Sufferer New Here, But Been Round The Block

[Zippy]

Hi.

I'm a paramedic. I work in a very busy city in the UK.

I work shifts. I am tired a lot of the time.

I had a bad run of shifts a couple of years ago. Quite a lot of major traumas, suicides, cardiac arrests etc etc.

Then one day I went into a house and saw a colleague of mine, a well respected person, a paramedic with years of experience and my mentor and friend, had hanged himself.

I heard his family screaming down the road.

The family he had spoken about so fondly on our night shifts but never met.

The bad jobs continued. The final straw was a family member threatening me whilst I was trying to save their mother. I remember knocking out their last rotten tooth with the laryngoscope blade whilst trying to intubate them.

I took time off work.

I was bored and was drinking too much to pass the time.

My wife and her family offered me useful insights such as "Get a different f*cking job then dickhead".

I now live alone.

I see my young son when I can. I miss him and he misses me.

I'm still working as a paramedic. I'm good at my job.

But my employers have barred me from advancement in my job for 12 months because of my sickness record and I've been given a 12 month written warning.

It's a joke. If a better opportunity comes up I'm taking it.

 

[Ka-9]

Hey there, ex police married to a Paramedic in Canada.

Paramedics always seem to be f*cked over. In my wife's city where she works, if they book sick its automatically considered bad, and they end up on a caution list. It's really illegal considering the charter or workplace laws..... but I find Paramedic unions are never as militant as police or fire. Hopefully yours can take a stand for you...for once.

Anyways welcome!

 

[Neverthesame]

a paramedic with years of experience and my mentor and friend, had hanged himself.

This is a tragedy every time it happens. Especially when they leave a family behind.

My wife and her family offered me useful insights such as "Get a different f*cking job then dickhead".

I tried this. It just followed me there. It wasn't until I began therapy that things started improving. If you aren't already, I suggest finding a therapist, it really does help.

It's a joke.

Too bad it's not a funny one.

Welcome to the forum.

 

[IamFree]

Hello welcome this forum is amazing any question you ask related to trauma someone always seems to have a golden nugget.feel free to fire away.

 

[Zippy]

Thank you all for reading and replying.

 

[EveHarrington]

Welcome! :hug:

 

[Richie]

There is a lot of publicity for the Armed Forces in the Uk but not for Emergency Services. I have received the suggest from a police officer to contact the police training college to observe their training. Emergency Service personnel must see traumatic scenes more than any other group so I would expect to see them show symptoms. Its shocking to hear that their organisations are less than helpful considering the job they do