Honestly, if you're going to insult my intelligence by lying so blatantly to me, the worst you can do with your sob story is gin up some real tears. A two-year old can come up with better crocodile tears than you.
Last night proved a classic example of pain. I read a book once, You're Never the Same Once the Air Hits Your Brain, written by a neurosurgeon (sorry, can't remember the author's name) where the good doctor, as a young medical student/intern, learned the difference between real pain and 'fake' pain. Note: when I say 'fake' pain, I don't necessarily mean that the patient is faking being in pain. They may very well be in pain, and usually are in some discomfort, and therefore, must be treated as such (never tell anyone they aren't in pain. No one feels pain the same, and what may be a 10/10 to one patient could be a 4/10 to another). But 'real' pain vs 'fake' pain patients will differentiate themselves.
Patient one called for abdominal pain, due to gallstones. A previous attack had shown what the pain was, and, though surgery was scheduled, another attack came on. The patient complained of pain at a 10/10, and could not find a comfortable position. The entire 25 ride to the hospital was spent with the patient moving around constantly on the captain's chair (no stretcher by patient's request, as it would restrict movement too much), stretching, breathing, sighing, and doing everything to not cry. The patient couldn't describe the pain very well, only that it 'hurt badly' and was so distracted by the pain that she couldn't even remember her age, could barely walk, and just could not find a comfortable position. When asking the patient questions, we had to frequently remind her of the question we asked, or ask several times, as she was so distracted by the pain that she would forget within seconds of what we asked.
Patient two actually called for chest pain, but arrival on scene showed it was a frequent flyer patient with a history of back problems and general muscle pain and spasms. Frequent flyer-ism is not unusual with chronic pain patients, as they call when something happens to disrupt their homeostasis; they run out of meds, have a particularly bad day (weather can do this), or overstretch themselves, and need more relief than they can get from their home meds. This patient had a history of spinal issues after a recent (within the last year) car accident. This car accident was reported to be the patient's fault but the patient was currently suing everyone involved, from the other driver to the police and EMS departments for poor handling of the case. A laundry list of medical history accompanied her. The entire call consisted of much screaming and yelling, and then crying as she related her story, complete with embellishments I'm not sure are ever possible. Her story was related with a lot of detail, including dates and names of those involved. By asking our own questions, we were easily able to distract the patient from her pain complaints, and when we asked about pain in general, we got an answer of 'It's the same.' However, if we immediately asked about a specific body part ('What about your big toe?), the answer was a scream or wail of how it hurt so badly.
Do I doubt either patient was in pain? No. Again, pain is extremely subjective, and who are we to say that a patient has pain or not? Chronic pain patients often have high pain tolerances, and acute exacerbations of their pain are often accepted with resignation and familiarity, and they tend to not trend towards the dramatic side of the scale. Patient in 'real' pain are often unable to describe the pain unless prompted with suggestions, because all they know is that 'it hurts.' Patients in 'fake' pain often use colorful imagery, such as ' it's sharp, like miniature elves are running up and down my legs, stabbing me with red hot pokers.'
Again, this is all very subjective, and I tend towards the treatment rather than not. Patients in pain are in pain, and whether they are trying to sucker you for drugs or for insurance-itis or they are totally and completely really in pain, they all should be treated the same. Keep a high index of suspicion, but don't discriminate.
Another note: I have minor chronic pain. Severe carpal tunnel in both hands, constant shoulder pain that has only been partially relieved by rotator cuff surgery, and lower back pain are my friends. I am no where near some of these patients level of pain, but I also have a high pain tolerance (my rotator cuff was torn for over a year before it was repaired, and that was a year of push-ups and weight lifting and firefighting). So, I'm just saying I have a very slight view of what some patients go through.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Monday, November 1, 2010
WEEEE!!! It's Stream of Consiousness time!
Why yes, I am still alive. Clinicals are eating my life. And yet, I do so little at them. The past few weeks have been full of medic unit clinicals, with less than 20 calls to show for it. And today, I sit at a station far from home, bored to tears. Only one call all day thus far, and it was a BlS run, which netted me ZERO patient contact credits.
I'm not saying I want people to get hurt. Remember, I am a firm believer in the fact that a bored medic is a happy medic. However, in order to fulfill the requirements of the National Registry, not to mention the much higher (as in double, because 'we're better than everyone else) requirements of my program, I NEED patient contact hours. I NEED people to have the worst day of their lives so that I can graduate and be grateful that they aren't having that day.
I actually like the medics I'm with today. They are including me in their activities (which basically include watching movies and sleeping) and generally being very nice to me. Much more than I get from most crews I end up with, who usually are irritated that they have yet another student to babysit. I'm slowly learning shift days, and have found myself carefully arranging shifts as best I can to coincide with the crews I like and actually learn from.
I only wish I was either closer to my clinical sites or had better hours because I am getting ZERO triathlon training in. I have convinced my mother to forgo purchasing things off The Engineer's and my registry and instead buy me an indoor bike trainer so that I can work out early in the morning before clinicals or classes, or when I get home and the gym is either closed or otherwise inaccessible to my schedule.
Though I didn't help my case much by having a dozen buffalo wings for lunch today.
I am heartened by the fact that tomorrow is the election, which means that once tonight is done, the horrid, pervasive and otherwise boring (and boorish) political ads will be gone. I would say they would be gone for another year, but experience and cynicism leads me to dread that we will only have a few months respite before the next round begins anew.
Speaking of politics (and I heartily try not to), I have several friends who made their way to the rally in DC this weekend. I declined their invitations to go because I don't like crowds, particularly large, pressing crowds where you don't know the people around you. In fact, my normal feelings of 'anti-large groups of people' have intensified by several large factors since returning from The Ice several years ago. At any rate, some friends of mine returned from the rally with a story that nearly made me wish I was there so that I could set people straight. It seems that at some point, an ambulance was dispatched for some emergency in the crowd. As often happens with large crowds and large vehicles, at some point the large white box with flashing lights and loud noises reached a choke point, and was unable to go any further. The paramedics got out of their vehicle and, grabbing their bags, made their way through the crowd on foot to the patient. Some in the crowd, evidently irritated that their moderate vantage point was blocked, and they were thus inconvenienced, decided that the ambulance made a far better perch than the spot of ground they were on, and climbed up. To the roof. Per my friends, there were approximately 20-30 people on the roof or hood of the ambulance, and were reaching down hands to help others up. Now, while I can't confirm the actual number of people (20-30 seems an awful lot of people to be crammed on the roof of an ambo), I have several issues with this. I'm not sure of the rating of the roofs of the boxes of ambulances, but I'm fairly sure that even 10-20 will stress the metal and other structural elements of the roof. Even if you assume that there is some sort of structural element to prevent crushing in a roll-over accident, that does not extend to the 'skin' between those structural elements. Not to mention that the roof of an ambulance has several antennae on it for communicating with the world. I've been on the top of an ambo, and they are not the most sturdy of pieces of equipment. The third thing I have issue with is this: WTF is wrong with people? Even my friends, who are in no way, shape or form associated with medicine other than being consumers and patients, would never ever even consider such a thing. I can say that if I were there, I would likely have said something that would have been seen as at the minimum, moderately provoking. I am not the most tactful of creatures on the best of days, and seeing such a flagrant disregard and disrespect for a public safety vehicle would likely have put me over the edge.
In other news, I am already becoming frustrated with wedding planning. So much to do, and so little time, or motivation. We have the site, we have the hotel for people. We have colors picked out and the registry done (though there is a present we need to return, since we don't know the people that sent it). We still have to pick officiant, photog (though there is a woman in my dog's obedience class who is a photog, so we are thinking of choosing them), DJ, cake, meal, etc. In addition, I am not looking forward to dress shopping, as I am a strange shape, and, if I can get training to better mesh with my schedule, likely to drastically change shape quite a bit over the next few months. Still, the wedding date itself is now 341 days away, and as much as I am much more concerned over finishing school and getting a job, I should get my butt in gear. Oh, and I am sick and tired of people asking "Are you excited about the wedding?" If I had time to think about it, yes I would be, but I am much more concerned with finishing assignments, getting enough patient contacts, and getting a job than I am about my impending (in a year) nuptials. And I'm tired of everyone telling me that I'm weird or strange or wrong to think this way.
By the way, who the hell calls 9-1-1 for swollen and sore gums post-tooth pulling x 2 years ago? Really? Come on....
I'm not saying I want people to get hurt. Remember, I am a firm believer in the fact that a bored medic is a happy medic. However, in order to fulfill the requirements of the National Registry, not to mention the much higher (as in double, because 'we're better than everyone else) requirements of my program, I NEED patient contact hours. I NEED people to have the worst day of their lives so that I can graduate and be grateful that they aren't having that day.
I actually like the medics I'm with today. They are including me in their activities (which basically include watching movies and sleeping) and generally being very nice to me. Much more than I get from most crews I end up with, who usually are irritated that they have yet another student to babysit. I'm slowly learning shift days, and have found myself carefully arranging shifts as best I can to coincide with the crews I like and actually learn from.
I only wish I was either closer to my clinical sites or had better hours because I am getting ZERO triathlon training in. I have convinced my mother to forgo purchasing things off The Engineer's and my registry and instead buy me an indoor bike trainer so that I can work out early in the morning before clinicals or classes, or when I get home and the gym is either closed or otherwise inaccessible to my schedule.
Though I didn't help my case much by having a dozen buffalo wings for lunch today.
I am heartened by the fact that tomorrow is the election, which means that once tonight is done, the horrid, pervasive and otherwise boring (and boorish) political ads will be gone. I would say they would be gone for another year, but experience and cynicism leads me to dread that we will only have a few months respite before the next round begins anew.
Speaking of politics (and I heartily try not to), I have several friends who made their way to the rally in DC this weekend. I declined their invitations to go because I don't like crowds, particularly large, pressing crowds where you don't know the people around you. In fact, my normal feelings of 'anti-large groups of people' have intensified by several large factors since returning from The Ice several years ago. At any rate, some friends of mine returned from the rally with a story that nearly made me wish I was there so that I could set people straight. It seems that at some point, an ambulance was dispatched for some emergency in the crowd. As often happens with large crowds and large vehicles, at some point the large white box with flashing lights and loud noises reached a choke point, and was unable to go any further. The paramedics got out of their vehicle and, grabbing their bags, made their way through the crowd on foot to the patient. Some in the crowd, evidently irritated that their moderate vantage point was blocked, and they were thus inconvenienced, decided that the ambulance made a far better perch than the spot of ground they were on, and climbed up. To the roof. Per my friends, there were approximately 20-30 people on the roof or hood of the ambulance, and were reaching down hands to help others up. Now, while I can't confirm the actual number of people (20-30 seems an awful lot of people to be crammed on the roof of an ambo), I have several issues with this. I'm not sure of the rating of the roofs of the boxes of ambulances, but I'm fairly sure that even 10-20 will stress the metal and other structural elements of the roof. Even if you assume that there is some sort of structural element to prevent crushing in a roll-over accident, that does not extend to the 'skin' between those structural elements. Not to mention that the roof of an ambulance has several antennae on it for communicating with the world. I've been on the top of an ambo, and they are not the most sturdy of pieces of equipment. The third thing I have issue with is this: WTF is wrong with people? Even my friends, who are in no way, shape or form associated with medicine other than being consumers and patients, would never ever even consider such a thing. I can say that if I were there, I would likely have said something that would have been seen as at the minimum, moderately provoking. I am not the most tactful of creatures on the best of days, and seeing such a flagrant disregard and disrespect for a public safety vehicle would likely have put me over the edge.
In other news, I am already becoming frustrated with wedding planning. So much to do, and so little time, or motivation. We have the site, we have the hotel for people. We have colors picked out and the registry done (though there is a present we need to return, since we don't know the people that sent it). We still have to pick officiant, photog (though there is a woman in my dog's obedience class who is a photog, so we are thinking of choosing them), DJ, cake, meal, etc. In addition, I am not looking forward to dress shopping, as I am a strange shape, and, if I can get training to better mesh with my schedule, likely to drastically change shape quite a bit over the next few months. Still, the wedding date itself is now 341 days away, and as much as I am much more concerned over finishing school and getting a job, I should get my butt in gear. Oh, and I am sick and tired of people asking "Are you excited about the wedding?" If I had time to think about it, yes I would be, but I am much more concerned with finishing assignments, getting enough patient contacts, and getting a job than I am about my impending (in a year) nuptials. And I'm tired of everyone telling me that I'm weird or strange or wrong to think this way.
By the way, who the hell calls 9-1-1 for swollen and sore gums post-tooth pulling x 2 years ago? Really? Come on....
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Eyebrow raiser
Clinicals are still eating my life. I think I'm putting in more hours/week than if I was actually working.
Anyway, reading Rogue Medic's post about HEMS, I got to thinking about a call I ran over the summer or last spring, or sometime like that. Mutual aid to the next county over, I ran with a firefighter driver (ie, the guy is an EMT, but never rides the box, leaving that to lesser mortals such as me), and a woman who has been an EMT before, but let it lapse and doesn't ride much anyway. The call was for a MVC, we were the second ambulance.
If I remember right, there wasn't much damage to either vehicle. Our patients (there were two of them) were in the same car. Both had been out of the car walking around until the cops or firefighters or whoever told them to sit back down. Patient 1 was complaining of knee pain in one knee. Patient 2 was complaining of lower back pain.
So the first thing that irritated me was that while I went over to assess my patients, the other two immediately got out the cot and 2 backboards with all the trimmings. I believe totally in being prepared, but seriously? You just can't tell with car wrecks these days, the way cars fall apart at the littlest hit.
So I assess my patients. Patient 1 was the driver, c/o knee pain in one knee, no loss of consciousness, no neck or back pain, no tenderness (except on the knee). Speed was nothing, as they were stopped at a stoplight and were rear-ended. Patient was wearing a seatbelt, and is now out and about, walking around.
Patient 2 was the front seat passenger, c/o knee pain and lower back pain. No loss of consciousness, no neck pain, lower back pain is lateral to the spine, just above the hips. Patient denies midline spine tenderness. Patient was wearing a seatbelt, was out walking around the scene, and was told to sit back down in the car by a firefighter. Patient bent over to indicate where the leg pain was and did not have any problem moving. The patient has no extremity numbness, and neither patient was suspected of drugs or alcohol.
So my driver brings over the backboards and such, and I mention that I don't think we'll need them. After all, neither patient meets the criteria in our state protocols for the need for C-spine immobilization. He asks what the patients are presenting with, and I tell him. His response is that the hospital will be upset with us for bringing in a back pain patient from a car wreck who isn't on a backboard. He says that the hospital has threatened multiple providers with their license for such things.
I'd like to say I stuck to my guns and didn't backboard the patients, but I caved. I backboarded the passenger and the driver rode in the captain's chair. I don't know the hospitals around here well enough to argue with them. I didn't get a chance to ask them, since as soon as we got there, they took the patient off the backboard (left the collar on), and we left (this hospital doesn't take report from us generally).
I have to say I'm disappointed in myself. I should have stuck up for my patient and not backboarded the passenger, because there really wasn't a need. Per our state protocols, we are to backboard and collar a patient if they have "experienced a traumatic mechanism which couls cause a cervical spine injury and meets ANY of the following": loss of consciousness or history of such, altered mental status or disorientation, distracting injury, midline cervical spine tenderness, EtOH or drug use suspected, focal neurological deficit, or a child less than 8 years of age. I very easily could have argued my case successfully. But I was afraid, and feared for my license. I can say that I hung my head in shame (metaphorically) and rehashed the situation for days afterwards. I am better than that.
I will be better than that in the future.
Anyway, reading Rogue Medic's post about HEMS, I got to thinking about a call I ran over the summer or last spring, or sometime like that. Mutual aid to the next county over, I ran with a firefighter driver (ie, the guy is an EMT, but never rides the box, leaving that to lesser mortals such as me), and a woman who has been an EMT before, but let it lapse and doesn't ride much anyway. The call was for a MVC, we were the second ambulance.
If I remember right, there wasn't much damage to either vehicle. Our patients (there were two of them) were in the same car. Both had been out of the car walking around until the cops or firefighters or whoever told them to sit back down. Patient 1 was complaining of knee pain in one knee. Patient 2 was complaining of lower back pain.
So the first thing that irritated me was that while I went over to assess my patients, the other two immediately got out the cot and 2 backboards with all the trimmings. I believe totally in being prepared, but seriously? You just can't tell with car wrecks these days, the way cars fall apart at the littlest hit.
So I assess my patients. Patient 1 was the driver, c/o knee pain in one knee, no loss of consciousness, no neck or back pain, no tenderness (except on the knee). Speed was nothing, as they were stopped at a stoplight and were rear-ended. Patient was wearing a seatbelt, and is now out and about, walking around.
Patient 2 was the front seat passenger, c/o knee pain and lower back pain. No loss of consciousness, no neck pain, lower back pain is lateral to the spine, just above the hips. Patient denies midline spine tenderness. Patient was wearing a seatbelt, was out walking around the scene, and was told to sit back down in the car by a firefighter. Patient bent over to indicate where the leg pain was and did not have any problem moving. The patient has no extremity numbness, and neither patient was suspected of drugs or alcohol.
So my driver brings over the backboards and such, and I mention that I don't think we'll need them. After all, neither patient meets the criteria in our state protocols for the need for C-spine immobilization. He asks what the patients are presenting with, and I tell him. His response is that the hospital will be upset with us for bringing in a back pain patient from a car wreck who isn't on a backboard. He says that the hospital has threatened multiple providers with their license for such things.
I'd like to say I stuck to my guns and didn't backboard the patients, but I caved. I backboarded the passenger and the driver rode in the captain's chair. I don't know the hospitals around here well enough to argue with them. I didn't get a chance to ask them, since as soon as we got there, they took the patient off the backboard (left the collar on), and we left (this hospital doesn't take report from us generally).
I have to say I'm disappointed in myself. I should have stuck up for my patient and not backboarded the passenger, because there really wasn't a need. Per our state protocols, we are to backboard and collar a patient if they have "experienced a traumatic mechanism which couls cause a cervical spine injury and meets ANY of the following": loss of consciousness or history of such, altered mental status or disorientation, distracting injury, midline cervical spine tenderness, EtOH or drug use suspected, focal neurological deficit, or a child less than 8 years of age. I very easily could have argued my case successfully. But I was afraid, and feared for my license. I can say that I hung my head in shame (metaphorically) and rehashed the situation for days afterwards. I am better than that.
I will be better than that in the future.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Really? That's it?
Papers are eating my brain.
In other news...patient with moderately severe eye injury, to be taken to eye center at Big Fancy Hospital. Patient is in a lot of pain. Hospital says "Vitals are stable. Go ahead and drive the 1-1.5 hours up here." (This is the first WTF, as it pulls a medic unit out of the area for a minimum of 4 hours).
Medic says "Uh, ok. Oh, patient is in a lot of pain. Request permission to give 2mg morphine."
Patient is about 85-90kg. Granted, patient did admit to 'a few drinks' but still....2 mg morphine? For an EYE INJURY???? For a 1.5 hour DRIVE??????
You might as well spray that morphine in the air for all the good it's going to do the patient.
OYE! And I can't say or do a damned thing, as I have my NREMT-I, but cannot get licensed in this state because I am not a member of a dept that has ALS volunteers (a rant for another day).
I was reminded of Rogue Medic's take on pain management in the prehospital (and sometimes hospital) setting (well, one of his takes, at least).
In other news...patient with moderately severe eye injury, to be taken to eye center at Big Fancy Hospital. Patient is in a lot of pain. Hospital says "Vitals are stable. Go ahead and drive the 1-1.5 hours up here." (This is the first WTF, as it pulls a medic unit out of the area for a minimum of 4 hours).
Medic says "Uh, ok. Oh, patient is in a lot of pain. Request permission to give 2mg morphine."
Patient is about 85-90kg. Granted, patient did admit to 'a few drinks' but still....2 mg morphine? For an EYE INJURY???? For a 1.5 hour DRIVE??????
You might as well spray that morphine in the air for all the good it's going to do the patient.
OYE! And I can't say or do a damned thing, as I have my NREMT-I, but cannot get licensed in this state because I am not a member of a dept that has ALS volunteers (a rant for another day).
I was reminded of Rogue Medic's take on pain management in the prehospital (and sometimes hospital) setting (well, one of his takes, at least).
Friday, September 3, 2010
Right then....
First of all, a huge CONGRATS!!!! to Epi on passing her NREMT-P and becoming a full-fledged medic! So proud of you, girl, and I hope to be able to write the same thing next June.
School is back in session. Classes started this past week, though things don't really get rolling for another week or so. This year is all about clinicals and paper writing. All my my actual classes are management-type classes, and thus the paper writing. One class, Senior Seminar, meets 3 times this semester, and is all about case presentations.
This year's exciting clinical roster includes the cardiac cath lab, 2 different ER rotations, peds ER rotation, a turn with Big-Name-Hospital's critical care transport team (either in-house transports or inter-facility, we have yet to find out), a rotation in the OR with anesthesia for intubations, L&D (something that NO ONE is looking forward to), ICU, and perhaps a psych rotation. All this and ambulance too! We are scheduled to do 3 clinicals/wk, which means that we do one 8 or 12 hour clinical on Mon, Wed, and Fri. This is much better than last semester when I struggled to cram in all my clinical time on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. And it's a good thing we have our weekends free this semester, cause those papers are going to be a PITA. Luckily, The Man is back in town for the foreseeable future, so I don't have to stress about the dogs. Plus, it's really really nice to actually have him around. We will finally be able to spend a consecutive year together for the first time in 3 years! Clinicals don't actually start till 9/13, so I have next Friday clear as well. Wednesday is ACLS class (we did most of ACLS last semester, so it's really just a refresher).
My volunteer station has been something else. I've gotten maybe 3 or 4 calls over the summer, because while I didn't do much this summer, every day seemed to be busy. When I was at the station, I was The White Cloud. Not just A white cloud...THE WHITE CLOUD. The last few times I've slept in, we haven't turned a wheel. Once I slept in and the medics ran all night, but the BLS truck didn't turn a wheel. I'm helping with training, and found out this week that our training officer was in the hospital with chest pain, and in testing they found multiple masses on her liver. Obviously, this is putting a crimp in training. Next week is no training due to the business meeting, but I'm hoping she's ok and ready to go week after next, cause I don't have the time to take over.
Triathlon training is also going. The last 2 days have been a wash, thanks to some lingering knee pain and a migraine. No clear weight loss, but I suspect that has to do with my poor eating habits (mostly clean eating, but either too much or not enough). I can definitely tell a difference in my bike riding though. Endurance, both muscular and cardiac, is slowly getting better, which is the primary goal of this month's program.
I'd post more interesting stories and tales of the glorified cab, but nothing's been going on. Hopefully once clinicals start, I'll have some good stuff to write about. For now, it's about finishing laundry and heading to the station for a good heavy bag workout and some duty before dinner with friends this evening.
School is back in session. Classes started this past week, though things don't really get rolling for another week or so. This year is all about clinicals and paper writing. All my my actual classes are management-type classes, and thus the paper writing. One class, Senior Seminar, meets 3 times this semester, and is all about case presentations.
This year's exciting clinical roster includes the cardiac cath lab, 2 different ER rotations, peds ER rotation, a turn with Big-Name-Hospital's critical care transport team (either in-house transports or inter-facility, we have yet to find out), a rotation in the OR with anesthesia for intubations, L&D (something that NO ONE is looking forward to), ICU, and perhaps a psych rotation. All this and ambulance too! We are scheduled to do 3 clinicals/wk, which means that we do one 8 or 12 hour clinical on Mon, Wed, and Fri. This is much better than last semester when I struggled to cram in all my clinical time on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. And it's a good thing we have our weekends free this semester, cause those papers are going to be a PITA. Luckily, The Man is back in town for the foreseeable future, so I don't have to stress about the dogs. Plus, it's really really nice to actually have him around. We will finally be able to spend a consecutive year together for the first time in 3 years! Clinicals don't actually start till 9/13, so I have next Friday clear as well. Wednesday is ACLS class (we did most of ACLS last semester, so it's really just a refresher).
My volunteer station has been something else. I've gotten maybe 3 or 4 calls over the summer, because while I didn't do much this summer, every day seemed to be busy. When I was at the station, I was The White Cloud. Not just A white cloud...THE WHITE CLOUD. The last few times I've slept in, we haven't turned a wheel. Once I slept in and the medics ran all night, but the BLS truck didn't turn a wheel. I'm helping with training, and found out this week that our training officer was in the hospital with chest pain, and in testing they found multiple masses on her liver. Obviously, this is putting a crimp in training. Next week is no training due to the business meeting, but I'm hoping she's ok and ready to go week after next, cause I don't have the time to take over.
Triathlon training is also going. The last 2 days have been a wash, thanks to some lingering knee pain and a migraine. No clear weight loss, but I suspect that has to do with my poor eating habits (mostly clean eating, but either too much or not enough). I can definitely tell a difference in my bike riding though. Endurance, both muscular and cardiac, is slowly getting better, which is the primary goal of this month's program.
I'd post more interesting stories and tales of the glorified cab, but nothing's been going on. Hopefully once clinicals start, I'll have some good stuff to write about. For now, it's about finishing laundry and heading to the station for a good heavy bag workout and some duty before dinner with friends this evening.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Slow times
Not much has been happening. I am leaving for a 2 week camping trip tonight, and when I get back, I have 2 days before I leave for a 3 day camping bike trip. I'm very excited.
I've been trying to work out more lately. I'm tired of being tired, and I would like to lose weight before my wedding next October. I am short and round, and I'm tired of that shape. My problem is that I often start going to the gym, and in a few weeks, maybe a month or two, I lose my motivation to go. I think the problem is that I have no goal. While it may be sad to say that losing weight and getting in shape and being healthier should be goal enough, it's not.
My fiance loves to run. He ran cross-country in high school and college, and occasionally runs now. He's one of those lucky few that is tall and thin with a high metabolism (though it is starting to slow down). A good friend of ours, who is also working on losing weight, has discovered that he also likes to run, and is training for 5K races. His wife, who hates running, will be entering a body fitness competition next fall (Fall of 2011) at the ripe age of 54.
So I decided I needed a goal. Something to train for. A specific item to work towards, rather than the more nebulous finish line of 'lose 'X' pounds by 'Y' date. I thought back to the activities I like to do. I do like to lift weights, but there is no way I could be ready for any kind of body competition in less than 2 or 3 years. I like to bike ride, and I love to swim (I am a fish). I remembered that in the early days of my pre-teen and teenage years, I would spend the summer in the pool and on my bike, and when I saw my first triathlon on TV. I would swim several laps in the pool, then jump out and hop on my bike and ride around the neighborhood a few times, then drop off my bike and run the same route. So, I decided that next summer I would run a triathlon.
Now, I have no doubt that I will not win. But that really isn't the point. The point is to finish, be in good enough shape that I won't die on the route, and be happy when I finish so that I want to continue. In the future, should I continue, I am sure I will start competing to place, given my competitive nature, but for the first one, I just want to finish.
And before anyone thinks I'm totally off my rocker, triathlons come in various sizes. There is the Ironman, the half-Ironman, Olympic distance, and sprints. The sprints are the shortest ones, consisting of about a half mile swim, a 13 mile or so bike ride, and a 5K run. If I work hard on training, I should be more than ready to do one by next summer.
My one concern is school. This year, I only have classes twice a week, with clinicals the other 3 days. I'm concerned with how the clinicals will affect my training, given that the hospitals do not have workout rooms, nor do some of the fire stations I'm in. Time is another factor, as clinicals don't exactly have time built in to work out. But, it doesn't take long to knock out some push-ups and sit-ups, squats and lunges, and there are always pylometrics to bust your ass some. Nutrition will be a challenge too, but I think that eating properly will almost be easier than working out. I just have to say 'No' when the medics go out to eat.
So that is my plan. I've already started the past 2 weeks, by doing some interval training, circuits, and other fairly intensive workouts. Spinning is now playing a large role, and I am going once a week. I'd like to bump it to twice a week, but my schedule will not allow that once school starts. I have a good beginning cycling program that I will be starting when I am home from all my trips, and I will likely add swimming in the mornings twice a week before classes.
My goal is a sprint triathlon in July next summer. I probably won't be posting too much of my progress here, because I have a workout journal on Livejournal. If you happen to have an account on Livejournal and want to be added, let me know.
Anyway, that's the plan. I have some EMS related posts swirling around in my head, and I will probably work on them during my 3 week of relaxation.
I've been trying to work out more lately. I'm tired of being tired, and I would like to lose weight before my wedding next October. I am short and round, and I'm tired of that shape. My problem is that I often start going to the gym, and in a few weeks, maybe a month or two, I lose my motivation to go. I think the problem is that I have no goal. While it may be sad to say that losing weight and getting in shape and being healthier should be goal enough, it's not.
My fiance loves to run. He ran cross-country in high school and college, and occasionally runs now. He's one of those lucky few that is tall and thin with a high metabolism (though it is starting to slow down). A good friend of ours, who is also working on losing weight, has discovered that he also likes to run, and is training for 5K races. His wife, who hates running, will be entering a body fitness competition next fall (Fall of 2011) at the ripe age of 54.
So I decided I needed a goal. Something to train for. A specific item to work towards, rather than the more nebulous finish line of 'lose 'X' pounds by 'Y' date. I thought back to the activities I like to do. I do like to lift weights, but there is no way I could be ready for any kind of body competition in less than 2 or 3 years. I like to bike ride, and I love to swim (I am a fish). I remembered that in the early days of my pre-teen and teenage years, I would spend the summer in the pool and on my bike, and when I saw my first triathlon on TV. I would swim several laps in the pool, then jump out and hop on my bike and ride around the neighborhood a few times, then drop off my bike and run the same route. So, I decided that next summer I would run a triathlon.
Now, I have no doubt that I will not win. But that really isn't the point. The point is to finish, be in good enough shape that I won't die on the route, and be happy when I finish so that I want to continue. In the future, should I continue, I am sure I will start competing to place, given my competitive nature, but for the first one, I just want to finish.
And before anyone thinks I'm totally off my rocker, triathlons come in various sizes. There is the Ironman, the half-Ironman, Olympic distance, and sprints. The sprints are the shortest ones, consisting of about a half mile swim, a 13 mile or so bike ride, and a 5K run. If I work hard on training, I should be more than ready to do one by next summer.
My one concern is school. This year, I only have classes twice a week, with clinicals the other 3 days. I'm concerned with how the clinicals will affect my training, given that the hospitals do not have workout rooms, nor do some of the fire stations I'm in. Time is another factor, as clinicals don't exactly have time built in to work out. But, it doesn't take long to knock out some push-ups and sit-ups, squats and lunges, and there are always pylometrics to bust your ass some. Nutrition will be a challenge too, but I think that eating properly will almost be easier than working out. I just have to say 'No' when the medics go out to eat.
So that is my plan. I've already started the past 2 weeks, by doing some interval training, circuits, and other fairly intensive workouts. Spinning is now playing a large role, and I am going once a week. I'd like to bump it to twice a week, but my schedule will not allow that once school starts. I have a good beginning cycling program that I will be starting when I am home from all my trips, and I will likely add swimming in the mornings twice a week before classes.
My goal is a sprint triathlon in July next summer. I probably won't be posting too much of my progress here, because I have a workout journal on Livejournal. If you happen to have an account on Livejournal and want to be added, let me know.
Anyway, that's the plan. I have some EMS related posts swirling around in my head, and I will probably work on them during my 3 week of relaxation.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
