Do you even bother?

[MedicPrincess]

My sisters Monster-in-Law is in town this week. She is the kind of person who will engage you in a conversation, make you think she is really intrested in what you have to say, all the while she is passing her judgement on your decisions in life - especially if the are not the same as hers. We have had many discussions as to why people would volunteer to do anything (specifically Fire Fighting and EMS), and basically her take is being a volunteer pointless when you could be doing something that makes money.

Now normally I just don't speak to her, as I just really don't like her much, but for some reason - and maybe I can blame it on the medication I am on right now - I ended up answering her when she asked me the following question:

"Aren't you scared of dieing of AIDS?"

Its not like we were in a converstion when she asked, she just said it, out of no where. I was kind of confused as to what she wanted, so I asked her what she was talking about now. So thus began the dicussion as to why I would want to be an EMT/Medic/RN, because in her opinion that just opens me up to dieing from AIDS. Apparantly, back 25 years ago, she used to "work around" an operating room, so this makes her an expert that AIDS is the most fearsome thing out there. It took all of about 5 minutes for me to remember who I was talking to and begin to withdraw from the conversation. Then she hit me with this:

"Why would you want to waste your time on a worthless job that is of no use to anybody anyway. Any street cop can do the same thing all you ambulance people do, and then you can find a job that will support you and your kid!"

For a minute I actually envisioned myself leaping over the table, snatching her by her hair and clawing her eyes out....but then I replied with - Well then, lets just hope when you or your kids need help the local EMS system is available to waste their time with their worthless skills to help your pathetic ***."

So tell me, do you guys even bother to engage ignorance such as that? And how do you do it? I guess I could have been a little more diplomatic - or then again I could have clawed her eyes out to.

 

[Wingnut]

I have similar family members. I don't bother anymore because I noticed I was envisioning much worse things than clawing thier eyes out. It is just pure ignorance and stupidity, and I've realized that I'm too tired and too busy to deal with people like this, even if they are my own family members.

 

[Ridryder911]

I usually use :"I am sorry, my time is too valuable to argue against ignorance.. have a good day"; then walk away. This usually leaves them in awe & I come across as the true winner. People like that do not want to know.. they want to argue & fight, you will never change or educate them.. so don't waste your air, energy on them. Remember letting them upset you was their intent to begin with.

Be safe,
Ridruder 911

 

[Chimpie]

What a *****! (self editing)

a worthless job that is of no use to anybody anyway

Yeah, worthless. Those big white ambulances serve absolutely no purpose what-so-ever.

 

[ma2va92]

Originally posted by EMTPrincess@Aug 14 2005, 08:56 AM
why people would volunteer to do anything (specifically Fire Fighting and EMS), and basically her take is being a volunteer pointless when you could be doing something that makes money.



"Why would you want to waste your time on a worthless job that is of no use to anybody anyway. Any street cop can do the same thing all you ambulance people do, and then you can find a job that will support you and your kid!"

maybe some day a worthless person will come to her aid

and they might even get a Thank You for being here


read tag line.... and walk away with a smile


I still stay with my thinking .. when the time comes that we are a payed unit.. it is then that I will stop doing this

Doing what I can do for those that need help in a BLS or ALS position.. is what i enjoy....it's not a money thing...

 

[TTLWHKR]

why people would volunteer to do anything (specifically Fire Fighting and EMS), and basically her take is being a volunteer pointless when you could be doing something that makes money

I always say "I just do it to piss people like you off". And walk away while they think up something to say. :lol:

 

[Luno]

I don't volunteer, and I'm not sure that I would. She has a point, but to each their own, I don't judge those that do, but it isn't for me. I can definitely see those who volunteer as a means to an end, such as several of my friends who went through selection as volunteers, and are now IAFF. For me, the training and time commitment is too much to not get paid, but then again, I live on the left coast, in a major metro, so there's plenty of jobs if you want them. For all of you volunteer, I'm sure that everyone is greatful for your commitment, but to the princess, your sister's monster has a point, but her logic is flawed.

 

[rescuejew]

Even paid providers take a hit...

Once I went into a gas station and thanked the lady behind the counter because usually we get free coffee there, she actually had the balls to say:

"YOU people dont deserve free coffee, because you dont do sh*t, the cops work, thats why they get their coffee for free..."

I was so flabbergasted that I spoke without thinking (who me? ) and replied with
" well, I guess next time someone gets sick on your property or drives their car through your glass store front, you can just call the F***ing police dept" and left never to return.

People just dont have a clue, but if someone in THEIR family gets sick, "oh, please, you have to help them..." give me a break.

 

[Luno]

No respect, no love, exposed to strange diseases, way over worked, way underpaid, the ******* step child of FD/PD, and you've almost got me talked into going back to the rigs.

 

[TJC]

My grandmother tried pulling the same song and dance with me. I simply told her if she couldn't support my decision that was fine. She didn't have to, but if that was the case we could either avoid the subject or I could avoid her. She chose to drop the issue and keep me around.

It was hard for her to keep her lips sealed, especially since she felt it was a field "only men should go into to begin with". However after a couple of months she began to show a little interest my work. It wasn't long before she began asking questions, learning about my job, and (catch me as I faint) respected what I was doing. She has even gone so far as to start bragging about me (what is it with old women?) to her friends.

I don't know. It befuddles me.

 

[MMiz]

I consider most of the people I work with heroes.

I've seen people risk their lives time after time to help others. Whether it be jumping in a flipper car to pull a patient out, or putting up with the AIDS/HEPC patient who sprays blood all over you, I have the highest respect for those who work EMS.

The problem is that people in general don't understand EMS. We've come so far in the past years that most have no clue what we really do. My favorite question, that I get all the time, is "Will one of you be back there with him?" Nah, we'll both be up front blasting the radio and using the lights and sirens to go though all the red lights.

Volunteers are what makes this world go round. Don't ever forget that. I'm going to require that all my students volunteer so they have an understanding of all the services that the world would be without if we didn't have dedicated volunteers.

 

[ECC]

Originally posted by EMTPrincess@Aug 14 2005, 08:56 AM
...
So tell me, do you guys even bother to engage ignorance such as that?...

Nope...I roll my eyes and get up and walk away.

 

[rescuejew]

I just thankg g-d my family is supportive, but I think it has a lot to do with the fact that my sister became a cop about 4 years before I went into EMS. Mom and Dad had to learn how to deal with her being shot at and assaulted and all the wonderful stories the two of us come home with. When I went into the field, all they had to learn to deal with were potential needle sticks and AIDS/HEP exposures, they already knew how to deal with the projectile danger... My family tends to be supportive and alot of my friends are office folk, and they are jealous because we do all the really fun stuff...Ive never experienced that from someone close to me, thnakfully. The most I hear it is in the streets from LOLs or hoods.

 

[rescuecpt]

Originally posted by ECC+Aug 18 2005, 05:15 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (ECC @ Aug 18 2005, 05:15 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-EMTPrincess@Aug 14 2005, 08:56 AM
...
So tell me, do you guys even bother to engage ignorance such as that?...

Nope...I roll my eyes and get up and walk away. [/b][/quote]
I got into one of these stupid fights last night with a medic... over firefighters. Since I do both, I see the merit in both sides, and it pisses me off when an EMT feels they're better than a FF because they're "not stupid enough to run into a burning building". That's a very passive aggressive way to call me stupid.

 

[Firechic]

I just shrug it off, rescuecpt. I'm all 3 (F/F, LP, PD) and I'm continuously amazed at the comments and attitudes!!

 

[coloradoemt]

For just a minute I thought I was reading a script from Oprah or Ann Landers....

 

[emtbass]

Well I just went though this will all of my family (besides my parents). My original plans were to go to medical school to be an orthopedic surgeon. But after spending a year in the hospital having my femur reconstructed, I decided that I no longer wanted to be a doctor, and instead I would follow my original dream of being an emt>paramedic, and then a flight nurse.

My grandmother, who has a doctorate in computer science was pissed. She said why would you settle for an associates degree when you could do so much more.

This went on for months and months till I had enough. So the next time she brought it up, I told her... "Where the F**K has your degree gotten you ? You are a Doctor sure, but you make less than everybody in the family (she is a computer science proffesor). and nobody else in the family even went to college." That shut her up, and she has NEVER said another word about it.

( I also threw in that her father would have died many times if it were not for the local ems.. but that didnt really seem to affect her) After all, she is my step grandma, but still... a lil respect and support would be nice.




**** and yes, I really did say F**K to her, which I usually would not have done, but I had just had too much, and it just came out.

 

[TTLWHKR]

My grandmother insisted I do the same as everyone else in the family. I didn't want to. at all. Ever smelled embalming fluid mixed with blood? It smells horrible, everyone in my family takes on this 'smell' that turns my lips. They offered to pay my way through PSU, as long as I became an embalmer, to carry on family tradition. Something about jamming a surgical steel rod into the abdomen and sucking out the wastes into a large glass vacuum cleaner like thing called an Emerson Aspirator. Holds three gallons.. Some of the deceased actually fill it, like if they had internal bleeding or had just eaten. I couldn't even listen to it with out throwing up.

So they didn't talk 'to' me for a long time, just 'at' me. Feck em. I promised them I would try to keep their business down. ha ha :lol: They didn't have a problem w/ being an EMT, but they didn't want me to do it as a career, they did have a problem w/ my associates degree in Paramed Tech. It wasn't a degree in business management or Funeral Direction, so I let the whole family down, including the dead ones I guess.

 

[emtbass]

I finally just gave up on my family. The only people that are proud of me are my parents.... but thats there job. They have reason to be proud though. I was an EMT before I even technicaly graduated high school, and I had more college hours than any other senior in my class. I was proud, and that is what matters !!!!