When most people ride in an ambulance, its not a pleasant experience... as they are most likely severely injured or suffering from a heart attack or some other major health event. Possibly fighting for their very lives. Fortunately for me, my ride was a pleasant one. My opportunity came as a required part of my ER rotation.
Gas pedal pressed down. Way down. We just got a call over the radio. An hour of boredom now broken. Now, lights and sirens. Blazing a trail thru traffic in a top heavy truck at 60+ mph definitely has a certain excitement. The struts on ambulances were not designed for their purpose, every pot hole is it’s own adventure... and trauma. I reminisced about being a small boy and watching shows with car chase scenes and dreaming about driving like that, or being a hero racing to someone's aid. While I enjoyed it, it wasn't a big enough rush to make me want to change careers, but it still appealed to the adventure seeking boy in me.
The calls we responded to ran the gamut. There was a sweet little 91 year old lady in the nursing home who was having shortness of breath. Also, we had a 15 year old boy who was the victim of a senseless drive by shooting in the "hood" of North Tulsa. Seeing this poor innocent kid, bullet in leg, made me feel disgust. The sheer ugliness of man... How dirty and unholy we must be to God... Yet despite all our ugliness he persists in love. Even in the man behind the trigger of that senseless evil resides God’s love and mercy. Sustaining his every breath. Calling out to him from his long ignored conscience. He is one prayer away from being my brother in our awaiting eternity.
I also saw some pretty strange things. One call was in response to mentally handicapped girl who accidentally burned down her mother’s house. Another was for a homeless person who dialed 911 from a shelter because she didn't think the Sudafed that the free clinic gave her was helping her cold. I thought every single one of these people should have been the subject for a documentary.
As I was transposed into these people's lives, I realized just how vast this unseen segment of society really is... the “normal people” may not really be the majority. In fact, there may not even be any “normal people.” We may look wholly different and with unimaginable lives to someone else.
I imagined living in the shoes of some of those whom I met. If I were truly in their shoes, I admit, I may literally crumble or do any and everything to get out. Don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to be judgmental, I’m no better, no worse... we are all sinners in this world. We are all God's children. I guess what I am impressed with is the sheer diversity of culture that is right here in our own back yard.
David MD
Gas pedal pressed down. Way down. We just got a call over the radio. An hour of boredom now broken. Now, lights and sirens. Blazing a trail thru traffic in a top heavy truck at 60+ mph definitely has a certain excitement. The struts on ambulances were not designed for their purpose, every pot hole is it’s own adventure... and trauma. I reminisced about being a small boy and watching shows with car chase scenes and dreaming about driving like that, or being a hero racing to someone's aid. While I enjoyed it, it wasn't a big enough rush to make me want to change careers, but it still appealed to the adventure seeking boy in me.
The calls we responded to ran the gamut. There was a sweet little 91 year old lady in the nursing home who was having shortness of breath. Also, we had a 15 year old boy who was the victim of a senseless drive by shooting in the "hood" of North Tulsa. Seeing this poor innocent kid, bullet in leg, made me feel disgust. The sheer ugliness of man... How dirty and unholy we must be to God... Yet despite all our ugliness he persists in love. Even in the man behind the trigger of that senseless evil resides God’s love and mercy. Sustaining his every breath. Calling out to him from his long ignored conscience. He is one prayer away from being my brother in our awaiting eternity.
I also saw some pretty strange things. One call was in response to mentally handicapped girl who accidentally burned down her mother’s house. Another was for a homeless person who dialed 911 from a shelter because she didn't think the Sudafed that the free clinic gave her was helping her cold. I thought every single one of these people should have been the subject for a documentary.
As I was transposed into these people's lives, I realized just how vast this unseen segment of society really is... the “normal people” may not really be the majority. In fact, there may not even be any “normal people.” We may look wholly different and with unimaginable lives to someone else.
I imagined living in the shoes of some of those whom I met. If I were truly in their shoes, I admit, I may literally crumble or do any and everything to get out. Don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to be judgmental, I’m no better, no worse... we are all sinners in this world. We are all God's children. I guess what I am impressed with is the sheer diversity of culture that is right here in our own back yard.
David MD
Ambulances are too damned costly.
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