Power Napping at Penacook Rescue

Today I woke up at 0545 and took a long cold shower to cool down. I wasn't looking forward to spending the day in duty boots and EMS pants in the heat. I got to Penacook Rescue and had no idea what to expect because the day crew were people I would be meeting for the first time. Mike and Patrick, both paramedics, were working the day shift. They both had gotten off from shifts at different departments, Mike at Laconia, Patrick at Portsmouth so they were tired. Mike was a nice guy though and he knew Brad from Proctor. I went down into the ambulance bays periodically throughout the morning to look around Ambulance 1. I wanted to practice loading and unloaded the cot but the station is too small. Instead I went through the compartments on the monitor case and the first in bag. After lunch I was watching TV and Mike and Patrick were asleep when we got toned to a migraine and jaw pain charlie level. On the drive over I wondered what jaw pain coupled with a migraine could be a sign of. On arrival we had an alert and oriented male who could walk to the ambulance. I helped Mike set up the monitor and we did a 12 lead EKG as to get a better idea of what the patients heart rythm was like. I was interested in learning about the rythms and what to look at but Mike was busy during the transport giving narcotics and I was busy filling out the run sheet so I didn't get the chance to ask. The narc that the patient was getting caused the patients blood pressure to drop with each dosage. I was repeating the mechanical BPs and it was fascinating to see the trend coorelate with the doses. Mike taught me a simple way to raise a BP, just by reducing the angle of the semi fowlers position. Again I watched the trend and the BP rose after that. We got to the hospital and I dressed the cot. I've been to the hospital so much lately between Andover and Franklin. I'm proud of how easily I can navigate the ER and get linens, faxes, and help with resupply. The rest of the shift we watched movies in the station and I listened to a bunch of good calls in the Capital Area, like water rescues in the Merrimack river and people pinned by Bobcat loaders. I left Penacook Rescue at 1800 and headed to my sponsors house in Franklin, grabbing dinner on the way, to get his signature for my weekly time sheet. I hung out there for a little while talking with Jason and his family and playing with their new dog Goofy in the backyard. Tomorrow is my last day at Franklin Fire with B shift and the last day of my senior project. I'm really hoping we get some good calls during my last 24.