Rainy Sunday

Sundays are almost always slow, but yesterday was a little ridiculous. Very very boring. We did one wheelchair van call in the morning and then NOTHING all day until an hour-drive transfer at 5p which of course made us late getting off work. Unfortunately, it was also a day where I didn't feel particularly well as I've recently started "exercising" again. I think it is more like slow torture for the masochistic because not only is it hard work while you're doing it, but it pains you with sore, knotted muscles for several days.

I can handle most of the sore muscles. It is the upper back and neck muscles that do me in. They knot up and give me a killer headache and nausea and even sometimes the vomiting just for kicks. It has been a life-long pattern and while some ibuprofen and heat can usually take the edge off, the only thing that really helps is sleep, I'm guessing because it allows my body to convince the muscles to relax a bit. So yesterday, just before the long trip, the headache sets in. This is bad. I have two options in the ambulance, I can drive or I can work with the patients. Neither holds appeal with a pounding headache.

This patient was only 6m old so she wasn't going to be a conversational problem, but mom was riding along and very chatty. Also, I actually knew where we were going, and D did not, so I drove. By the time we got to the admitting hospital, I was in active nausea-suppression mode, trying to convince myself I did not actually need to throw up. The bright headlights don't help anything, so D drove us home. Since we are in an ambulance, I at least had access to some disposable heat packs, which helped a little, and I got home after 8p so I only had to be awake a little while before crashing entirely.

Off-topic here...there is nothing more attractive in a man than compassionate care for others. It is one of the reasons that I liked being on the ambulance/fast squad calls with K, it gives that nice reinforcement of happy good feelings about how wonderful, sensitive and caring he is with people. I have to give both D and K gentlemen's gold stars for yesterday though. D was adorable in cooing at the baby and was insistent that we stop the ambulance so I could get the hot packs out of the back if there was any chance it was going to make me feel better. He even offered to wash the truck by himself so I could go home early. K made tasty pizza (by request) even though he went in for some overtime hours yesterday, and rubbed my sore neck and shoulders for a delightfully long time when I got home. Thanks guys!