Early morning, airport, cafe.
She dolled up
And he with a yard of cashmere tartanry
Around his ears.
Two muffins (blueberry,
Two croissants (chocolate)
And a cake to share;
For pudding. (Source: Trauma Queen)
Source: Trauma Queen - May 2, 2013 Category: Ambulance Crew Authors: Kal Tags: Journal Poetry Source Type: blogs
Wheely, wheely awesome.
So yesterday we all, as a flat, went off to a Go Kids Go wheelchair course. I’ve heard about these guys from Kate and Sean before, they’re a wheelchair skills teaching charity for kids and young people with mobility challenges.
The thing that’s truly awesome about Go Kids Go is that, if they wish, everyone works in a wheelchair. Kids, siblings, carers, parents, grandparents. You want a chair? They’ll give you a chair for the day.
My main drive for the day was similar in my drive to learn sign language. I feel it’s important that anybody involved in the care of kids is able to contribute...
Source: Trauma Queen - April 28, 2013 Category: Ambulance Crew Authors: Kal Tags: Journal Source Type: blogs
Stop…stop!
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“Seriously, you guys…I’m gonna peeeee!”
(click for bigness) (Source: Trauma Queen)
Source: Trauma Queen - April 23, 2013 Category: Ambulance Crew Authors: Kal Tags: Photos Source Type: blogs
Night time.
My eyes are tired.
Itchy, dry.
They feel like my contact lenses have been in too long.
I keep thinking I should take them out before I go to sleep.
Then I realise I’m not wearing any…and laugh.
Then I realise that you normo-vision freaks have never had the joy of peeling the ‘front’ layer of your eye off and bathing the under layer with cool, clean saline; such as those of us who were contact lenses might.
I’ve also had a few moments of thinking “Oooh, I can’t see well, I’d better put my specs on.”
Do you poor f.ers really spend your days blundering around unable t...
Source: Trauma Queen - April 20, 2013 Category: Ambulance Crew Authors: Kal Tags: Journal Source Type: blogs
Zap.
0800
Terrible nights sleep. Hopefully I’d be tired after the op. All advice is that the best thing to do is go to sleep afterwards as apparently it helps the cornea heal.
1100
Sat in the waiting room of the laser clinic, the sun bright and cold outside, four others sitting around and waiting to be seen. I wonder if we’ll become a little happy band of laser victims, cheering each other on as we go in and out, like contestants on a reality TV show. A woman walks out of the treatment rooms, squinting and smiling before pulling sunglasses on and walking out with her husband…”I’m not too bad&...
Source: Trauma Queen - April 20, 2013 Category: Ambulance Crew Authors: Kal Tags: Journal Source Type: blogs
Sign language exam
I said I had an exam.
Last night I got my marks.
10/12
Pass mark is 9.
That’ll do, pig. (Source: Trauma Queen)
Source: Trauma Queen - April 19, 2013 Category: Ambulance Crew Authors: Kal Tags: Journal Source Type: blogs
And I still can’t shoot lasers from them…
So I’ve worn glasses since I was about ten, my parents noticing me scrunching my face up in an attempt to focus on, well, almost anything. There is surely nothing more attractive than a pudgy pre-pubescent kid trying to make his face implode and pushing that imploded face RIGHT up to yours so he can see you better.
Back off, kid, you’re creeping me out.
I had a lovely collection of plastic NHS frames and, when I went to high school, graduated up to some highly alluring steel aviators. Step up, ladies, it’s all for sale.
And I broke them, a lot, adding the requisite tape and glue as I went along.
Are y...
Source: Trauma Queen - April 18, 2013 Category: Ambulance Crew Authors: Kal Tags: Journal Source Type: blogs
Deadlines
A weekend of night shifts hammered me into the ground like a cheap peg, leaving me last night grumpy and brittle.
Digitalkate and I went to the cinema because I couldn’t bear to sit and think and en route I decompressed, pouring out images and thoughts from my new Worst Job Ever.
I told her about listening to a relative screaming.
Over and over.
The problem with your worst job ever, is that as you gain experience and exposure, the things that would rattle a non-medic diminish in one direction down the scale.
In direct proportion, the things that get through the armour, the things that have you snapping at your h...
Source: Trauma Queen - March 20, 2013 Category: Ambulance Crew Authors: Kal Tags: Journal Source Type: blogs
“I’m in artillery!”
Today I have the time to edit photos.
DigitalLouis got big.
Like, properly big.
And what does every five year old need?
Tank goggles, baby. (Source: Trauma Queen)
Source: Trauma Queen - March 13, 2013 Category: Ambulance Crew Authors: Kal Tags: Photos Source Type: blogs
Middle Eastern coffee
I….ummm….
I think I'll just have mine black….
Posted with Blogsy (Source: Trauma Queen)
Source: Trauma Queen - March 7, 2013 Category: Ambulance Crew Authors: Kal Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs
Dubai calling
Ten days in the UAE, because if you have friends who live somewhere hot and you live somewhere not just cold, but cold and slate grey, you'd be bloody daft to knock back the offer of a bed for a week.
It's lovely, a week of waking to “ooooh, it's going to be lovely”; being out in the mid day sun and going “Ooooh, you f.er, that's proper hot…but I think I'll bask in it for another half hour…” and then dining in the evenings on balconies as warm evenings winds blow across the Gulf.
That said, one evening we ate dinner on the shoreside and watched a massive container s...
Source: Trauma Queen - March 6, 2013 Category: Ambulance Crew Authors: Kal Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs
Midlands
So, having just returned from a trip to Milton Keynes (because Dubai was getting boring), I've had quite enough of sub-Birmingham England for the week.
I entertained myself on the train by asking friends to come up with new tourism slogans for Wolverhampton and Milton Keynes. My suggestion was “Wolverhampton….because other forms of deliberate self harm leave visible scars.” and “Mlton Keynes….precisely as lovely as you think.”
I'd like to point out that all of this was pure conjecture on the south bound journey, having never visited either city before in my life....
Source: Trauma Queen - February 9, 2013 Category: Ambulance Crew Authors: Kal Tags: Journal Source Type: blogs
Where do we go to?
Where does this appear? (Source: Trauma Queen)
Source: Trauma Queen - February 8, 2013 Category: Ambulance Crew Authors: Kal Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs
I’m not a professional lighting designer
But “Christo-Danteism” wouldn’t be my choice for a church… Just saying. (Source: Trauma Queen)
Source: Trauma Queen - January 13, 2013 Category: Ambulance Crew Authors: Kal Tags: Photos Source Type: blogs
Turn Up and Be There.
During the long weeks that Caden Beggan was in hospital, I spent many days there too.
That first visit was tough, but less awkward than I’d feared. Conversation flowed as we discussed the doctors’ plans, Caden’s progress, the family’s resilience or otherwise.
As I left I hugged people and told them that, if they didn’t mind, I’d like to come back next week?
“Please do…” they replied and I smiled back at them, grateful for the welcoming invite.
As the weeks went on, I visited more frequently; every couple of days towards the end.
There were hours when we all sat tog...
Source: Trauma Queen - January 9, 2013 Category: Ambulance Crew Authors: Kal Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs
