, as a doctor pronounces dead the beautiful five year-old girl that I have been trying to save during the past 25 minutes. Who will never go on her first date or say the words "I love you Mommy", again.
I wish you could know the frustration I feel in the cab of the engine or my personal vehicle, the driver with his foot pressing down hard on the pedal, my arm tugging again and again at the air horn chain, as you fail to yield the right-of-way at an intersection or in traffic. When you need us however, your first comment upon our arrival will be "It took you forever to get here!"
I wish you could only know my thoughts as I help extricate a
girl of a teenage years from the remains of her automobile. "What if this
was my sister, my girlfriend, or a friend? What were her parents reaction
going to be when they opened the door to find a police officer with hat in hand?"
I wish you could know how it feels to walk in the back door and
greet my parents and family, not having the heart to tell them that I
nearly did not come back from the last call.
I wish you could feel the hurt as people verbally and sometimes
physically, abuse us or belittle what I do, or as they express their
attitudes of , " It will never happen to me."
I wish you could realize the physical, emotional, and mental drain or missed meals, lost sleep and forgone social activities, in addition to all the tragedy my eyes have seen.
I wish you would know the brotherhood and self-satisfaction of helping save a life or persevering someone' s property, or being able to be there in time of crisis, or creating order from total chaos.
I wish you could understand what it feels like to have a little boy tugging at your arm and asking, "Is Mommy okay?" Not even being able to look in his eyes without tears from your own eyes and not knowing what to say,. Or to have to hold back a long time friend who watches his buddy having rescue breathing done on him as they take him away in the ambulance. You know all along he did not have his seat belt on. A sensation that I have become familiar with. Unless you have lived with this kind of life, you will never truly understand or appreciate who I am , we are, or what our job really means to us.... I wish you could though..

-Author unknown-

I know it's long, sorry. I just wish that people could understand.

-Author unknown-


Is that really you?

If not then your a wanker.


If you are medic, then your one of those unique people with one of those very special jobs that keeps society together.

Keep up the good work indyram.
There are people who appreciate what you do for your community. :)

All those that don't appreciate what you do, will one day need your services, and you can believe that they'll appreciate it when they owe their life to a dedicated medic like yourself.

I know how you feel..... My friend's dad drafted me into working for him. I am all about hands on all though I work(volunteer) for him. He is the state fire marshal. I have seen that poem before and it is very true.

I'm not sure how to express my gratitude for what you and your collegues do. Thank you very, very much.

:1:

People like you are most greatly appreciated. And you can't say that most people don't care, cuz I can tell you that, being a human being, most people do care. I'm very glad you put this up. Maybe those few who don't care and don't appreciate would see what it takes to be medic like yourself. Thank you very much. :smile:

*tear*

dam....that poem was really touching...im actually typing this with tears running down my cheek. call me a wuss or wutever but im an emotional guy :(

Respect.

as an EMT-B and a volunteer firefighter, I know how you feel. I know exactly how you feel. :( I know it's hard to relate what we feel to others because others just don't see what we see...they haven't been there when we're pulling someone out of a car in front of their family...they don't know what it's like to not be able to speak when a child's mother asks if their little one will be ok. I know how it is all to well, and I'm only going on 19. If you need someone to talk to, drop me a PM or email...I'm usually on AIM when I'm online too. Here's another poem, once again, author unknown.
-------------
I Want To Tell You Lies

I want to tell that little boy, his mom will be just fine
I want to tell that dad, we got his daughter out in time
I want to tell that wife, her husband will be home tonight
I don't want to tell them like it is, I want to tell them lies.

You didn't put their seatbelts on, you feel like you killed your kids
I want to say you didn't, but in a way, you did
You pound your fists into my chest, you're hurting so inside
I want to say you'll be ok, I want to tell you lies.

You left chemicals within his reach, and now it's in his eyes
I want to say your son will see, not tell you he'll be blind
You ask me if he'll be ok, with pleading in your eyes
I want to say that yes he will, I want to tell you lies.

I can see you're crying, as your life goes up in smoke
If you'd maintained that smoke alarm, your children may have woke
Don't grab my arm and aske me, if your family is alive
Don't make me tell you they're all dead, I want to tell you lies.

I want to say she'll be ok, you didn't take her life
I hear you say you love her, and you'd never hurt your wife
You thought you didn't drink too much, you thought that you could drive
I don't want to say how wrong you were, I want to tell you lies.

You only left her for a moment, it happens all the time
How could she have fell from there? You thought she couldn't climb
I want to say her neck's not broke, that she will be just fine
I don't want to say she's paralyzed, I want to tell you lies

I want to tell this teen, his buddies didn't die in vain
Because he thought it'd be cool, to try to beat that train
I don't want to tell him this will haunt him all his life
I want to say that he'll forget, I want to tell him lies.

You left the cabinet open, and your daughter found the gun
No you want me to undo, the damage that has been done
You tell me she's your only child, you say she's only five
I don't want to tell you she won't see six, I want to tell you lies.

He fell into the pool, when you just went to grab the phone
It was only for a second, that you left him there alone
If you let the damn phone ring, perhaps your boy would be alive
But I don't want to tell you that, I want to tell you lies.

The fact that you were speeding, caused that car to overturn
And we couldn't get them out of there, before the whole thing burned
Did they suffer? Yes, they suffered as the slowly burned alive
But I don't want to say those words, I want to tell you lies.

But I have to tell it like it is, until my shift is through
And then the real lies begin, when I come home to you
You ask me how my day was, and I say just fine
I hope you understand sometimes, I have to tell you lies.

I completely respect the medical profession and what they have to go through.

My dad's a paramedic. Keep up the good work guys.

My grandpa and uncles were all fireman years ago, so I too respect you guys for what you have to go through and for putting your ass on the line to save someone else.

Man, I'm sorry you've had to go through all that in your short life thus far. I can't imagine how this has made you feel. I wish the best of luck for you in the future and a positive outlook on life.

Sorry if this thread came across wrong. I wasn't looking for sympathy. It is just really frustrating, especially this weekend. I am at work right now and it has been a terrible shift. I just need to vent a little. Thank you to all.

We were just expressing our appreciation.

I just need to vent a little. Thank you to all.


Vent all you like.

You deserve all the recognition you can get.

If it wasn't for people like yourself who are prepared to sacrifice thier lives (both physicaly and emotionaly) society as we know it could not exist.



any negative feed back would have been because there are people out there who like to run around the internet posting things like that and claiming it as thiers, then feeding off the attention it gives them, when in reality they are nobodys working at a gas station.
You however, and all the other medics and firemen and police officers on the forum (and there are few) can claim it be yours, even if your didnt write it, you still live it.

you guys really inspired me, well technically this thread inspired me....so i decided to make a wallpaper, its nothign too special, but either way i really appreciate what you guys do for us...

http://members.lycos.co.uk/graphikalserentiy/LifeLine.jpg

i recently got a job doing fire rescue at local drag strips(each night of the week, different strip)... one thing i have learned so far is people dont respect the men and women of this trade. even though most of the night i sit there and do nothing but watch movies, when it is go time people(who you are helping) treats us like we are the reason they got hurt or we caused the fire thats burning them..

but the people who actually give gratitude for what you have done or what you are there for makes it all worth it. it is a very special feeling to know that you have saved someones life. or even when kids smile and wave at you because they think you are "cool"

every person who is in this field of work deserves a big thumbs up for putting up with and making it thru the situations that they deal with

:2cents:

:1: Respect and courage. My hats off to you.

Sir. I salute you. I know my job is tough and not many people can do it, but your job can be the most rewarding, or the biggest beast of burden. Don't even stop doing what you do. it is people like you, dedicating there lives to the safety and well being of others that make this world what it truly is.

Great work, contributors.

Ok, I am split here. I was a EMT in the USMC, a Door Gunner and a Crew Chief on Helicopters, and saw and did a lot of shit that would make the average persons skin crawl.

But, I CHOSE TO DO THAT JOB. I didn't do it so I could come and whine about how hard it was or the heartbreak I witnessed. I had a passion for what I did and it was rewarding for ME. I didn't care what a bunch of people on the net put up, and if I did want to vent, I would at least write my own thoughts and not the copied ones of others.

9/11 reminded everyone of how important those jobs are. The war reminds us all how important every single soldier and marine is. But remember, they CHOOSE to do that. They don't ask for sympathy for it. They continue on each and every day knowing they made a difference. If you can't take it, other jobs would be glad to have you.

Everyone does understand. Maybe it is you who doesn't.

I have to agree with Matada. These kinds of jobs you don't do because you want to be a hero or have people dropping to their knees and thanking you everytime you walk past.

First of all yes I chose this job and wouldn't do anything else. Like I said earlier I didn't write it for sympathy or anything like that. I put that poem on here because I read it everyday as a reminder of why I do it. No I don't bitch about it all the time. There were a couple of assholes that I was around this weekend at work that said somethings that should not have been said and I wanted to vent about it. If you do it on an everyday basis you need to vent otherwise shit will eat you alive. People may not always show it, but everyone in the police, ems, fire, and other related fields still have bad days and need to vent. I was at work and needed to vent and talking to a wall doesn't do much. No I don't need to find another career. I wouldn't want to do anything else. I don't want to be a hero and I don't do it to whine about it. I felt better after my first post which was the intention. Fuck it I don't care about it anymore. Any mod if you would like feel free to close this thread.

Cut my head open on Friday night. Got great care at the hospital. Don't ever think your work goes unnoticed.

I'm with IndyRam. I'm not looking for sympathy, and I'm not taking credit for the peom I posted. If you noticed, neither is he. Those poems just explain how we feel sometimes. I origionally wanted to go into law enforcement, but that didn't work out and through a few twist and turns on this road we call life, I've fallen into the EMS field. I can't lie. I love my job. I love being a volunteer fire fighter, too. I don't ask for your sympathy. I don't ask that you bow down and show all respect to me. I'm human like any other. I just feel the same frustration sometimes that Indyram and 96TSi do.

Matada, I agree with the fact that I did CHOOSE to follow through with this career (it's not just another job to me). You're experience in the Marines as a medic is going to be far different than ours in the civilian world. I didn't ask for your sympathy, but I didn't ask for your bullshit either.

For what it's worth I've always had a high level of respect of medics, firemen etc.

I have nothing else to say other than... Keep up the good work and Godspeed.

Matada, I agree with the fact that I did CHOOSE to follow through with this career (it's not just another job to me). You're experience in the Marines as a medic is going to be far different than ours in the civilian world. I didn't ask for your sympathy, but I didn't ask for your bullshit either.

No bullshit here. No sympathy. Just a well thought out calculated answer in an internet forum to an obvious attempt at gaining attention. You never asked for my bullshit, but you DID post to a forum. Why do you think they put those reply boxes at the bottom of the page?

Its not a job to anyone who is there for something other than a paycheck. But really, these little poems and glurges that are designed to rip tears from my eyes and pull on my heartstrings fall flat for me. They are nothing but irritating speedbumps on the internet. This is not bullshit, this is my opinion. If you think my opinion IS bullshit, then you are free to say so, as this is a forum.

Mayne I'm naive and I don't mean to take away such sincerity in this thread, but i didn't know people hated people like you. :dunno:

My first thought was, "WTF? Another complainer that people don't respect the job he's doin'" But hey, my dad's a corpman so I know how it is, but never thought people think y'all have it easy. I know i've never heard that but hey, w/e...

Keep with it as you are. Ya seem strong

Matada, you sound like a Medic I know...he hates his job...he hates everyone...he's just waiting on retirement. He shows no compassion for his fellow EMS workers and what they're going through. If we don't look out for eachother, who will?

Damien, some people have respect for people in this field. Some don't however. As 96TSi stated, it seems like a lot of the times people try to lay blame for what's happened on us. I've heard "thank you" only once since I came into this field, and those who are near retirement have heard it very few times. For some reason though, I love what I'm doing. I'm happy...what else matters?

Matada, you sound like a Medic I know...


Nope, he just sounds like someone who has done a similar job, and seen similar things, but chooses to deal with it in a differnt way.
All he did was point out that he deals with it in a differnt way, and that he dosn't agree with your way of dealing with it.
He never said it was wrong, just that he didn't like it.




Some people deal with such things on thier own and become stronger for it, and some people need the help and surport of others, and also become stronger for it.

But not everyone is the perfect human interest story on the 6 o'clock news, or the perfect american sitcom personality.