Through thick and thin

Paramedic school was one of the hardest and yet most fun things I have ever done.  Remember how I said in the last post that I made friends who will stick by me through thick and thin?  I cannot even begin to say how grateful I am for the friends I made in school.  When you have a common bond with someone, or when you share a passion for what you do, its hard not to be friends, really.  I was so surprised that I made as many friends as I did.  There was a group of us who went to lunch together just about every class day.  And you know how you can make friends somewhere and swear you'll stay in touch, but you really don't?  We have not done that.  Of course the world of Facebook and text messaging has made that a lot easier.  It is so great to know that there are other people going through the same things as you usually on any given day.  We talk about challenges that rookie paramedics face, and its comforting to know we're not alone.  Somebody out there gets it.  

While I am talking about friends, I have to say that working for the fire service has blown me away in that aspect as well.  I moved to this town 6 months ago and didn't know that many people, but most of my shift showed up to help carry in boxes and furniture into our house.  Now tell me where else you can work and have coworkers you don't even know that well yet show up and help you move?  I can't think of any place.  People who work in fire and EMS know that while you definitely make friends, it is more accurate to say you become part of a big family.  Its a family because even though we bicker and argue and don't agree on everything, we would do just about anything for each other.  We would die for each other.  Because I am still new to this it is strange sometimes to think that there is a group of people I've known for a few months who would drag me out of a burning building risking their own lives, and I of course would do the same for them.  But again, when you share a passion for your work with other people, it is hard not to become friends-even family.

I am getting ahead of myself though, you still don't know how it is I got here.  Again, my life didn't go as planned.  One year ago school was nearing the end and I was so ready to find a job.  My husband was definitely ready for me to be working again, too!  In the meantime I had begun an internship at a fire department.  It was during this that I decided it wasn't just EMS I had a passion for, but fire too.  I couldn't believe how amazing it felt to put on the gear and go up in the ladder truck.  (I'm pretty sure I'm the only one in my class who got to do that on paramedic internship).  I told my husband that I loved it and that I would really like to work for the fire service some day and of course he wasn't surprised.  But I thought some day-in the distant future.  I thought there was no way on earth I could do it right away.  But again, life didn't go as planned. 

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

-John 15:13