I wanted to give you an update on the EMS/paramedic thing. Through this blog somehow I was connected with a lady who knows a semi-big wig in the local fire department here and after chit chatting he convinced me to do my training through them, so this next week I will be starting that. Their EMT-B class isn’t until early September, but he assures me I will get lots of training and experience in the mean time. My hubby is also going to take that class. I don’t really have any grand plans for any of this. My main goal is learning and becoming better prepared, so we shall see where it leads me. I have to get my CPR Cert before then. I actually know how and have been trained, but never got the formal deal, so that happens in mid-August.
I have received only 2 kinds of responses to my desire to go down this path…You can do it. you can do anything or it’s hard, it’s time consuming and you should be warned. I very much appreciate both. I feel so crazy blessed that I have people that stand behind me no matter what. Never a negative word to say and a belief in me that is unshakable. Other than my husband I haven’t had that kind of support in my life up until a year or so ago. But, I am also lucky that I have people(although not necessarily friends) who will tell me the ugly side of things. Help me reevaluate and think of things I might not have thought about. I have one person who does both. In case you are wondering my husband falls into the former group.
I can do it. I can do anything. I actually have done a lot of difficult things in my life. Things that were physically hard, mental difficult and the like. I am determined and focused, so I know I can, but I am already busy and I am a mommy. I need to be a mommy to my kids and I want to, so the balance has yet to be figured out and I don’t know that it will be until I get into it and see.Things will have to be given up, but I already know what is important and what I am willing to give up and what I am not. I am very fortunate as all of my family has been crazy supportive. I have always been close to my 14 year old(with the exception of a tiny period where she was a bit “attitudy” The re-adjustment phase for her was rough on all of us:), but this last year our bond has deepened in a way I can’t explain. As she has watched me struggle and come back and she has tried to find her way from passive thinking to a more warrior like one…the talks and the tears…her watching me and reading my words, it has been remarkable the way it has connected us. I think you all have been witness to E and what we have had to overcome. Her distrust and fear. That is a bond that was formed out of her learning to trust me again and her need to feel safe and my need to be someone she could count on, that experience, I wish on no one, but what resulted is nothing short of miraculous. The youngest 2 have been pretty clueless. For them, I think this is just how mommy has “always” been. The Marine, well, he is good at adapting and overcoming and plus he loves me, and he keeps saying it is my turn. No one knows if I will finish or not, but I am betting on I will.
No work at FPF Training until early September either. John cancelled the classes for July and August due to the heat. It’s both good and bad. I have enjoyed the time with the family and the timing worked out beautifully with the hubs travel for work and our trip to Ohio. It’s bad because I miss working and seeing John and being at the range. I haven’t been out to FPF in 2 weeks, I haven’t trained with Arete for 2 weeks and I feel very stagnant, but I have made an enormous amount of cookies with my children, read more than I have been able to in a year, watched endless hours of Disney movies, and been to the pool more times than you want to know. It has kind of evened out.
The connection with my Handyman is growing. We were invited to his boat, but I couldn’t make it because M had volleyball camp. We did a trade for work with a car we had. It was a surprise for his fiance. He let us tag alone as her gave it to her. That was cool. While at dinner she expressed a desire for me to teach her to shoot, so I already love her.
Here is a video clip of me looking for what M had moved in our front room. She had been recording and forgot to turn it off. I edited the clip(by clip, I do not mean this video is of the assault variety) down.
IMG_3096(1)(I can’t figure it out, so check back later and hopefully I will have)
I was a little punchy and frustrated because things had been moved by the Handyman as well as the younger kids, so it appeared like everything was in the wrong spot. After this, I decided to give the kids a different room to mess with. I think I will only really focus on the rooms M & E do. It will also be easier or actually more difficult once the construction is done which should be today. After I get my house put back together, M will be able to do more of the subtle things I talked about before.
My ribs are all but healed. Strange, every once in a while out of no where I will get a sharp shooting pain or a tightness. Can’t pin point a pattern. I will go days running, lifting, wrestling with the kids and nothing, then I will be driving in my car and wham, sharp pain that stops me in my tracks. Not really a fan.
My man comes home tonight, YIPPEEE! He has not laid hands on me in 2 weeks either(well, 10 days), so if any of you call, I will not be answering.
I am reading a new book, “Battleground Pacific: A Marine Rifleman’s Combat Odyssey in K/3/5” So far, really good.
Over at Broken Andy’s I saw a video on knife fighting. Excellent. I emailed Andy and asked for more info on the guy, Richard Dimitri. I went to his page and saw this…
and this…
He seems pretty well rounded.
He retired, but his resources look like that might be worth taking a look at.
I think we all caught up.
Ok, I see the video is not working. Will try to get that fixed…sorry:)
I’ll work with you on embedding video. I normally shove video to you tube and just embed it. I think there’s a plugin to just upload and embed video through wordpress.
B
Thank you!
As a long-time “prepper”… the EMT training is a good thing… my daughter completed the Red Cross First-Aid/CPR/AED training and passed their test when she was twelve as part of a 4H project… so don’t thing it’s beyond the kids either…
Trip to Ohio? Where and when? I’d say stop by and do some shooting, but we have heavy equipment and dozers upgrading our range out back right now… but sometime in the future… feel free to invite yourselves…
Dann in Ohio
Dann, we are going to this…http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/paul-e-palooza-memorial-training-event
I think it was the first post my husband got after he signed up for the emails and he was like, we are going.
I would so-love to be there, but have a scheduling conflict… the best trainers around will be there… have fun!
Dann in Ohio
Indeed. Another time.
Awesomeness on the active response training. I am jealous. Hopefully will get my EMT/Medic training this fall. Gotta see how lIfe is going with three kids under age 5! I do know I am working in more range time since I haven’t been allowed to shoot in over 9 months! And hopefully some me time involving reading some good books. But the garden must be prepped, the pens gotten ready for the incoming sheep/goats and oh yeah – I still need a paycheck so I gotta go to work :-(.
Sure, sure, the paycheck thing…you are an inspiration to me actually. I think I have mentioned that before though.
I need to sign up for FPF now that summer is winding down. I wish I could do the EMT stuff, but I don’t think there is any time in my schedule. Though I am looking at taking some first aid classes.
Yes you do:)
We are signed up for another FPF class this summer. Canceled? 🙁
No, not yours, sorry. You are a go!
You are an amazing woman! Overcoming your fears, learning to shoot, learning to fight, learning to blog, talk on the phone. And now you are going to learn to save lives. What a transformation! On the rib issue, I tried to run a wheel barrow handle through my left side ribs in 1995. To this day I get infrequent reminders of that injury. Wow!, What a woman!
I love how all of you make me sound way better than I am. I recent,y said the same thing to someone else who is equally as kind. Thank you so very much for saying such kind things.
Oh and sorry about the rib thing. I guess it will just be an occasional reminder of that day:)
As an EMT (and later Paramedic) for quite a while, I can tell you that an EMT course is easy. Anyone who shows up and pays attention can and will pass it. And the skills you learn will come in handy in your personal life eventually. As a prepper or just as a parent you could not do yourself any better. Go for it.
Excellent! Thanks for the encouragement!
Okay, I got the video to work. Had to click the link again, after the first link directed me to the same link again on a seperate page.
“Shakey McShakester”. I had to close my eyes and listen, because I was getting motion sickness watching video of your feet. (Painted toenails? Really?)
Go read AD’s posts about his work. http://ambulancedriverfiles.com/
With the Sexy Marine coming home, I’m guessing you won’t be posting much over the next couple days. Try to fit in some quality Firefly time as well.
Hahaha, I know it’s raw video “foot”age of the insanity that is my home. A little peek behind the curtain:)
No posting, but yes my plan is to catch him up on Firefly. Thanks for letting me keep it a little longer.
Okay, that does it. If, indeed the SHTF and TEOTWAWKI comes along, I’m heading the family over to your enclave. Just be prepared for an onslaught of hyperactive miniAlien. LOL
Took all the basic First Aid and CPR courses when I was in the Boy Scouts (I was a lifeguard at summer camp two years’ running), and as an Electrician’s Mate in the Navy, we were supposed to have the full-on CPR certifications (if we were working on a live panel and someone got zapped, we were obviously the first-responders, therefore were supposed to be trained), but somehow that never seemed to happen. Mrs.Alien and I have talked about it….we really need to take at least a basic Red Cross class. That’s always a handy skill to have.
Always welcome my friend!
I am so proud of you!!! That pain you feel…just a guess but it could be what is called adhesions. I had an operation years back and can function fine, but every once in a while if I move wrong….man…. Not saying this happened in your case but I had a xray done some months after the operation and they found I had a cracked rib that never really healed.
You being proud of me warms me heart. You know how much that means. Thank you.
It’s good to read that you and your husband are both going through the EMT-B course together. My older sister and I did the same many years ago and it made the entire course more doable for us. Anyone who can manage the time should go through an EMT-B course, even if they don’t want to work as an EMT. If M chooses to do so for college credit she can take the course prior to turning 18 and her certification testing when she turn’s 18. I think the entire process instill’s confidence.
I talked to M about it and she is onboard. Thanks!
You’ll be glad you took the courses, just as much as you’re glad for taking the self-defense and marksmanship ones. Each one is a different path to the same goal: preservation of life – be it yours or that of someone else. I loved being a medic and it’s a skill that I can’t see any reason to regret having. Once you’ve got it started (and if you like it), if there is anyone offering a “tactical medicine” course in your area, jump right into the middle of it. It takes EMS into a hostile environment and teaches the down-n-dirty tricks to saving your patient – and yourself – when SHTF.
I am hoping to take the medical courses at the Paul E Palooza weekend. We shall see.
Two of the guys who are Execs in my shooting club are taking a Defensive Medicine class put on by LMS Defense – it’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while myself but have not gotten a round tuit – yet – and it should help them if they ever God-forbid have to access the Blow-Out Kit during a match, to patch up an errant shooter…
Yeah, errant shooter wouldn’t be good. Better to be prepared.
“Stalin doesn’t go there!” LOL!
Lol
You’ll rock the EMT thing. It’s going to be a whole lot easier than learning to shoot, I bet.
I was an EMS instructor for several years and am a current medical instructor, so if you have any questions or don’t “get” a concept, shoot me an email, I’ll help you work through it.
Oh, oh, awesome…thank you!