IAMedic
10-26-2003, 22:21
I Wish You Could See
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 comprehend a wife’s horror at 3 in the morning as I check her husband of 40 years for a pulse and find none. I start CPR any, hoping to bring him back, knowing intuitively it is too late. But wanting his wife and family to know everything possible was done to save his life.
I WISH you could read my mind as I respond to an EMERGENCY/911 call, “What is wrong with the patient?? Is it minor or life threatening?? Is the call really in distress or is he waiting for us with a 2 x 4 or a 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, squad, or ambulance as the driver presses down hard on the pedal, my arm tugging again and again on the air horn, or using different sounding sirens 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 know my thoughts as I help extricate a girl of teenage years from the remains of her automobile. What if this was MY sister, MY girlfriend or friend?? What are HER parents’ reactions going to be when they open 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 know how it feels dispatching police, firemen and paramedics out and when we call for them and our heart drops because no one answers back or to hear a bone chilling 911 (code 3) call of a child or wife needing our assistance.
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 could know the brotherhood and self satisfaction of helping save a life, or being able to be there in a 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 Mummy okay??” Not being able to look into his eyes because of tears of your own and not knowing what to say.
I WISH you could understand what it is like having to hold back a long time friend who watches his buddy having CPR 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 all too familiar with.
Unless you have lived with this kind of life, you will never truly understand or appreciate who I am, who we are, or what our job really means to us… I WISH you could though.
When you see them coming with their lights flashing and sirens wailing, get out of the way quickly and safely. As they rush by you, pray for them, that they not only keep their patients’ safe, but they themselves make it home to their families and friends.
- Author Unknown -
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 comprehend a wife’s horror at 3 in the morning as I check her husband of 40 years for a pulse and find none. I start CPR any, hoping to bring him back, knowing intuitively it is too late. But wanting his wife and family to know everything possible was done to save his life.
I WISH you could read my mind as I respond to an EMERGENCY/911 call, “What is wrong with the patient?? Is it minor or life threatening?? Is the call really in distress or is he waiting for us with a 2 x 4 or a 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, squad, or ambulance as the driver presses down hard on the pedal, my arm tugging again and again on the air horn, or using different sounding sirens 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 know my thoughts as I help extricate a girl of teenage years from the remains of her automobile. What if this was MY sister, MY girlfriend or friend?? What are HER parents’ reactions going to be when they open 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 know how it feels dispatching police, firemen and paramedics out and when we call for them and our heart drops because no one answers back or to hear a bone chilling 911 (code 3) call of a child or wife needing our assistance.
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 could know the brotherhood and self satisfaction of helping save a life, or being able to be there in a 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 Mummy okay??” Not being able to look into his eyes because of tears of your own and not knowing what to say.
I WISH you could understand what it is like having to hold back a long time friend who watches his buddy having CPR 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 all too familiar with.
Unless you have lived with this kind of life, you will never truly understand or appreciate who I am, who we are, or what our job really means to us… I WISH you could though.
When you see them coming with their lights flashing and sirens wailing, get out of the way quickly and safely. As they rush by you, pray for them, that they not only keep their patients’ safe, but they themselves make it home to their families and friends.
- Author Unknown -