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Quaranteam-Northwest: Part 8 Summer Plans Based on a post by Break The Bar. Listen to the ► Podcast at Explicit Novels. At dinner I checked in with Ivy first, then Vanessa when she had finished for the day and joined us. I also made a point of stopping to check in with Dani to see what she was thinking about her new co-team members, who she thought would work out fine, and Kyla. "I think she's a lot quieter than the rest of us," Dani told me as we sat side by side near Leo's RV. "Which isn't a bad thing, obviously. She isn't as used to being around girls like us though. Erica worked with strippers because of her job, along with all sorts of other crazy people, so it's whatever for her. Kyla obviously isn't used to how open we all are about sex things." I pressed my lips together and nodded, watching her as she sat in a group with Erica, Vanessa and Aria chatting. She was obviously engaged, but didn't offer much to the conversation and seemed happy to listen. "Anything else?" I asked. "Anything weird come up?" "No. Should I be watching for something?" Danielle asked. "No, no," I assured her. "I just; Erica, Ivy, Vanessa; it's working. It's crazy, but it's working. I'm worried about Kyla messing that up." "It should be fine," Dani said, patting me on the shoulder. "Erica will Mom them into shape if things get out of whack, and if she's the problem you can just spank her until she apologizes." That made me snort and shake my head with a grin. "You and her talk too much." "Or maybe we don't talk enough," Dani grinned. We folded ourselves back into the larger conversations, me joining the group with Kyla while Dani went to sit with Leo, India and Ivy. As the sun was setting we busted out the fire pit and Vanessa pointed me towards the nearest brush piles I could harvest some wood from; it seemed she'd handily directed some of her workers to pile it within easy walking distance. Then, once the fire was crackling and we all had our drinks of choice, we told the new women our story. We started with Leo and I, then how Erica had joined us for quarantine. We both teased her about hearing her masturbating, which until that moment she hadn't realized had been the case and made her blush. Then we talked about the land lease, the construction, and the introduction of Dani, Vanessa, and Ivy. Vanessa told us how fucking crazy she thought we were at first, but after that first night around the fire she'd realized something weird but special was going on so she stopped judging and started getting a little jealous. Then Ivy told her perspective, stepping into a life with Erica and me. Then we had to tell the story of Vanessa joining us, which got rushed over really quickly and then had to be retold because even Dani hadn't gotten all the details. I'd purposefully sat beside Kyla around the fire, Erica taking the spot on the other side of me. As India and Aria started ragging on Vanessa for not giving them the full story in the initial car ride when they met her, Kyla leaned over to me. "Can we talk? In private?" "Sure," I said, nodding towards our RV. I leaned back in the other direction to Erica and kissed her cheek, and she met my eye and nodded. Inside the RV Kyla had taken the Murphey seat this time so I sat on the bench opposite her. "You still feeling alright?" I asked her. "No," she laughed. Inside, in the more steady light of the RV, I could see she was flushed even with her slightly darker Filipina skin. "I feel like I've got a fever, but it's concentrated in all my erogenous zones. I don't even like women but that story about Vanessa has me..." She blew out a long breath. "I don't know how much more sex talk I can take before I snap." "I can ask them to stop if you want. Or we can have that conversation if you think you're ready." "I'm; Yeah, I'm ready to talk," she said. She took another deep breath and sat up straighter, putting her hands on her knees like she was trying to focus herself. "You can ask anything you want, and I'll try to answer," I promised her. "I don't have questions," she said. "Well, I actually have lots of questions, but they aren't important right this second. Seeing you with Erica and Ivy, and meeting Vanessa. Hearing the way Leo and Danielle talk about you. I think I know what I'd be getting into if I do this with you. And to be honest, it sounds pretty greater considering the other options that the world seems to be moving toward right now. But I never want to be someone who just takes the easy thing because it's in front of them. I know a lot about you now, but you don't know much about me. And I'll tell you, pretty much anything you want to know, but there's something I need to know if you're Okay with. More than my past, more than whatever your government is worried about." "The only way to know is to ask," I said, trying not to let my own nerves out. Kyla, who had been steady throughout the day, was showing signs of anxiety amidst her hard pressure to keep herself under control. "If I don't like it, we can try and find someone else as soon as possible." "I don't want,” She bit her tongue, cutting herself off, and took a breath. "Harrison. If I do this, if I imprint on you, this is my out. I've been doing everything my father wanted since I was a kid. The only escape I ever had was through dance, and even that he took control of to make sure I was getting the best lessons and tutors and going to the best camps and schools. And even then, he and NICA used it as well. My entire life I've been pushed and trained and taught and used because I didn't matter and my country and my service did. I want a new life, Harri. But I want that life the way I want it. I want a big family. I was an only child, and my parents tolerated each other at best in a political marriage. I want six kids at least, more if we can. Fuck, I'll pop out an even dozen and be happy. Or maybe not, maybe I'll be happy earlier than that, but I know I want a lot of kids to love on and raise in a big, supportive family. "If you can handle that, and if Erica can handle that because I know she's going to need to agree to it too, then I swear to God I'll be loyal to you and only to you. My father, NICA, my country; I can leave them all behind and in the dust if you can promise me we'll try to make my dream life happen. And I promise I'll be the best, hottest housewife I can be for as long as you can keep me barefoot and pregnant. I'll make sure I'm fit and tight and everything I can be for you in between pregnancies, but God I want this, Harri. I've never told anyone this before, but I want it so fucking bad." I didn't know what to say. She was practically sobbing in her earnest desire for what she was asking. I just slid down to my knees on the floor of the RV and wrapped my arms around her and Kyla clutched at me as she panted hard. Not crying, but desperately trying to control herself. "Kyla, I would be an extremely lucky man if I can give that all to you," I said. "And I want to tell you yes right away, but you're right. I do need to check with Erica first. Do you want me to call her in to ask her now?" She hesitated a moment, then nodded and sat back on the chair, sucking in a deep and unsteady breath. I stood up and opened the RV door, sticking my head out. All three of my women looked over to me and I made what I hoped was a reassuring smile, then locked eyes with Erica and motioned her over with a head jerk. She joined us, shutting the RV door behind her. "What's up?" she asked. "Everything Okay?" I looked at Kyla. "Do you want me to ask, or you?" "I; You," she said after hesitating. I turned to Erica and reached out, holding her hand. "So, I know we had our conversation earlier, but I didn't realize this was coming or maybe we would have talked about it more seriously. Kyla is ready to join us, but she has an ask. Because of her own family past, one thing she wants more than anything is to have kids. A whole bunch of them. So she wants to know if you and I are Okay with that and willing for that to happen, or if we should try to find her someone else who can help her get the life she wants." Erica's eyes had widened as I was speaking and her jaw worked a few times before she could find the right words. Then she turned to Kyla and looked at her for a long, long moment before putting a hand on her shoulder. "That's the most important thing for you?" she asked quietly. Kyla nodded, then looked up to meet Erica's gaze. "More than anything else. And I want to do that with Harrison; God, I haven't even known him a day but it's like I can see it right there in front of me. He'd make a great husband and an even better father. I just know he's yours more than either of the others, and I couldn't risk saying yes to him without you saying yes to this." "God, fuck," Erica sighed, and I realized she was tearing up as well. She looked to me. "Yes, obviously, if it's what she needs then yes. But I guess now I need to stop taking the pill because I'm not just gonna sit by and not be in the running for the first mother of your child." Now it was my turn to be surprised. "But we just,” She kissed me to shut me up. "It doesn't matter," she said. "I love you, you love me. If the world implodes and we're all shot off into space, I still won't regret making a kid with you." She turned to Kyla. "Are you going to love him?" "I'm going to try," she said. "And I'll work harder at it than my parents ever did." "Then yes," Erica said. "But, and I'll only ever say this once and you need to listen to me closely, if this isn't the truth and you hurt Harrison or me or anyone else here then I swear to everything in heaven and hell that I will end you. Do we understand each other?" Kyla nodded, taking her seriously. "I do, and I won't." "Okay," Erica said, and leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. "You clearly need a fuck, so unless you've suddenly turned Bi then I should leave you to it." She turned to me and kissed me hard, and I hugged her to keep her close. "You're sure?" I asked her in a whisper. She nodded. "Rock her world, babe. Show her why she's one of the four luckiest women on the planet." She kissed my cheek, squeezed my fingers in hers, and then stepped away and out of the RV. Kyla looked like she was going to jump out of her seat. "So,” I started. Kyla stood up abruptly and grabbed me by the face, smashing her plush lips to mine. I naturally grabbed her by the waist as we started making out right there in the middle of the RV. She'd been wearing that bulky coverall the entire day and now she started to scramble to try and get it unzipped and off at the same time as trying to get me to get my shirt off, which just turned into an awkward mess of her hands moving back and forth between us. "Stop, stop," I murmured, pulling my lips from hers. She actually whined a little in her throat and then blinked in surprise at her own reaction. I picked her up and she wrapped her legs around my waist as I carried her back towards the bed. Like this, she was taller than me and she bent down to kiss me some more, making it hard for me to navigate. Thankfully it was a straight shot, and there wasn't a lip at the door to the bedroom area that I needed to duck under or step over. I found the bed with my shin and stopped and lowered her down onto it so we lay somewhere in the middle, me on top of her as we kept making out. Once we were done I pulled away and tugged off my shirt. "Fuck," she groaned, looking at me hungrily. "Not what you're used to?" I asked. She shook her head. "No, so much better." She raised her hands to my stomach and up to my chest, letting her fingers play through my chest hair. I couldn't help myself and I reached down and unzipped the coverall down to her belly button. Underneath, all she had on was a set of black bra and panties. On the one hand, I was starting to get mesmerized by her body very quickly, but on the other, I remembered in the back of my mind that she hadn't arrived with any luggage. I lifted her from under her arms and she let me help her pull the coveralls off, then raised her ass so I could pull them from her legs as well. I crashed back down onto her, now feeling her smooth skin on mine. Her body was everything I would have expected from a dancer; smooth and sleek all over, with toned muscling and a sort of feline grace as she moved around. "Where; are; your clothes; and things?" I asked between kisses. "They said; they would bring; them up; from Cali,” she replied. Then she stopped the kissing and looked up at me. "Seriously, I've got this fucking craving for your cock right now like I can't believe, Harri. I need you to fuck me so fucking bad." "Okay," I said, and then kissed her again as I reached under her to unsnap her bra. When she realized what I wanted she didn't even bother with the snap, she just yanked the black cups off her tits and the whole thing over her head. Her tits were a perfect size for my big hands to palm, a bit bigger than Ivy's but much smaller than Erica's, and her dark brown areolas were smooth and a little puffy, with two perfect nubs for nipples. I sucked on one, feeling how hard they were, but she was stretching to try and get my shorts off of me. She needed the imprinting. We could always explore each other more in the future. I leaned away from her, one hand still on her tit and holding her down, as I shoved down my shorts and boxers. For her part, she pushed her panties down to her knees and I pulled them the rest of the way off. Her cunt was a gorgeous brown, flushed darker than the skin above and slick with her chemically-induced horniness. Even her clit hood was a little pulled back, the softer pink of her clit just visible from being swollen. She was entirely bare, and I wondered if that was a personal choice or a seduction tactic she'd been told to follow. Not that I cared at the moment. I wanted to eat her out and taste her. I wanted to make this last, to wow her like Erica had said. Fuck, let's be real, I wanted to impress the seductive honey trap spy with my sex skills. "Fuck my brains out," Kyla demanded. "Fuck me until I can only ever think of you. Take me and make me yours, you fucking massive wall of American god." I could impress her later. Her cunt accepted my cock like a perfectly tailored suit. I slid in, and even though she was tight and her muscles were firm as hell as they clenched at me she was also extremely willing. That changed when I was almost all the way in though, but not from want of trying. Kyla came, her entire body rolling and arching as her cunt clenched down enough to almost start forcing my cock out. She grabbed me around the shoulder and hugged herself up, clinging to me, and her hips roiled as she thrust hard up and down. Her eyes were squeezed shut, her lips curled in an ugly snarl for a long moment, until the orgasm passed and she let go of me, falling a couple of inches back to the bed with a 'whumph.' "H-Holy fuck," she panted, looking up at me in confusion. "What was that? That,” She blinked rapidly. "Did no one tell you about the first orgasm?" I asked her. She shook her head, still blinking like she was trying to gain her focus. "Fuck me and tell me," she said. I started to slow-thrust, enjoying the delicious warmth of her as I leaned down a bit more, pressing my full body against hers as she spread her legs wider for me. "They told Erica in the information session that she should expect a massive orgasm the first time she ingested a man's precum, and the biggest one of her life when they ingest their actual cum." "She got an information session?" Kyla panted, looking slightly alarmed. "You didn't?" I asked, equally alarmed. We'd both stopped thrusting at each other, not sure what to do. "Fuck it, fucking fuck me," she said and rolled her body to get my cock deeper inside her again. I wasn't going to argue with that. We fucked like that, mutually, for a bit and then I took some more control and went up high on my hands for better leverage and started to fuck her harder. Kyla moaned and panted beneath me, then raised her lips up and sucked on one of my nipples, which was an oddly pleasurable surprise, and then she took some of my hairy pec muscle between her teeth and bit me lightly as she came again. "Ow," I said when she dropped back to the bed again. "Sorry," she panted. "I just; you're really fucking good." Huh, maybe I can impress the spy, I thought. "I'm getting closer," I told her. I'd had... well, not the most amount of sex I'd had in a day, but a bunch, so I wasn't entirely surprised I was lasting as long as I was. "Do you want to try something else?" "I want to try everything with you," she gasped and kissed me. "But... let me..." I disengaged with her, which made her moan like a whore, and she scrambled around on the bed until she was at the bottom corner on her back. Then she spread her legs wide into a full split, and then even wider until she had one leg practically parallel with her torso and the other was way out to the other side. If she was a clock, she would have been showing 10 o'clock. "Fuck me hard. Use my hole," she said, licking her lips. "Get your cock back inside; yes! Oh, fuck, Harrison. Make my cunt fucking squirm. Make your cunt squirm. It's yours now. I'm yours. My whole body. Fuck! I've never felt it like this before. I've never felt anything like this." I was crushing down into her in big, hard strokes and I could feel her cunt squishing with her juices and my balls slapping against her ass cheeks. I was hovering over her and a bead of sweat had trailed down to the end of my nose. Kyla opened her mouth and stuck her tongue out, licking it off of me. I lowered the rest of the way to her and kissed her hard, then hugged her tightly as I started pumping short and quick, barely leaving her cunt. "I can't wait to fall in love with you," I whispered to her. "I can't wait to make babies with you, and start a family." "Do it," she gasped. "Put a baby in me. Make my womb yours forever. Breed me, make me your breeding wife-whore. Love me, may-ari. Oh, fucking; that's what you are, you beautiful big bastard. You're my may-ari. My owner. I choose you. I choose; I,” I couldn't have stopped from coming in her if my life depended on it. She was pushing towards her own orgasm already, and her years of dance and other physical activity had turned her core into a vice that sucked at my cock like a hoover. I came as she lost her grip on her words, chanting about choosing me. She came as well, a scream quenched in her throat as her entire body flexed and tensed. I filled her up, releasing over and over in her, but I finished before she did and just went right back to fucking her since my cock hadn't gone soft yet and she was still coming. I only stopped when she went slack, her legs falling back to a more natural position, and her face went from that clenched teeth-gritting tension to a soft, satisfied smile. "Imprinting. Imprinting. Imprinting." I pulled away from her slowly, making sure she wasn't going to fall from the bed, and found that the entire bottom corner and the edge of the mattress were wet and sticky with juices. Along with my legs, crotch and hips. "Great, another squirter," I sighed. Not that I actually minded, but it just meant we'd be doing even more laundry in the tiny machine the RV held. I stood and, once I felt like I could be coordinated enough, I picked Kyla up in a cradle and lifted her higher on the bed and tucked her in. She was in the fetal position, still mumbling the imprinting sequence with that smile. I had to grab a new pair of shorts since mine had ended up in the splash zone, and I didn't bother putting on a shirt but did wipe myself down with some wet paper towel. Stumbling out of the RV, I was greeted by catcalls and applause. Looking around, the fire was still going and someone had stocked it higher with wood. Erica, Dani and Vanessa were all sitting in the Adirondack chairs, and Ivy was sitting curled up in Erica's lap. "Where are Leo and the girls?" I asked, trying my best not to let them show the embarrassment I knew they were going for with their teasing. "Aria and India were going to fuck, and invited Leo to watch," Dani smirked. "So I assume he's in there either jerking off, or fucking." "I don't need to picture that," Erica rolled her eyes. I stepped over and kissed Vanessa as she leaned her head back and reached up to hug me around the neck. Then I slipped around the circle to Ivy and Erica and kissed both of them. Dani opened her arms to me as well, so I hugged her and she kissed my cheek. "Congrats," she said as I pulled away. "Pops." "Oh, God," I groaned and looked at Erica. "You told them?" "Was I supposed to keep it a secret?" she countered. "I needed to talk it out with someone." Vanessa had stood from her chair and gestured for me to take her seat and went inside the RV, coming back out with some more beers. She passed them around and then sat on my lap similar to the way Ivy was with Erica. We sat that way for a while talking as the night sky played out above us. I'd always loved looking up at the sky out on the property, away from any major sources of light pollution. Now spotlights were lighting up the construction area a hundred yards away, where men and women were working through the night. The view was dimmed, and I wondered if it would ever be as clear again as it had been a month ago. Dani slipped off to bed first, and Vanessa grumbled that she had to be up in the morning for work so the rest of us went quickly. We never had discussed the sleeping arrangements, so I ended up sleeping next to Kyla, with Erica pressing her back to my side and holding my arm under her and around her stomach, with Vanessa spooning up to her and Ivy on the end on her back, snuggled partially under Vanessa. I knocked on the door and set the two big brown paper bags down on the stoop and backed away. The house wasn't 'old' per se, located in a neighborhood that had been developed almost twenty-five years ago, and hadn't been updated since it was first built. To be fair, there hadn't ever exactly been a housing boom in the area, so other than the one-off builds it was probably one of the newest places around. The inner front door opened and Mary looked out cautiously, then in surprise as she saw me. She hadn't texted me like I'd asked her to, and it had almost been a week since I'd seen her in the parking lot at the grocery store. She looked a little better, though not by much, and I wondered how far she'd been able to stretch that $70 I'd been able to give her then. "Harri?" she asked in surprise. "Hey, Mary," I said with a little wave. "How did you; Is this;?" "It wasn't that hard, Mary," I said. "I just made a couple of calls. You never texted me." "I know, I,” she hesitated, and then hung her head. "I was so embarrassed." "You don't need to be," I told her. "You're in a tough spot, and I'm not. I want to help out." "Mom? Who's at the door?" came a little voice from inside. A boy poked his head around Mary's hip, looking cute and curious. "It's an old friend of Mommies," Mary said. "He's just here to say hello." "Hey there buddy," I said, smiling as I pulled my mask down and waved, then let the mask snap back up and played like it had rocked me. The kid giggled. "My name is Harrison, but everyone calls me Harri on account of my big beard and hair." "That's a funny name," the kid said. "If you got rid of your beard, what would they call you?" "Hmm, that's a good question!" I said. "I don't know. Maybe you should ask your Mom, she knew me when I didn't have a beard." "We still called him Harri, baby," Mary said, smiling down at the boy and running her fingers through his hair. The kid had keen eyes and noticed the bags on the stoop and the food inside. "Is that for us?" "It is, kiddo," I said. "Could you help your Mom get it inside?" "Sure!" he said. Mary sighed and opened the screen door for him, and the kid came out in his socks and hefted up one of the bags and started carrying it in. "Harri, you don't need to,” "I made sure there are some snacks for the kids in there," I said, pretending like she hadn't been talking. "I know they aren't nutritious, but I figured you can bribe some good behavior for some Oreos and stuff every once in a while. There's also a bottle of merlot in that other one there, so you may not want the kiddo to lift it. He's a cute kid, by the way. I've got an order in down at the butcher's that I'm supposed to pick up tomorrow, so I'll be by sometime tomorrow afternoon with some meat for you guys too. Maybe I can meet your little girl then? Charlie, right?" Mary looked like she was about to cry, and I didn't want to push her over the edge so I tried to make it all like it wasn't a big deal. "Alright, Mary. See you tomorrow. Let me know if you need anything specific and I'll see what I can do, alright? Tell the kiddo not to eat all the gummy worms at once." I was halfway down the driveway to my truck when the screen door opened again. "Harri," Mary called. I looked back and she was standing on the porch, looking at me with tears brimming in her eyes and a happy frown on her face. From this distance, without a mask, I could still see her as the little button-nosed cheerleader I'd known. "Thank you." I just winked and waved, heading back to my truck. "That was really kind of you," Kyla said as I got in. "It's nothing," I said. "I knew her in high school and her husband's been missing for a while." Kyla took one of my hands from the steering wheel and wrapped her fingers in mine, looking at it. The casual intimacy was still new; the first couple days after her imprinting had been us feeling each other out, and her getting comfortable with the general openness to sex that was our new life. I'd made it a point to spend time with her, both sexually and non-sexually, each day and we were slowly starting to find a soft groove. "That's still kindness, Harri," she said. "You're sure she needs it? I don't want to see you getting taken advantage of." "I'm sure," I said. "Okay," Kyla nodded. "Then we'll help her. Now, let's continue this tour. I want to know everything I can about this little podunk, backwoods town I've been shipped off to." "Well, the first thing you should know is that I'm pretty sure it isn't big enough to be considered a town. Maybe a village?" "Oh, God," she laughed. "Not if you consider all the construction workers moving in." "True. I bet we're close to half-againing the local population at this point. Vanessa said we'll hit a thousand by the end of the week." "With that many," Kyla said. "We should have our house in, what, a few months?" "No idea," I said. "No fucking idea." "Fuck, it's already June," I groaned. It was hot as balls and I was regretting putting on my 'go out into the world' getup. "How did you miss the 1st?" Erica asked, also done up in her gear. "How did we miss Memorial Day?" I countered. "Oh, shit," Leo said, standing up from where he'd been sitting over near his RV. "You're right, we did miss Memorial Day. Should we do something?" "Like what?" I asked. "We could throw a party," Ivy suggested. "We could all dress up fancy and have a dance?" The surveyors had been needing Leo and me less and less lately and I was starting to get a little twitchy with how little I had to do. Quarantine before all of this really kicked off had been one thing, but now we didn't even have our big wide backyard to ourselves. When Erica had mentioned that she wanted to take a drive into Portland to pick up some things from the tattoo parlor and check her apartment I'd jumped on the chance and we'd made the plan. The girls were already starting to excitedly talk about planning our late Memorial Day celebration as I stretched and sighed, checking my watch. We'd been planning to leave right after lunch and it was already 3pm. Vanessa had taken an extended break since she'd worked late the night before and we'd had some one-on-one fun in the RV, which had been sorely needed for her. Where the rest of us were struggling to find things to keep busy and motivated, the last week had seen more and more responsibility and work landing in Vanessa's lap as the construction crews started to show up and move into the barracks. It meant there was an entirely new crew of cleaners, maintenance workers and delivery people under her supervision along with her 'gorillas.' Not to mention her wrangling of the other foremen and administrators on-site as her father handled the top-end details of the job. Every day it seemed like new equipment and supplies were being delivered and a third barracks was quickly being erected as even more hands were around. But an hour with Vanessa had delayed us, and when I was finally ready to go Dani was busy with Leo over at their place, and since she was coming with us Erica and I had to wait. Then Erica and Kyla were ensconced in a private conversation in our RV when Dani emerged ready to go, so we lost another half hour before the three of us were all finally dressed and prepped to leave. "Okay," I said loudly, trying to cut through the multiple party-related conversations. "We're all agreed we'll do a Memorial Day thing, but we're burning daylight. Erica and Dani, let's go." We took my truck, only needing one vehicle since we weren't hauling a ton of stuff like the last time. As we pulled around the site offices I spotted Vanessa walking with one of the other foremen in conversation and gave her a little double honk. She smiled and waved. Driving down the old driveway path there were now a half dozen wide offshoots winding off into the trees and closer to the highway there were big swathes of ground that had been cleared and were starting to get flattened by scrapers and excavators. Vanessa had mentioned that we'd end up with a couple of strip malls worth of stores to help provide for the eventual community; a convenience store, a clinic, a dentist, that sort of thing. Right at the end of the driveway a guard hut had been erected, little more than a fancy roadside fruit stall that could barely fit two people inside. I pulled up next to it and Erica rolled down the window. "Hey Patrick," I said, waving to the construction worker manning the booth and tracking the ins and outs. "Hey folks," the older guy said with a grin. He was supposed to be on the road crews but had arrived earlier than needed. I'd asked him once if standing in the guard booth all day working a clipboard was boring and he assured me that after three decades manning a 'Slow/Stop' sign in the middle of roads through sun, rain and sleet, the booth and the clipboard were welcome. "We'll be out for a few hours," I said. "Sounds good," he replied and made a note on his clipboard. Then he wiped at his eyes and cleared his throat, blinking. "Y'all didn't say anything about how bad the pollen got up here. I think my allergies are kicking up and I didn't bring any of my meds, I thought the North West was supposed to be wet." "It usually is. We'll pick you something up," Erica offered. "We need to stop at a pharmacy anyways." "We do?" I asked. "We do," Erica said, patting me on the knee. "Hah," Patrick laughed. "And here I thought you was some sort of Big Dog, Harri. But you're as whipped by your women as the rest of us." "See you in a bit, Patrick," I said. He waved us off, then covered his mouth to cough a little. "Poor guy," Dani said. "I'd hate if I had allergies like that." "We'll get him fixed up," I said as I pulled onto the highway and started heading in the direction of Portland. "It's been weirdly dry and hot so I'm betting the dust from the brush cutting is doing it to him." And I didn't think anything more of it. Erica unlocked the metal grate that pulled down over the front of the tattoo parlor and lifted it up on the rollers enough to uncover the door. The good news was that the whole thing with the 'Autonomous Zone' seemed to have burned itself out and Portland was no longer hosting big protests at the moment. The bad news was that only happened after a week of riots and several news-worthy moments of violence and vandalism. Thankfully the parlor wasn't on one of the major routes the riots had travelled down and there didn't seem to be any damage other than sprayed graffiti on the grate and some of the glass windows behind it. I'd pulled my truck right up over the curb and parked us as close as possible. The streets were as empty of people moving around as the last time we'd come into the city, except there was more trash. I'd seen old newsreels of when there had been major strikes in New York City back in the early 80s and it wasn't exactly that bad, but another couple of weeks and it might get there. Someone must have been doing collections, they were just overburdened or understaffed or something. I had to nudge a pile out of the way with the front of my truck to wedge into the open space, but it almost immediately proved worth it as a trio of ambulances came burning down the street with their lights running. If I'd parked on the street one of them would have needed to swerve out of the way and who knew if those extra seconds would be the difference between life or death for someone; not to mention the potential of the ambulance not swerving fast enough and clipping my truck. Inside the tattoo parlor Erica went straight to her bay and started unhooking and gathering her equipment. Dani was looking around at the place, grinning as she examined the wild decor. She would call out questions to Erica, who would tell her who had done what mural, or the brief story behind the broken surfboard hanging from the ceiling and the skateboard deck covered in almost a hundred different signatures. I spotted a photo on the wall and realized it was of Erica and all of her staff at the most recent DragonCon where they had put up a booth and done live tattooing. Erica had said beforehand she thought it might be a waste of time, but the owner of the parlor was a huge nerd and wanted to do it so it was her job to organize. I never had found out how it went, but she looked happy in the photo. I grabbed the frame from the wall and brought it over to her. "Do you want to bring this, too?" I asked. She glanced at it and paused her work, then smiled and hugged me. "That's sweet, Harri. Yes, absolutely." She took the frame and put it in one of the boxes we'd brought for her to carry stuff, then turned to me. "Hey, could you just empty all those drawers there into the boxes? Don't just dump them, but there isn't anything particularly fragile. It's mostly inks and cleaner solutions and stuff." "Sure," I said. "Thanks, babe," she said and kissed my cheek. "Dani and I are just going to slip through to next door." "Oh, God," I groaned. I hadn't realized that was her plan. "Don't worry," she grinned. "It'll all be fun for you, I promise." The owner of the tattoo parlor also owned the sex shop next door and had installed a door between the two since the clientele crossed over fairly consistently. Erica led Dani through the door, opening it with her key, and I could hear them laughing and giggling. By the time I was done with the drawers Erica had pointed out, placing what seemed like hundreds of little vials and bottles of inks and other liquids into the boxes along with some other art supplies, they hadn't come back. I went to the door and opened it, looking in. Erica glanced over, grinning as she held another box and Dani was placing something inside. "You want any porn, babe?" "What do I need porn for?" I asked. "I dunno," she said. "Variety?" "Ooh, this one is called 'Big Black Booties 15,'" Dani said, grabbing a DVD from a nearby shelf and waving it at me. "You don't have that kind of variety yet, Harri." I snorted and shook my head. "I'm perfectly happy with the booties at my disposal, thank you." Dani shrugged and put the DVD in the box. "I'll see if Leo wants it." "Gag!" Erica laughed, making them both start giggling. I had a feeling that was a running joke between them. "How are we paying for this stuff?" I asked. "Everything is turned off and we don't have any cash." "Artie told me I could Venmo him at a 75% discount," Erica said. "Plus anything with an expiry date I could have for free. So we've got a lot of lube now, along with a bunch of penis-shaped candy and some candy underwear." I sighed and shook my head. "Oh my God, we should take her with us," Dani said, pointing up on a high shelf where a creepily lifelike sex doll was sitting. "I think you mean rescue her," Erica said. "Harri, help me get her down." "Really?" I asked. "Yes," they both demanded. When we packed up the truck we had two boxes of Erica's tattoo gear and other possessions from the shop, another full box of Sex Shop stuff, and Dani was sitting in the back next to 'Sexy Susan' who had also happened to get dressed in a sexy nurse costume. They thought it was fucking hilarious, I just thought 'Sexy Susan' was a little creepy. Dani stayed down in the truck, taking the front seat as I pointed out that the 1911 was in its case under the passenger seat if she needed it, while Erica and I headed up to her apartment. The elevator had an 'out of order' sign on it, and Erica had to use her key to the building to get into the stairwell which she said she'd never had to do before. That was an immediate red flag to me, but I kept my cool to try and not worry her. "You know," Erica said as we climbed the stairs. All our sex cardio seemed to be paying off because we weren't puffing from the exertion yet. "You haven't officially asked me to move in yet." "What?' I asked. "Leo and I,” "That wasn't asking me to move in permanently," Erica cut me off. "That was just for quarantine." I rolled my eyes, knowing where she was going with this. At the next floor I grabbed her by the waist and pulled her to me, pulling down my mask and hers and kissing her hard and deep. "Erica Lacosta, will you move in with me forever and ever?" I asked her. "Yes," she grinned. "Yes, I will." She kissed me lightly to seal it, then sighed and we raised our masks and started climbing more stairs. "With that out of the way, I should really try and find a way out of my lease. Just because you have money doesn't mean I should be wasting mine on a place I'm not ever planning on moving back into." "I'll help with some research," I said. "I know there's all the clamor about halting eviction notices, but maybe there's something that will help. I could text Miriam, see if Captain Bloomberg knows anything offhand." "Hmm, maybe,” Erica started, but stopped as we reached her floor and found that door locked as well. "What the fuck?" she sighed and unlocked it. "Let me go first," I said. "Why? It's just..." As we entered the corridor Erica trailed off, seeing the tracks of dirty footprints in the hall and the spray paint on the walls. She immediately started to move forward, but I grabbed her arm and stopped her. "Wait," I said. "Look." I pointed at the big circles on the walls next to each door, but she clearly didn't understand what I was pointing out. "Those are FEMA search and rescue marks." Erica blinked once and was obviously unsure of what to say. "Let's just take it slow," I said. We walked down the hallway. Some of the doors were shut, but others looked like they'd been kicked in. "What do they mean?" Erica asked me, looking at the circles and the scribbles of letters and numbers on the walls. Each circle had an X dividing it into four parts, and each quadrant was marked. "The top part is the date the location was searched," I said. "5-24 means it happened May 24th, so a little over a week and a half ago. The left side is who did the search, the numbers are probably a military code for a National Guard unit. If it said PPD that would be the Portland police, or CDC or DEA or whoever. The right side is if there are any hazards." I pointed to one of the doors that were kicked in. "NE means 'No Entry.'" Then I pointed to another. "F/W means there's contaminated food and water." I pointed at another door, this one wasn't kicked in. "A 0 means no hazards. "What are the bottom parts?" Erica asked. I frowned and swallowed. "The crossed 0 means no one found. DB or DOA means dead bodies. LB means live people are, or were, inside." Erica looked at the carnage of the corridor, her eyes scanning the doors of her neighbors as she weighed the number of DBs. There weren't many 0s, but about half of the apartments were labelled LB and hadn't been kicked open. Half. We got to Erica's place around the hall corner, passing the old lady Diane's door. It was kicked in and labelled NE, DB. Erica poked the door with her boot and it swung in. Inside, other than the dirty boot prints, it looked generally neat and tidy... other than the pool of dark something that had dried on the kitchen linoleum. I grabbed Erica and held her as she gasped and her knees went weak. I pulled her away from the door and she saw that her own apartment had also been kicked in, but was labelled 0 hazards and 0 bodies. We went in and she sat down on the couch, burying her head in her hands. Kneeling in front of her, I cradled her head on my shoulder and hugged her tightly as the reality of the world settled on her. She cried, though not as long as she probably needed, as I talked her through what had probably happened. Enough people had gotten sick and called emergency services that they came to do a sweep of the building. They knocked on every door, and anywhere someone didn't answer they kicked it in. Then I assumed they had extracted the bodies. "I need to get out of here," Erica breathed. "Okay," I said. "Do you need me to grab anything? Did we forget anything last time?" "No, nothing," she shook her head. "Just get me out of here." I picked her up and carried her out. Erica wasn't Ivy or Vanessa, or even Kyla. She was a full-figured woman. But I carried her every fucking step, down every stair. She stopped me right at the doors to the building and had me let her down. "I don't want Dani to see me like this," she said. "Why?" I asked. "She would understand." "I know," she said, blinking under her ski goggles. "But if she sees me like this, she'll start thinking about what might be happening back home for her, and she doesn't need that." I held Erica's hand at the door for another minute as she breathed deeply and got control of herself, and finally she smiled at me and it actually travelled up to her eyes. "Thanks, babe," she said. "Love you," I said. "You too," she said and touched her forehead to mine since we were both masked and goggled. "Hey, Charlie," I grinned, waving to the little four-year-old as she sprawled in Mary's arms and waved back with her little grin. "Hi," she chirped. "Okay," Mary said, setting her daughter down. "Scoot, you. Let Mommy talk with Harri for a second. Go see what your brother is doing." "Okay," Charlie said and pounded off in the way only a four-year-old could. "You're looking more like yourself, Mary," I said. I was standing off the porch and we kept the screen door closed, but I had my mask lowered so she could see my face. She smiled softly and shrugged. "I don't feel like it, but thanks." "How are the kids doing?" I asked. "Well, I regret letting them eat sugar again," she smirked a little. "But they're good. Better than me, anyways, though Thomas misses his friends from school and keeps asking when he can go back to class." She laughed and wiped under one eye. "He used to hate going to school every morning, now it's all he wants to do." "We'll get there eventually," I assured her. "What about you? How are you doing?"
I'd like to welcome to the show Dr. David M. Berry, MD, he is a growing voice in the recovery and addiction space, an area that we deal with a ton across EMS and the emergency departments. He is an Emergency Medicine physician with over two decades of experience. You can reach him at dberrymd@hotmail.com He has an incredible story. He was conceived following a one-night stand and was almost aborted before being put up for adoption to a loving family. He had his first child and felt the gift of knowing his first genetically related family member for the first time.Tragically, his first daughter was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy, a diagnosis not compatible with life and she later died around 9 months of age.This led David to turn to alcohol to help deal with the pain. His family took notice of this, so he transitioned to opiates instead of alcohol, something that he could hide more easily. He was eventually found out and spent some time in jail and tried some treatment centers. He lost his medical license, his family left him and he became homeless.His rock bottom was when he found himself homeless living under a bridge with no ID and realized that no one would even realize if he had died. With the help of another doctor, David started taking Suboxone, which helped him to overcome opiate addiction.This opened a path to Dr. Berry getting his medical license back and eventually led to a role as chief of staff of his hospital as well as opening up a rehab clinic in Colorado. Hearing David's story helps put in perspective the fact that none of us are that far removed from the homeless, drug addicted patient we care for in the ER. He talks about his new appreciation for his life and his family We talk about techniques to get patients to open up to us despite our short time with them: “Do you mind if I examine you?” gives the patient some control in the situation Some of our biggest misconceptions about these addicted patients is “They are trying to game the system,” maybe they are, but maybe they are totally out of options or are having a real emergency. “What can I do to help you?” may open up a conversation about what they feel they need Small, short conversations can make a big difference over time We often don't have enough time with patients to label them with anxiety disorder or opiate use disorder, so avoiding labels is probably best in the ED Have a way to work up patients that avoids your biasSupport the showFull show notes can be found here: Episodes - Practical EMS - Content for EMTs, PAs, ParamedicsMost efficient online EKG course here: Practical EKG Interpretation - Practical EMS earn 4 CME and learn the fundamentals through advanced EKG interpretation in under 4 hours. If you want to work on your nutrition, increase your energy, improve your physical and mental health, I highly recommend 1st Phorm. Check them out here so they know I sent you. 1st Phorm | The Foundation of High Performance Nutrition Everything you hear today from myself and my guests is opinion only and doesn't represent any organizations or companies that any of us are affiliated with. The stories you hear have been modified to protect patient privacy and any resemblance to real individuals is coincidental. This is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice nor used to diagnose any medical or healthcare conditions.
University of Idaho murderer Bryan Kohberger sentenced to life, Ghislaine Maxwell subpoenaed, Gary Graff joins us to talk Ozzy, bald John Lennon, Butt-Rock is back, boner-makers Salma Hayek & Sydney Sweeney, Candace Owens sued for defamation, and an update on Kate Cassidy. An old picture of John Lennon ignites a fight amongst Beatles fans... over his hair line. It gets so deep Drew digs up a picture of John's dad, Alf. The stock market has been on fire as the S&P and NASDAQ hit all time highs. Crypto is on fire and no one can still explain it. Brandon's neighbor dishes on his marriage to billionaire David Geffen. Drew is firmly on David Armstrong's side. What about you? Some people are saying Geffen might be in trouble for sex trafficking. Bryan Kohberger was sentenced to life in prison. The victim's impact statements tore him a new one, especially by pointing out how terrible he is at murdering. Crazy Planes: A Delta flight almost had a plane land on top of it in Mexico City. This just days after a Delta flight had to avoid a B-52 bomber in midair. Donald Trump's approval ratings seem to be up. Get ready to pay more for candy as the price of cocoa is sky high. A Federal judge shuts down release of the Epstein grand jury testimony. Ghislaine Maxwell subpoenaed by the House Oversight Committee. The Wall Street Journal reports that US AG Pam Bondi told Trump in May that he's in the Epstein files. There are new pictures of Donald Trump hanging out with Jeffrey Epstein back in the day. Gary Graff joins us following the death of Ozzy Osbourne. EMTs tried to save the Prince of Darkness for two hours. There's going to be a ton of new Ozzy stuff coming out in the next year. Gary also talks about the 40th anniversary of Live Aid. His favorite performance that day was George Thorogood. Kate Cassidy, the girlfriend of Liam Payne, has become a full-time influencer on TikTok. Salma Hayek gave everyone boners today. Sydney Sweeney tried to as well, but was wearing too much denim. The Cleveland Browns unveiled their new helmets today, but some oaf took all the attention away. The clear highlight of the British Open was a sweet fart. Candace Owens is sued by the French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife for claiming Brigitte is really a man. Butt-Rock is back! You know Puddle of Mudd, right? If you'd like to help support the show… consider subscribing to our YouTube Channel, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (Drew Lane, Marc Fellhauer, Trudi Daniels, Jim Bentley and BranDon).
Send us a textWhat happens when a first responder walks into a therapist's office and shares a traumatic experience so dark that the therapist needs "a few minutes" before responding? For most first responders, this confirms their worst fear: no one can handle their reality. That's why cultural competency isn't just helpful—it's essential.In this powerful conversation with the founding members of "Behind the Badge and Beyond," we explore the critical importance of specialized mental health care for those who serve our communities. Lisa Knowles, Richard Winning, Erin Sheridan, Alexa Silva, Jennifer Waldron, and host Steve Bisson bring decades of combined experience working with police officers, firefighters, EMTs, correctional officers, and military personnel.The group unpacks what makes first responder therapy uniquely challenging—like the profound emotional numbing that protects on the job but destroys relationships at home, the grief that gets misinterpreted as burnout, and the resistance to vulnerability that requires extraordinary patience from clinicians. They share stories of connecting with clients through dark humor, specialized knowledge, and authentic relationship-building that creates safety for those who protect us daily.Whether you're a first responder seeking help, a family member trying to understand, or a clinician wanting to better serve this population, this conversation offers invaluable insights into creating genuine healing spaces for those who witness trauma daily. The message is clear: first responders deserve therapists who speak their language, understand their culture, and can sit comfortably with their darkest experiences without flinching.Ready to find a culturally competent therapist or learn more about specialized mental health support for first responders? This episode is for you!Freed.ai: We'll Do Your SOAP Notes!Freed AI converts conversations into SOAP note.Use code Steve50 for $50 off the 1st month!Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showYouTube Channel For The Podcast
A life marked by pain, addiction, and spiritual warfare can feel like a dead end. Substance abuse, anxiety, and demonic oppression often isolate people in cycles of shame and confusion. Many find themselves desperate for freedom, yet unsure how to break the chains that hold them back. The battle is not only physical and emotional, it's spiritual. And it often takes something greater than willpower to escape it: a divine encounter.In this episode of Revelations Podcast, host Reagan Kramer sits down with Tommy Doyle. He is the International Director of Uncharted Ministries and son of renowned missionary leaders Tom and Joanne Doyle. Tommy takes us on a riveting journey from being a pastor's kid entangled in alcoholism, panic attacks, and spiritual torment, to becoming a frontline missionary reaching war zones in the Middle East with the love of Christ. His battles with demonic forces and deliverance through a divine encounter of Jesus offer a powerful message of hope for anyone navigating the wilderness of addiction or doubt.Be equipped with spiritual tools to confront addiction, anxiety, and spiritual warfare with the authority of Jesus. This episode is for hurting hearts, wandering believers, and anyone ready to trade despair for lasting freedom in Christ.Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:Discover the spiritual component of addiction and how it can be broken through a divine encounter with Jesus.Explore the reality of spiritual warfare in regions like Egypt and how prayer activates victory over darkness.Learn how Tommy's story shows hope for those battling both anxiety and faith deconstruction.Become Part of Our Mission! Support The Revelations Podcast:Your support fuels our mission to share transformative messages of hope and faith. Click here to learn how you can contribute and be part of this growing community!ResourcesMore from the Revelations Podcast hosted by Reagan Kramer: Website | Instagram | Apple Podcast | YoutubeUncharted Ministries: WebsiteUncharted Adventures: Website“Dreams and Visions: Is Jesus Awakening the Muslim World?” by Tom Doyle“Women Who Risk” by Tom and Joanne Doyle“Spiritual Warfare: Christians, Demonization, and Deliverance” by Dr. Karl Payne Bible Verses2 Timothy 1:7This Episode is brought to you by Advanced Medicine AlternativesGet back to the active life you love through natural & regenerative musculoskeletal healing: https://www.georgekramermd.com/Episode Highlights[00:36] Freedom from Addiction and the Fight for the SoulAddiction, anxiety, and spiritual warfare can make people feel trapped and unseen.Many silently battle overwhelming darkness, believing healing is out of reach.Tommy Doyle, International Director of Uncharted Ministries, knows this struggle firsthand.[03:21] Tommy: “We have so many good friends and so many ministry partners over there, that that's just really where our heart was, and we were part of another ministry before that that we loved dearly, so many great people and everything.”Once bound by addiction and anxiety, Tommy now leads missions that bring healing and hope across the Middle East.[05:26] Ministry Work in the Middle EastTommy describes Uncharted Ministries' work across war-torn regions of the Middle East.He recalls visiting the Gaza Strip a month after a major attack, wearing flak jackets and traveling with armed EMTs.Despite the chaos, they shared comfort and reminded hurting communities that they are not forgotten.Through every mission, Tommy emphasizes the power of showing up and bringing the love of Christ.[12:19] Personal Testimony and Early LifeTommy grew up in a large Christian family, deeply involved in church life as a pastor's kid.Despite strong early faith, he experienced rejection and betrayal from peers in church leadership.That emotional wound led him to pull away and seek belonging in sports and party culture.This shift laid the groundwork for his eventual descent into substance use and spiritual drift.[24:23] Struggles with Addiction and Turning PointTommy began justifying casual partying, which escalated into drug dealing and daily alcohol use.A raid by federal agents became a wake-up call, but the pull of addiction remained strong.Panic attacks worsened his condition, and alcohol became his go-to form of self-medication.Despite several attempts to quit, nothing brought lasting freedom—until he cried out to God.[26:42] Egypt Mission Trip and Spiritual AwakeningTommy joined a mission trip to Egypt to support his mother's outreach to Muslim women.While caring for children there, he was struck by a deep conviction to return to a life of purpose.That moment reignited his faith, shifted his focus, and set him on a path of full sobriety.He returned home and committed to healing through a Christ-centered Celebrate Recovery program.[36:11] Supernatural Encounter in EgyptDuring a foot-washing ceremony, Tommy witnessed a woman visibly possessed and delivered through the name of Jesus.[39:47] Tommy: “Every time that something dark and scary would happen, witnessed by other people too, the power of the name of Jesus was enough to eradicate it and, and that's just so life-giving.”Later that night, he and his brother encountered a terrifying demonic presence outside their desert compound.Prayer in Jesus' name broke the oppression, revealing that when the demonic and divine encounter each other, the authority of Christ prevails over darkness.These spiritual battles confirmed the reality of unseen warfare—and the power believers carry.[47:49] Territorial Spirits and the Battle Over RegionsTommy and Reagan reflect on how demonic strongholds operate not just personally, but over entire regions.In spiritually charged areas like the Middle East, the Enemy fiercely resists gospel work.Tommy shares how even Bible translation efforts in unreached areas face constant spiritual interference.Yet through it all, God's power continues to break ground where darkness has long ruled.[52:45] The Link Between Medication and AddictionTommy discusses the role anti-anxiety medication played in intensifying his alcohol cravings.He noticed his dependence on alcohol spiked after starting an SSRI prescribed for panic attacks.This connection led him to research and ultimately discontinue the medication after his spiritual breakthrough.He encourages others to evaluate their health journeys prayerfully and seek Spirit-led guidance.[58:39] Advice for Overcoming Addiction and AnxietyTommy urges listeners to admit powerlessness and seek a divine encounter with Jesus as the first step to healing.By trusting Him, we take a faithful path to healing.He shares practical advice for managing anxiety, including diet, outdoor activity, and community support.Accountability and honesty are key—especially with trusted friends and family.Above all, he emphasizes that true freedom from addiction and fear comes through Christ alone.[1:03:43] Tommy: “I did not need a foreign substance to be happy and enjoy life. And that's such a lie if, if that's holding you back, reconnect with the Lord.”[1:05:52] Living Free From Darkness to Purpose in ChristTommy reminds listeners that surrender is not weakness but the beginning of real strength.He shares how 2 Timothy 1:7 has anchored him through fear and addiction.God's healing is available to anyone ready to leave darkness and walk into His light.Learn more about Tommy's work through Uncharted Ministries and Uncharted Adventures at unchartedministries.com.About Tommy DoyleTommy Doyle is a missionary leader, speaker, and redeemed overcomer called to bring light into the darkest places. As the International Director of Uncharted Ministries, he continues the legacy of his parents, Tom and Joanne Doyle, by leading gospel-centered outreach in the Middle East and beyond. From war zones to remote villages, Tommy helps bring humanitarian aid, spiritual support, and the message of Jesus to those living in fear, trauma, or persecution. His work bridges cultures and faiths, demonstrating the power of God's love across some of the most spiritually resistant regions in the world.Once bound by addiction, anxiety, and demonic oppression, Tommy experienced radical deliverance during a divine encounter. On his mission trip to Egypt, he reignited his faith and reshaped his purpose. Now over a decade sober, he uses his testimony to reach those walking through their own wilderness. With firsthand experience in spiritual warfare and recovery, Tommy equips others to confront addiction, overcome fear, and live with bold, Christ-centered purpose. His story is a powerful reminder that no one is too far gone for the grace of God.Connect with Tommy through the Uncharted Ministries website.Enjoyed this Episode?If you did, subscribe and share it with your friends!Post a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in about generational curses and how to break them, leave us a review. You can also share this with your friends and family. Freedom from addiction, anxiety, and spiritual oppression begins with surrender. When you experience a divine encounter with Jesus, darkness loses its grip. Let this be a reminder that no matter how far you've gone, healing and purpose are still possible.Have any questions? You can connect with me on Instagram.Thank you for tuning in! For more updates, tune in on Apple Podcasts
Dave and Chuck the Freak talk about retired state police officer teaches courses on dangers of sexual strangulation, body cam footage of Indian woman being detained for shoplifting, trucks selling meats in parking lot, Tesla being driven by old man drove into water while exiting a ferry, Detroit city bus hits a guy on the street, smoke shop shut down for running prostitution business, ride at the zoo stopped working, road rage incident with a man and teen, surfing instructor bit by shark, New Orleans spraying lemon scent around Bourbon Street, National Hammock Day, hate mail about songs Dave gets stuck in people’s heads, NFL training camps, ESPN NFL power rankings, Malcom Jamal Warner died in drowning accident, HR exec from Coldplay kiss cam scandal still has job, how people feel about kiss cams, Denise Richard’s involved in a crazy divorce situation, Hulu dating show about virgins looking for love, naked man breaks into Planet Fitness, woman with no pants on prowling around neighborhood, nude guy goes boat hopping on Chicago River, man got nude and stole a dingy, man broke into a family’s home through the roof, car veered off road sending trampoline flying, ASMR spa, guy got drunk at rooftop bar and peed off the top, old woman called 911 after bear attack, Daisy Daisy nursery rhyme, couple’s encounter with grizzly bear, guy fell asleep on Las Vegas concrete and woke up with 3rd degree burns, EMTs deliver surprise twins, and more!
Creator of the philosophy The Art of Bending TimeYou can find her work at Michelleniemeyer.com, LinkedIn and can text CLARITY to 33777 to get supportMichelle talks about what moved her away from law to helping others improve their livesFinding fulfillment outside of work hours to pursue something that is important to you can have beneficial effects on your work hoursWork life balance is bullshit Sometimes building community and social interactions while at work is an important step to building a strong team. Telling your family and friends outside of work about your work life can be equally important. They don't have to be totally separate parts of youIn the end, we are whole peoplePersonally, it is easy for me to isolate at work, but I feel better when I make the intentional time to get to know my coworkersRemember your spouse is a partner in life with you, invite them into your work strugglesTake care of your body and your mind to avoid burnoutBe clear who you areTEXT CLARITY to 33777 to get access to a free community page with Michelle's guided meditation program to help you get clarity on life and remember what bring you passion and fulfilment in lifeCreating a roadmap in life is crucial to making the life you want happenSometimes very difficult things are obtainable, but you have to take one step at a timeMichelle speaks to some healthy habits she has daily to start her day the right way, like taking her dog for a walkHabits of unwinding at the end of the day are key as well, put down the phone well before bedLeave for work with some extra time built in so you don't get frustrated by traffic, start your day on a positive noteSupport the showFull show notes can be found here: Episodes - Practical EMS - Content for EMTs, PAs, ParamedicsMost efficient online EKG course here: Practical EKG Interpretation - Practical EMS earn 4 CME and learn the fundamentals through advanced EKG interpretation in under 4 hours. If you want to work on your nutrition, increase your energy, improve your physical and mental health, I highly recommend 1st Phorm. Check them out here so they know I sent you. 1st Phorm | The Foundation of High Performance Nutrition Everything you hear today from myself and my guests is opinion only and doesn't represent any organizations or companies that any of us are affiliated with. The stories you hear have been modified to protect patient privacy and any resemblance to real individuals is coincidental. This is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice nor used to diagnose any medical or healthcare conditions.
From Memorial Day to Labor Day, the FDNY deploys beach Gator units at area beaches, which are staffed by EMTs trained to respond to emergencies on the beach. These units work in partnership with the FDNY Drone Unit, FDNY Fire Companies, the NYPD and New York City Parks Department lifeguards and can more easily navigate the beach and through crowds in their small, specialized vehicle. New York City's beaches are especially crowded during the warm summer months, and Independence Day weekend 2024 was no exception. Just after 5 p.m. on Sunday, July 7, Station 47's beach gator unit sprang into action when five swimmers in a closed section of the beach were caught in large swells and a rip current, slamming them into the Beach 91 jetty as they struggled to say afloat. In this episode, EMT Saverio Bosco and EMT Andrew Ochtera join us to discuss this rescue operation and what a “day at the beach” is like for members working at one the busiest beaches in the city. Captain Randy Li hosts.
Creator of the philosophy The Art of Bending TimeYou can find her work at Michelleniemeyer.com, LinkedIn and can text CLARITY to 33777 to get supportMichelle talks about a turning point in her life where she ended up in the ER and how this changed her perspective on health and nutrition after she was later diagnosed with PBCIs burnout in our control?Michelle says that the things that cause burnout are not in our control, but you can impact how you respond and how you look at the worldShe recommends focusing on the things that you enjoy in your day, meditating on themMichelle talks about some of the struggles she had as a lawyer and how it was difficult to not see the benefit of her work for 8 months to a year sometimesLearn to be in the moment, if you are thinking about the future all the time you will suffer anxiety and if you are thinking about the past, you will be depressedSetting goals is important, you need to be working towards something in life and figure out an action plan to accomplish themMake sure they are goals that YOU want, as opposed to something that someone else wants for youDelegate certain tasks, ask for help, don't always micromanageStep back and allow others to learn and growMichelle talks about how shifting from running all the time to enjoying walks outside improved her health and prevented injuryShe talks about the importance of getting enough sleep and movementNutrition can be medicineMichelle talks about a big case she was working on and how some dedicated, focused time, away from distractions, with adequate rest and movement, helped her throughTake care of yourself before you take care of patients To get focused work done, you need to set up your environment correctly and remove distractionsOne distraction can make you lose precious focus one a given taskMultitasking is a mythBurnout happens when people don't feel any meaning in what they're doingSometimes switching jobs or careers will not solve burnout, but establishing some good habits can recreate the fulfillment in your current job againYou don't see the light when you stay doing the same stuffSupport the showFull show notes can be found here: Episodes - Practical EMS - Content for EMTs, PAs, ParamedicsMost efficient online EKG course here: Practical EKG Interpretation - Practical EMS earn 4 CME and learn the fundamentals through advanced EKG interpretation in under 4 hours. If you want to work on your nutrition, increase your energy, improve your physical and mental health, I highly recommend 1st Phorm. Check them out here so they know I sent you. 1st Phorm | The Foundation of High Performance Nutrition Everything you hear today from myself and my guests is opinion only and doesn't represent any organizations or companies that any of us are affiliated with. The stories you hear have been modified to protect patient privacy and any resemblance to real individuals is coincidental. This is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice nor used to diagnose any medical or healthcare conditions.
Dr. Emma Jones is a hospice and palliative care physician, also worked as a pediatric oncologist and pediatrician. She's been in the field for over 10 years and is active in helping healthcare professionals with burnout in the modern medical system. She is the author of The Phoenix Blueprint, Emerging Stronger from the Blaze of Healthcarehttps://www.emmajonesmd.comBoundaries are important to set up in your work. Proper emotional boundaries with your patients are important to maintain your separation from another personYou can see another person's emotions, recognize them and understand that they are not your emotions True empathy does not improve your ability to provide patient careRecognize when you do take on another person's burden so you can do the work to set it downWe have to always remember to be patient centered. When you express empathy or share a personal experience with someone it should be serving a clinical purpose. It should never be done to help you process somethingIs the patient benefiting from you relating to their experience?Would you be better off to discuss your experience with a therapist or family member?Spending more time to reassure and answer patient questions will save time in the long run and allows you to fully address the chief concern over the chief complaintRapport is developed not with time but can be done instantly by simply being a human beingUnconditional positive regard is viewing the patient or coworker or whoever you are interacting with in a positive lightThis allows you to interact better with the patients you see, viewing the problem as the enemy and not each otherPositive attitudes, smiling and friendly behavior can be culturally discouraged in medicine and this needs to change, of course some situations call for a reserved attitude, but many do notGiving away happiness and positivity does not take something away from you, it actually gives you more joyWe talk about mentoring and teaching the next generation of medical professionalsAdvocacy for policy change is one of the last chapters of the book because you really have to overcome burnout in order to have the energy and motivation to take those stepsYou must restore yourself to help make changes to the systemWe talk about the pit fall of perfectionism. Perfectionism is different than excellence Perfectionism is a habit that does not servePerfectionism is when you try to bring things from the circle of concern into your circle of control - it doesn't workSupport the showFull show notes can be found here: Episodes - Practical EMS - Content for EMTs, PAs, ParamedicsMost efficient online EKG course here: Practical EKG Interpretation - Practical EMS earn 4 CME and learn the fundamentals through advanced EKG interpretation in under 4 hours. If you want to work on your nutrition, increase your energy, improve your physical and mental health, I highly recommend 1st Phorm. Check them out here so they know I sent you. 1st Phorm | The Foundation of High Performance Nutrition Everything you hear today from myself and my guests is opinion only and doesn't represent any organizations or companies that any of us are affiliated with. The stories you hear have been modified to protect patient privacy and any resemblance to real individuals is coincidental. This is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice nor used to diagnose any medical or healthcare conditions.
Ulrich Bindseil, Former Director General for Market Infrastructures and Payments of the European Central Bank (ECB), discusses the Digital Euro project and his perspective on euro stablecoins
Our speaker is Eli Beer who is the founder and president of United Hatzalah. I want to learn from Eli about his idea of creating a network of volunteers who are available in an emergency to provide medical care for their neighbors. Get full access to What Happens Next in 6 Minutes with Larry Bernstein at www.whathappensnextin6minutes.com/subscribe
Show Notes:00:11 – Ian introduces Caitlin Bellucci, wife of stroke survivor Ian McGann, to share her perspective on the medical emergency01:21 – Caitlin describes the evening of the stroke and the first signs something was wrong03:36 – Calling 911, recognizing stroke symptoms, and the consequences of disclosing cannabis use05:23 – Holding Ian on his side, managing their dog, and getting minimal support from emergency services07:41 – EMTs arrive with bias, poor care, and judgment about cannabis; slow response delays critical treatment10:24 – Ian and Caitlin are treated differently because of cannabis—despite its legality and medical use11:28 – Botched bloodwork, offensive remarks, and Caitlin's growing frustration with EMS incompetence13:08 – Caitlin's inability to accompany Ian in the ambulance, and her distressing experience at the hospital14:07 – Finding Ian neglected and cold; Caitlin forced to clean him herself without proper supplies17:34 – Background on Caitlin and Ian's relationship and how their bond helped in the crisis18:33 – Doctors' arrogance and dismissiveness, mislabeling Ian as a drug user or suicidal21:13 – Intervention by Ian's sister (a doctor) prompts hospital staff to finally take action22:20 – Ian is eventually airlifted to a better facility after hours of dangerous delays22:24 – How Ian's personality and abilities changed after the stroke—and how they now relate differently25:28 – Caitlin describes how much worse Ian's condition could have been without advocacy27:39 – Cannabis remains essential to Ian's recovery—including topicals—despite institutional resistance28:47 – Ian and Caitlin reflect on how Cannabis Health Radio's focus on real stories helps break stigma29:01 – Caitlin's advice: be strong, question doctors, and don't blindly accept medical bias32:52 – Comparing cannabis stigma to historical prohibition; the role of money and agendas34:26 – Cannabis helps Ian manage pain and function in daily life35:15 – Caitlin's final message to families: protect your loved one's healing space from judgment and interference36:30 – Ian and Caitlin reflect on similar stories shared on CHR where family support—or lack of it—determined outcomes Visit our website: CannabisHealthRadio.comDiscover products and get expert advice from Swan ApothecaryFollow us on Facebook.Follow us on Instagram.Find us on Rumble.Keep your privacy! Buy NixT420 Odor Remover
Dr. Ryan Stanton joins Jack to talk about his work with EMTs around the state and an increase in measles cases in Kentucky. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dr. Emma Jones is a hospice and palliative care physician, also worked as a pediatric oncologist and pediatrician. She's been in the field for over 10 years and is active in helping healthcare professionals with burnout in the modern medical system. She is the author of The Phoenix Blueprint, Emerging Stronger from the Blaze of Healthcarehttps://www.emmajonesmd.comSometimes you need to realize you may be part of someone else's plan and get onto your own planDr. Jones talks about the difficulties with working with pediatrics but also the amazing resiliency of kids and their parentsWe are told that medicine is a calling and a privilege, and we should sacrifice everything in service of the patient – this is an unrealistic expectation We talk about burnout and moral injuryBurnout a helpful term because it's something we can all feel and understand and use to seek helpMoral distress or injury is something that occurs regularly - when there is discordance between what you want to do and what you are able to do - whereas burnout is more at the end of a line of moral injuriesBurnout triad: emotional exhaustion, cynicism, lack of fulfillmentIf we can get the frontline healthcare workers out of burnout and the day-to-day strife, we can help them be part of the solutions to the problems we faceDr. Jones talks about the philosophy of yoga and how it can help us flourishSleep is vital to healing from burnout. It allows the brain to clean itself; you are smarter after getting adequate sleepA lot of us are not even giving ourselves the opportunity to get enough sleepLack of sleep makes it difficult to put things in their proper context and map solutionsWe talk about core values and the importance of knowing what yours are and how they correspond to your actionsEmma shows the actions she takes to correspond with her core valuesJoy and humor are a huge part of our humanity Questioning your thoughts is key. All thoughts are lies. We recreate memories. Our memories are fallible and tend to degenerate the more we recall an eventLearn to let go of thoughts that do not serve you. Choose the ones that are helpful. You get to control them. You cannot believe every thought that comes into your headSteven Covey describes 3 types of circles in our lives in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. You have the circle of control you have direct control over but the circle of influence and circle of concern you have less control over. The point is to recognize what is worth focusing on and what is not worth your focus. For examplSupport the showFull show notes can be found here: Episodes - Practical EMS - Content for EMTs, PAs, ParamedicsMost efficient online EKG course here: Practical EKG Interpretation - Practical EMS earn 4 CME and learn the fundamentals through advanced EKG interpretation in under 4 hours. If you want to work on your nutrition, increase your energy, improve your physical and mental health, I highly recommend 1st Phorm. Check them out here so they know I sent you. 1st Phorm | The Foundation of High Performance Nutrition Everything you hear today from myself and my guests is opinion only and doesn't represent any organizations or companies that any of us are affiliated with. The stories you hear have been modified to protect patient privacy and any resemblance to real individuals is coincidental. This is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice nor used to diagnose any medical or healthcare conditions.
Governor Lamont signed a bill into law dubbed the Fallen Heroes Fund. It's an expansion of the Fallen Officer Fund, which provides survivor benefits to the families of fallen police officers. This modified law now expands its availability to include the families of all first responders, including firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics. Comptroller Sean Scanlon spearheaded the legislation and talked about the impact of the expansion now. Image Credit: Melissa Sheketoff
Next year's Pennsylvania gubernatorial race is already on the political horizon. So far, the Republican field is shaping up with three prominent figures expressing interest. EMTs could soon be authorized to give caregivers medication that would reverse opioid overdoses, as a bill is quickly moving through the state Capitol. Pennsylvania could receive as much as 200 million dollars as part of a massive settlement with drug maker Purdue Pharma. That's according to PA Attorney General Dave Sunday. The payout is part of a $7.4 billion deal, stemming from the opioid crisis, in which prosecutors and addiction experts say Purdue and its owners the Sackler family played a major role. A portion of land in Somerset County is now protected through a recent acquisition by The Nature Conservancy. The land is part of a critical ecosystem, and it's being added to State Game Lands 82. Police say an 18-year old stabbed his father to death with a machete-style knife during an early-morning argument Tuesday in their West York home. Raw milk sold in Lancaster County and throughout Central Pennsylvania is contaminated and should be thrown out, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. The milk is contaminated with an infectious intestinal disease. The affected milk is Meadow View Jerseys brand raw milk purchased since April 1 with sell-by dates between April 15 and July 8. A Pennsylvania college is addressing its growing financial issues by auctioning its art collection. Albright College, located in Reading, Berks County - according to a report by our partners at Spotlight PA - is preparing to auction more than 2,000 pieces of art. Gov. Josh Shapiro was joined by Philadelphia Eagles Hall of Famer LeSean McCoy, at the official ribbon-cutting for a new 41-unit housing complex in Harrisburg, to benefit low and moderate income home buyers. And comedian and actor Shane Gillis, a Mechanicsburg native, will be hosting this year's ESPYS awards show. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Bryan Jepson MD and CFP, author of The Physician's Path to True Wealth: 12 steps to gaining control over your money and your time – you can find it on Amazon and at this website for free Bryan Jepson MD, CFP® | physician financeDisclaimers:This is not specific financial advice, this is general education. Talk with your own advisor or schedule with Bryan to get specific advice The easiest, most straightforward way to start creating assets is to invest in your 401kDebt to fund a liability is bad debt, it takes money out of your pocketDebt that leads to more money in your pocket is good debt, but this requires wisdom in choosing your degree and education pathThere are a couple of methodologies to pay off debt, the snowball method vs the avalanche method. Snowball goes smallest debt to largest. Avalanche goes from highest interest to lowest interest. Use the one that will actually work for YOU and will make you be consistentThe 4% rule: generally, when you can live off 4% of your investments per year, you have enough for retirementSo, if you need 100K to live off in retirement, you need 2.5 million in investmentsWhy does everyone need a will? If you have kids, it allows you to designate a guardian should you die. It also allows you to allocate where your assets goWhat is the importance of giving away money?Giving can be looked at through a couple different lenes. When you give, you are blessed in return. Or maybe you can view it as good karmaBryan talks about how relationships are an important aspect of life and giving allows for meaningful relationships with something you value. Donate money but also your timeWhen you are rich, you don't have the cushion to give. When you are wealthy, you have the ability to give to othersFinance is simple but not easy because you need discipline. You don't have to get far into the weeds to be successfulBryans book has the foundation you need to understand financeBryan talks about the difference between a financial advisor and a certified financial planner Bryan gives his opinion on whole life insurance vs term insuranceSupport the showFull show notes can be found here: Episodes - Practical EMS - Content for EMTs, PAs, ParamedicsMost efficient online EKG course here: Practical EKG Interpretation - Practical EMS earn 4 CME and learn the fundamentals through advanced EKG interpretation in under 4 hours. If you want to work on your nutrition, increase your energy, improve your physical and mental health, I highly recommend 1st Phorm. Check them out here so they know I sent you. 1st Phorm | The Foundation of High Performance Nutrition Everything you hear today from myself and my guests is opinion only and doesn't represent any organizations or companies that any of us are affiliated with. The stories you hear have been modified to protect patient privacy and any resemblance to real individuals is coincidental. This is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice nor used to diagnose any medical or healthcare conditions.
When the Grind Breaks You, the Soil Heals You — and Your Neighbor Probably Votes DifferentLet's be honest: this isn't about survival. Not really. Not for most. It's about escape.Escape from the office. From Amazon delivery windows. From fluorescent lights and HR training and Slack threads about “alignment.” The farm fantasy—whether it's a thousand acres in Idaho or six raised beds in your lawn—is about breaking free from the algorithmic chokehold of modern life. And you'd be surprised how many people on every side of the political divide are having the exact same dream.Your friend's ex-VC wife with the Stanford MBA and a Jacobin subscription? She's reading goat birthing manuals. Your cousin with the Punisher sticker on his F-150? He's welding a water catchment system for his raised coop. They're both watching the same YouTubers. Both whispering about diesel conversions. Both taking notes on how to barter for raw milk if things go sideways.This is how the hippie married the prepper.The Great Rural ResetThe city made you anxious. The suburb made you numb. Now you just want to breathe.Remote work let people scatter. First to the exurbs. Then to the country. Then to places with more goats than people—and with them came fears, dreams, sourdough starters, and political baggage. But something happens out there, past the DoorDash edge.You stop caring how someone voted.You start caring if they can fix your generator.Or unstick a frost-swollen coop door.Or deliver your partner's baby in a blizzard when EMTs are 45 minutes out.Trust becomes tactile. Relationships get proximate. It's the dating rule of proximity over ideology: you don't fall for someone across town—you fall for the one under you. In the foxhole. In the field. When the power's out and the internet's dead, your neighbor with the Trump sign is your lifeline. And your kombucha might be keeping his wife's gut biome sane.It gets real. Fast.The Commons Beneath the Culture WarFor all the talk of division, this is where it quietly collapses into coexistence.One grows tomatoes with crystal grids and moon phases. The other uses heirloom seeds and .308 rounds for deer season. One built a clay oven to honor their ancestors. The other just wanted pizza nights.Collapse isn't just about bunkers. It's about rediscovering the sacred in the practical. Food. Water. Shelter. Skill. These become the new currency. And when everyone's playing survivalist in their own way, ideology softens.Your herbalist neighbor and your gun-toting neighbor are trading eggs and tinctures. Not because they agree—but because they need each other.That's not culture war. That's populism. Dirt-under-your-fingernails populism. The kind that doesn't wear a red hat or a rainbow pin. It just wears work gloves.The Death of the Distant ExpertWhy are the rich building bunkers? Why are TikTokers buying goats? Why is there a whole YouTube genre of people drowning in zucchini and screwing up tomato canning?Because everyone feels the same thing: the center isn't holding.The State won't save you. The cops are too far. The apps die in the rain. And deep down, the dream isn't just homesteading. It's sovereignty.You want your own eggs. Your own power. Your own story.And so does everyone else.The Soil Is the Schism HealerThis is where the new populism lives—not in marches or manifestos, but in compost piles and diesel-stained fingers. The end-times rhetoric softens when you're feeding chickens. And if it doesn't? You'll still need your neighbor to help pull the calf from a breech.The culture war breaks when you realize you're living the same story—just from different starting points. One came from Whole Foods. The other from Walmart. But both ended up in the same mud.And both will be at the farmer's market this Saturday, nodding politely, swapping surplus kale, and maybe—just maybe—saving each other when the lights go out.
Bryan Jepson MD and CFP, author of The Physician's Path to True Wealth: 12 steps to gaining control over your money and your time – you can find it on Amazon and at this website for free Bryan Jepson MD, CFP® | physician financeDisclaimers:This is not specific financial advice, this is general education. Talk with your own advisor or schedule with Bryan to get specific advice The earlier you can get financially literate and work on a plan the betterBryan is an emergency medicine physician, along his journey in medicine he also spent 5 years working in Autism before coming back to EM full timeThe covid pandemic and a feeling of stagnation and desire to keep learning prompted Bryan to pursue a master's degree in finance Bryan finds familiarity in his role as a physician to his role as a financial planner. You listen to the client and come up with a plan that fits their needsBryan talks about the difference between riches and wealth; discretionary income is the income above your mandatory expenses – and what you do with that extra income is how you become wealthy or richRiches are the material things you may spend that money on, car, house, toysWealth is the money you could spend but instead save or invest insteadThe goal is to create assets so that your income is no longer needed. Buying back your timeWhen you have true wealth, you can make decisions with your timeWorking towards being financially independent prevents burnoutChoosing to work vs working because you have to is easier, and makes you a better providerKey attributes to develop to be financially successful: Be patient – assets grow slowly. Be consistent in investing. It is boring. Be honest with what you know and what you don't know so you can spend some time educating yourself. Courage, because it does take some risk taking to invest instead of just savingIf you keep all your money in cash, you are guaranteed to lose purchasing powerThe longer your time frame the better the stock market will perform for youCreating discretionary income is difficult at lower incomes levels. But I do still believe you can retire from EMS. One way that I was able to save and invest as a paramedic was working overtimeHaving higher incomes does speed things along but it is not the cure for financial problems because we all have a tendency to spend what we make – fundamentally it's the same problemWe talk about the vehicles we drive and how we have utilized them to save more moneyBut spend money on Support the showFull show notes can be found here: Episodes - Practical EMS - Content for EMTs, PAs, ParamedicsMost efficient online EKG course here: Practical EKG Interpretation - Practical EMS earn 4 CME and learn the fundamentals through advanced EKG interpretation in under 4 hours. If you want to work on your nutrition, increase your energy, improve your physical and mental health, I highly recommend 1st Phorm. Check them out here so they know I sent you. 1st Phorm | The Foundation of High Performance Nutrition Everything you hear today from myself and my guests is opinion only and doesn't represent any organizations or companies that any of us are affiliated with. The stories you hear have been modified to protect patient privacy and any resemblance to real individuals is coincidental. This is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice nor used to diagnose any medical or healthcare conditions.
We need to remember that paramedic and EMT's are solely focused on emergency medicine vs RN's or even PA's who are trained in general medicine then learn how to do EM later onLearning sick vs not sick is a skill that develops with time, it's not always easyGestalt can be an important factor in your assessment but don't trust it all the time, it can lead you astrayA negative work-up does not always mean there isn't something dangerous going onRecognizing your biases will help protect you from making a mistake or overlooking somethingAdvice for the newbies:Have humility when you are new, be willing to be taughtNever stop learningBe proud when you do perform wellDon't trust your gestalt when you are new. Take every patient seriouslyKeep a journalBe honest, do what you document and document what you do, admit your mistakes quicklyTaking ownership over mistakes helps you learn and gives you more respect than passing the buckThe call you are going to is the call you are supposed to go to. That is where you are meant to go. No patient is a waste of time. That patient deserves your undivided attention Too many people hear the other exciting calls dropping nearby and they become distracted from what they are currently doingPeople are put in your path for a reasonAlex talks about a night he ran 3 GSW's and had to use good coping skills to recoverSometimes the lower acuity patients can rejuvenate youRunning only high acuity will burn you out too, take some joy in the less stressful callsAppreciate the highs and lowsSupport the showFull show notes can be found here: Episodes - Practical EMS - Content for EMTs, PAs, ParamedicsMost efficient online EKG course here: Practical EKG Interpretation - Practical EMS earn 4 CME and learn the fundamentals through advanced EKG interpretation in under 4 hours. If you want to work on your nutrition, increase your energy, improve your physical and mental health, I highly recommend 1st Phorm. Check them out here so they know I sent you. 1st Phorm | The Foundation of High Performance Nutrition Everything you hear today from myself and my guests is opinion only and doesn't represent any organizations or companies that any of us are affiliated with. The stories you hear have been modified to protect patient privacy and any resemblance to real individuals is coincidental. This is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice nor used to diagnose any medical or healthcare conditions.
Mission: Employable is back in Le Mars to find out more about how the Le Mars Fire Department is using work-based learning to get students interested in becoming EMTs. Le Mars Battalion Chief John MacGregor joins the show and shares an emotional story about why he cares so much for teaching the next generation, including his son, who also joins the podcast.
With the warm weather over the Memorial Day weekend you might have been tempted to cool off in one of the region’s many beautiful rivers. If you headed to Glen Otto park or High Rocks park in the Portland area you might have seen Emergency Medical Technicians from the American Medical Response (AMR) River Rescue Program on hand to help out in case of an emergency in the water. The EMTs are getting training in river currents and rescue operations this week and will staff the two parks all summer long. Gracie Goodrich, an AMR River Rescue Program supervisor, tells us more about the program, which has helped more than 2,000 people since it started in 1999.
On Sunday, June 1, we're honored to celebrate the courage and dedication of our community's First Responders who serve as firefighters, EMTs, law enforcement officers, active military, National Guard members, and all who answer the call in times of crisis and emergencies. We are deeply grateful for your service!
How do we have long careers and avoid burnout?Micah talks about burnout and how we have the advantage in emergency medicine that we can leave work at work and step backHave time off and don't work overtime every time an opportunity arises, don't only discuss work with your spouse, have other interests that you can engage inEmergency medicine is a fun job to identify with because we get to save lives, but you should not make it your whole personalityFind an identity outside of work, you may not have work at some point and life changesAudrianna talks about taking care of yourself. As we spend so much time being empathetic for others, we can lose that empathy for family or even ourselvesWe talk about the lower acuity patients we care for and infrastructure to take care of their complaint quickly from the ED, patients have poor access to primary care, and we can be that solutionWe can't use low acuity calls as something that burns us out or allows us to get frustrated, it will always be part of the job and we should view it as us being the solutionWe can be educators, we are trained to recognize emergencies, the layperson shouldn't be expected to know thisWe have the privilege of taking care of everyone regardless of complaint, ability to pay, social statusBurnout begets burnoutTake the time off when you need it, overtime takes more from you than it may be worthCertain seasons of life may necessitate working more but you have to understand the cost benefitJust making it through COVID is a victory, it burned a lot of providers out, even those with experienceWe recount some of our COVID war storiesSupport the showFull show notes can be found here: Episodes - Practical EMS - Content for EMTs, PAs, ParamedicsMost efficient online EKG course here: Practical EKG Interpretation - Practical EMS earn 4 CME and learn the fundamentals through advanced EKG interpretation in under 4 hours. If you want to work on your nutrition, increase your energy, improve your physical and mental health, I highly recommend 1st Phorm. Check them out here so they know I sent you. 1st Phorm | The Foundation of High Performance Nutrition Everything you hear today from myself and my guests is opinion only and doesn't represent any organizations or companies that any of us are affiliated with. The stories you hear have been modified to protect patient privacy and any resemblance to real individuals is coincidental. This is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice nor used to diagnose any medical or healthcare conditions.
On Sunday, June 1, we're honored to celebrate the courage and dedication of our community's First Responders who serve as firefighters, EMTs, law enforcement officers, active military, National Guard members, and all who answer the call in times of crisis and emergencies. We are deeply grateful for your service!
The Sports Deli Podcast - Where Everyone Deserves a Seat at the Table; An Anti-Racist, Equality Pod
Jenna, Hanna and Will met in 2022 as they we're training to be EMTs and Firefighters. Jenna is now a nurse, Hanna (with no H at the end) is still on the path of doing similar work and Will is a firefighter hoping to expand his duties and responsibilities so he can do more elaborate rescue missions like on helicopters, etc. Jenna & Will are two old souls who have a different love language and Hanna prefers to give one love language versus what she likes in return. Jenna initially told me to go to hell (in a nice way) and when I saw her 90 minutes later, I exclaimed, "it was meant to be!" and she laughed and had a change of heart. She's a badass nurse who will probably predictably go back to school to get her Master's because according to Will, she loves school. Thanks for joining us today and remember, you are not alone and you can always dial 988 if you're having a hard day. Much love and light everyone.
Analyzing the Karen Read Allegations & The Supposed Cover-Up The defense claims a cover-up. The prosecution calls it accountability. Somewhere in between lies the truth. In this no-holds-barred discussion, Tony Brueski is joined by retired FBI Special Agent Jennifer Coffindaffer to dissect the allegations of a grand conspiracy surrounding the Karen Read case. With claims that police, EMTs, prosecutors, and even neighbors are all allegedly “in on it,” we ask the most basic question: Could this many people really keep a secret? Coffindaffer uses her experience from inside the Bureau to break down the logistics of what such a conspiracy would actually require—how many players, how much coordination, and most importantly, how likely such a coordinated deception would even be. Spoiler: it's not. We explore how conspiracy theories become seductive alternatives to uncomfortable truths, and why the law doesn't deal in emotional certainty—it deals in evidence. This episode is a reality check, a logic test, and a deep dive into the fantasy world being sold by those unwilling to confront forensic fact. Hashtags: #KarenRead #KarenReadTrial #JusticeForJohnOKeefe #CoverUpClaims #ConspiracyTheory #CourtroomTruth #JenniferCoffindaffer #HiddenKillers #FBIAnalysis #TrueCrimeLogic Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872 Analyzing the Karen Read Allegations & The Supposed Cover-Up The defense claims a cover-up. The prosecution calls it accountability. Somewhere in between lies the truth. In this no-holds-barred discussion, Tony Brueski is joined by retired FBI Special Agent Jennifer Coffindaffer to dissect the allegations of a grand conspiracy surrounding the Karen Read case. With claims that police, EMTs, prosecutors, and even neighbors are all allegedly “in on it,” we ask the most basic question: Could this many people really keep a secret? Coffindaffer uses her experience from inside the Bureau to break down the logistics of what such a conspiracy would actually require—how many players, how much coordination, and most importantly, how likely such a coordinated deception would even be. Spoiler: it's not. We explore how conspiracy theories become seductive alternatives to uncomfortable truths, and why the law doesn't deal in emotional certainty—it deals in evidence. This episode is a reality check, a logic test, and a deep dive into the fantasy world being sold by those unwilling to confront forensic fact. Hashtags: #KarenRead #KarenReadTrial #JusticeForJohnOKeefe #CoverUpClaims #ConspiracyTheory #CourtroomTruth #JenniferCoffindaffer #HiddenKillers #FBIAnalysis #TrueCrimeLogic Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary
Analyzing the Karen Read Allegations & The Supposed Cover-Up The defense claims a cover-up. The prosecution calls it accountability. Somewhere in between lies the truth. In this no-holds-barred discussion, Tony Brueski is joined by retired FBI Special Agent Jennifer Coffindaffer to dissect the allegations of a grand conspiracy surrounding the Karen Read case. With claims that police, EMTs, prosecutors, and even neighbors are all allegedly “in on it,” we ask the most basic question: Could this many people really keep a secret? Coffindaffer uses her experience from inside the Bureau to break down the logistics of what such a conspiracy would actually require—how many players, how much coordination, and most importantly, how likely such a coordinated deception would even be. Spoiler: it's not. We explore how conspiracy theories become seductive alternatives to uncomfortable truths, and why the law doesn't deal in emotional certainty—it deals in evidence. This episode is a reality check, a logic test, and a deep dive into the fantasy world being sold by those unwilling to confront forensic fact. Hashtags: #KarenRead #KarenReadTrial #JusticeForJohnOKeefe #CoverUpClaims #ConspiracyTheory #CourtroomTruth #JenniferCoffindaffer #HiddenKillers #FBIAnalysis #TrueCrimeLogic Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
Aspiring model and Instagram influencer Maecee Lathers faces multiple felony charges after Miami police discovered she had the gas pedal of her Mercedes pressed all the way to the floor when she allegedly ran a red light. Lathers, who told EMTs she had ingested "tusi," also called "pink cocaine," caused a chain reaction crash that claimed the lives of two men. Law&Crime's Jesse Weber sat down with Florida criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor Melba Pearson to discuss newly released traffic camera footage of the collision.PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW: If you're ever injured in an accident, you can check out Morgan & Morgan. You can submit a claim in 8 clicks or less without having to leave your couch. To start your claim, visit: https://forthepeople.com/LCSidebarHOST:Jesse Weber: https://twitter.com/jessecordweberLAW&CRIME SIDEBAR PRODUCTION:YouTube Management - Bobby SzokeVideo Editing - Michael Deininger, Christina O'Shea & Jay CruzScript Writing & Producing - Savannah Williamson & Juliana BattagliaGuest Booking - Alyssa Fisher & Diane KayeSocial Media Management - Vanessa BeinSTAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LAW&CRIME NETWORK:Watch Law&Crime Network on YouTubeTV: https://bit.ly/3td2e3yWhere To Watch Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3akxLK5Sign Up For Law&Crime's Daily Newsletter: https://bit.ly/LawandCrimeNewsletterRead Fascinating Articles From Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3td2IqoLAW&CRIME NETWORK SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawandcrime/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetworkFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawandcrimeTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lawandcrimenetworkTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawandcrimeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Welcome to the second full episode in our All-Hazards Project Management series, What EMTs can Teach Us about Failing Projects. In this episode, we apply a trauma checklist used in emergency medicine—DCAP-BTLS—to assess and stabilize failing projects.Strategies shared include:Weekly workload balancingStakeholder alignment checkpointsRACI ownership clarificationsReal-world triage questions for team check-insPeople first. Combined process. Progress together.
197 – Sobriety, PTS & Reclaiming Life After Law EnforcementWhat happens when the weight of service becomes too heavy to carry—and you don't know how to ask for help?In this gripping episode, retired Nashville Police Sergeant Scott Cothran shares his powerful story of trauma, addiction, and recovery. From the outside, he was a squared-away, decorated officer. But behind the badge was a man unraveling. Drinking himself into isolation, crushed by the accumulated weight of PTS, grief, and emotional suppression.In this conversation, Scott opens up about:• His almost 20 year law enforcement career and the unseen emotional toll of policing• The moment he knew alcohol had taken over his life• Surviving a suicide attempt—and the call for help that saved him• The path to sobriety and how he rebuilt his life from the ground up• How he now helps first responders navigate PTSD, addiction, and healingThis episode is for any veteran or first responder who's struggling behind closed doors. It's a message of truth, hope, and the reminder that no one fights alone.The go-to podcast for military veterans, police officers, firefighters, EMTs, and first responders preparing for life after service. Hosted by retired law enforcement leader Paul Pantani, the Transition Drill Podcast delivers real conversations about transition, identity, and what comes next after wearing the uniform.Follow the show and share with another veteran or first responder who would enjoy this.CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST:IG: WEBSITE: LinkedIn: SIGN-UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER:QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS:CONNECT WITH SCOTT COTHRAN:SPONSORS:Brothers & Arms USAGet 20% off your purchaseLink: https://brothersandarms.comPromo Code: Transition20Trident CoffeeGet 15% off your purchaseLink: https://tridentcoffee.comPromo Code: TDP15GRND CollectiveGet 15% off your purchaseLink: https://thegrndcollective.com/Promo Code: TRANSITION15Human Performance TRTGet 30% off your purchaseWeb: https://hptrt.com/Promo Code: TDP
How do we handle the sensitive hand-off reports from EMS to the ED?Different aspects, like potentially violent family members, unsafe scenes, are often a critical details that need to be conveyed to the ED but don't have to be announced to everyone in the hand-off report in front of the patientMicah works as a field and ER paramedic. He talks about this situation and how it's going for him. He enjoys the number of resources he has access to in the EDBeing able to see the whole workup and outcome of the patient is a big benefit as well, working in the EDI love it when the EMS crews come back and follow up on their patients, it's a big way to help them improve and learnWe talk about interpersonal conflict on scenesCasey tries to be as friendly as he can and learn everyone's namesIt's easy for all of us to allow our egos to get too out of hand, but we need to treat everyone how we would want to be treatedI talk about some issues I've had with the fire department in the past – sometimes it is all about how you are doing something as opposed to what you are doing in your interactions with other agenciesAt the end of the day, the patient can be affected when we have confrontational scenes so we should always be seeking to avoid thisAlex talks about working 48 hours with his fire crew and responding on scenes with the same crew and how this differs from private ambulance responding with other agencies he may not know very wellCasey talks about how, years ago, the EMS crews had more time to stop by the fire stations and become more familiar with the fire crewsCasey talks about the power of edifying others in our fieldAudrianna talks about a fire crew going above and beyond in the ED as wellWe talk about small things we can all do to go above and beyond our regular tasks, helping families navigate the ED, getting a blanket for someone, cleaning a roomLittle things like this also help you feel better about your job too; they help you remember why you got into medicine in the first placeIt does require you to look beyond yourself to see those opportunitiesSupport the showFull show notes can be found here: Episodes - Practical EMS - Content for EMTs, PAs, ParamedicsMost efficient online EKG course here: Practical EKG Interpretation - Practical EMS earn 4 CME and learn the fundamentals through advanced EKG interpretation in under 4 hours. If you want to work on your nutrition, increase your energy, improve your physical and mental health, I highly recommend 1st Phorm. Check them out here so they know I sent you. 1st Phorm | The Foundation of High Performance Nutrition Everything you hear today from myself and my guests is opinion only and doesn't represent any organizations or companies that any of us are affiliated with. The stories you hear have been modified to protect patient privacy and any resemblance to real individuals is coincidental. This is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice nor used to diagnose any medical or healthcare conditions.
It's EMS Week wrap-up time, and Chris Cebollero and Kelly Grayson are back in classic form in this episode of the Inside EMS podcast. From jokes about Sloppy Joe leftovers from Hospital Week to heartfelt gratitude for the medics still grinding it out day after day, this episode hits all the notes. Chris and Kelly talk about why EMS Week still matters; more than just stickers and slogans, it's about recognizing the quiet pride, the commitment and the transformation that EMS professionals bring to their communities every single day. The hosts challenge listeners to advocate for the profession, share their stories, and — most importantly — support one another. Whether you're still running lights and sirens or mentoring the next generation, this one's for you. Memorable quotes “You may be in EMS if you finish a trauma report while chewing beef jerky at 3 a.m.” — Kelly Grayson ”We need to treat EMTs, paramedics, dispatchers and supervisors with respect and do things for them 51 weeks of the year, and then take EMS Week off.” — Kelly Grayson “This isn't a flashy job, it's not always recognized ... but it's real. And it gets in your blood.” — Chris Cebollero “Keep on being the rumpled angels of healthcare.” — Kelly Grayson Enjoying the show? Contact the Inside EMS team at theshow@ems1.com to share ideas, suggestions and feedback, or let us know if you'd like to join us as a guest.
Join hosts of the Mission: Employable podcast Ben Oldach and Kathy Leggett as they take a trip to Le Mars, IA. On their visit, they met with the local fire department to find out more about a Work-based Learning program that skills up high schoolers and gets them real world experience in the world of Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT). Dr. Mark Iverson, Principal of Le Mars Community High School, joins the show and shares how his school got the program up and running, why it's near and dear to his heart, and the benefits of taking learning outside the classroom.
In Episode 196, Juan "Gonzo" Gonzalez—a retired Navy SEAL with prior service as both a Navy corpsman and Army infantry medic—joins Paul to talk about his extraordinary journey. From growing up an Army brat in South and Central America to completing one of the toughest selection processes in the military, Gonzo's story is one of discipline, adversity, and ultimately transformation.He opens up about failing out of BUD/S his first time due to illness, coming back stronger two years later, and what it really takes mentally to make it through SEAL training. But as Gonzo explains, becoming a SEAL was just one chapter. His story offers a front-row seat to the challenges of identity loss, faith struggles, and finding purpose again after the adrenaline of combat and high-performance teams fades.Paul and Gonzo explore:The institutional habits that make it hard for veterans to ask for helpHow the absence of community after transition amplifies mental strainWhy learning to fail fast was critical in BUD/S and lifeThe overlooked value of silence, reflection, and knowing who you areThis is an episode for any veteran, first responder, or purpose-driven professional who feels like the mission ended—and needs to find their next one.The go-to podcast for military veterans, police officers, firefighters, EMTs, and first responders preparing for life after service. Hosted by retired law enforcement leader Paul Pantani, the Transition Drill Podcast delivers real conversations about transition, identity, and what comes next after wearing the uniform.Follow the show and share with another veteran or first responder who would enjoy this.CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST:IG: WEBSITE: LinkedIn: SIGN-UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER:QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS:SPONSORS:Brothers & Arms USAGet 20% off your purchaseLink: https://brothersandarms.comPromo Code: Transition20Trident CoffeeGet 15% off your purchaseLink: https://tridentcoffee.comPromo Code: TDP15GRND CollectiveGet 15% off your purchaseLink: https://thegrndcollective.com/Promo Code: TRANSITION15Human Performance TRTGet 30% off your purchaseWeb: https://hptrt.com/Promo Code: TDP
New panel with Audrianna (RN), Alex (paramedic), Casey (paramedic) and Micah (paramedic)What do the ER nurses like to get in the hand-off report from EMS?Audrianna likes to hear clear, concise reports. How ambulatory was the patient on scene? Casey recalls from years ago how the ER nurses didn't understand enough about what EMS did, that always made giving reports more difficult and how that has improved over the yearsI always try and give new EMT's the freedom to struggle through giving reports so they can practice and improve without cutting them off or making them feel rushedGiving report is a difficult aspect of the job, especially when it's a critical trauma patient and you are giving report to a room full of peopleIt's easy to get in a rush to move the patient over, but we need to give EMS the time to give report - It's a big part of our day that allows us to build the team rapport between EMS and the EDAlex talks about the perspective going from a busy private ambulance to a slower county system We talk about differences in nurse workload vs paramedic in the fieldSometimes EMS doesn't fully understand some of the nuances of how and what we use their IV's for in the EDAudrianna talks about how ER nurses are trying to maximize their time while getting report from EMSED charting is a lot more complicated than the fieldI talk about how seeing ambulances when they arrive should be the highest priority for a providerMicah talks about the limits of our ability to obtain accurate information in the field many timesSupport the showFull show notes can be found here: Episodes - Practical EMS - Content for EMTs, PAs, ParamedicsMost efficient online EKG course here: Practical EKG Interpretation - Practical EMS earn 4 CME and learn the fundamentals through advanced EKG interpretation in under 4 hours. If you want to work on your nutrition, increase your energy, improve your physical and mental health, I highly recommend 1st Phorm. Check them out here so they know I sent you. 1st Phorm | The Foundation of High Performance Nutrition Everything you hear today from myself and my guests is opinion only and doesn't represent any organizations or companies that any of us are affiliated with. The stories you hear have been modified to protect patient privacy and any resemblance to real individuals is coincidental. This is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice nor used to diagnose any medical or healthcare conditions.
We've got it bad, got it bad, got it bad... We're hot for Van Halen! Their sixth studio album 1984 (their final with David Lee Roth) took the band in a bold new direction that blended their signature glam rock edge with sleek synthesizers to produce all-time hits like Panama, I'll Wait, and of course the iconic Jump! We explore Eddie Van Halen's revolutionary guitar skills, find a sneaky music video urine stain, and even dabble in the post-1984 Sammy Hagar years. The Mixtaper is drilling James in another round of Fact Or Spin with facts about fishy tour managers, certified EMTs, and a good ol' guitar string feast! Go ahead and Jump headfirst into the 200s with us!Keep Spinning at www.SpinItPod.com!Thanks for listening!0:00 Intro3:22 About Van Halen11:14 About 198416:19 Awards & Accolades17:03 Fact Or Spin19:22 Van Halen's Interesting Rider21:04 They Got A Pet For Their Hotel Room26:52 Eddie Van Halen Used A Power Drill In A Song31:17 David Lee Roth Was A Certified EMT34:21 David Lee Roth Loves A Good Guitar String Feast39:34 Album Art42:07 198442:55 Jump46:04 Panama48:58 Top Jimmy50:26 Drop Dead Legs52:26 Hot For Teacher56:15 I'll Wait57:54 Girl Gone Bad59:09 House Of Pain1:00:15 Final Spin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Show Notes:Note: Part 2 of Ian McGann's story continues next week in Episode 450. Stay tuned for the next chapter in his remarkable recovery.00:37 — Introduction by Ian Jessop: Stroke statistics and introducing guest Ian McGann01:37 — Ian's early disclaimer: stroke recovery affects speech, memory, and pacing03:30 — The moment the stroke hit: locked-in syndrome, stigma, and emergency response failures05:36 — A privileged man denied life-saving care due to cannabis use06:53 — Out-of-body awareness and bodily breakdown during the stroke09:34 — Ian's past cannabis use and the EMTs' biased assumptions11:29 — Ian's background as a certified first responder and the irony of his treatment12:28 — Arrival at the hospital and continued medical neglect14:30 — Denial of stroke protocol and degrading treatment by hospital staff18:33 — Wife Caitlin intervenes and demands proper stroke care20:31 — Misread CT scan, delayed diagnosis, and poor communication21:56 — Finally, emergency airlift to a better-equipped hospital23:45 — A shift in care: competent, compassionate treatment begins26:22 — 100% blockage found during emergency procedure28:03 — Waking up: a spiritual awakening begins in the ICU30:30 — Ego death and four months of profound spiritual awareness31:58 — Ian's experience of high vibration and soul connection36:08 — Learning to walk, speak, and function again37:16 — Gift of gab aids in speech recovery38:02 — Ian continues to use cannabis and reflects on its role in his healing39:10 — Discussing the science of cannabinoids and brainstem stroke resilience39:49 — Anecdote about massive cannabis dosing and its surprising outcome40:30 — Ian reflects on his journey and expresses gratitude for survival Visit our website: CannabisHealthRadio.comDiscover products and get expert advice from Swan ApothecaryFollow us on Facebook.Follow us on Instagram.Find us on Rumble.Keep your privacy! Buy NixT420 Odor Remover
Some ambulance crews may not have the best understanding of how a fire crew is going to run a call, with everyone assigned specific roles – often the fire department will be allowing a new crew member to lead the callI always struggled with arriving first on scene on the ambulance because that role is more work and more pressure What does fire like from the ambulance crews when they arrive first?First on scene should be allowed to lead the call and ask for help where needed, second on scene should not be pushing their way in and trying to take over the callSometimes the providers that take over lack experience or are not yet comfortable enough with their own skills to allow someone else to leadIf you have another provider on scene constantly trying to interrupt, give them something to do - often this applies to a disruptive family memberDoes the ambulance paramedic have to attend in the back if the fire paramedic rides in?As a previous ambulance paramedic, I viewed the ambulance as my space, meaning I always appreciated it when the fire paramedic had the respect to treat it as such, asking to ride into the hospital as opposed to telling me they were riding in. As a general rule, if the fire paramedic believes they need to ride in due to acuity, the ambulance paramedic should also attendKash, as a medical director, gives his opinion on this situationI really appreciated it when the fire crews respected our ambulance because the front is truly our officeEMT's can ride in too on low acuity where more hands, not ALS treatment, is neededI've talked before that a paradigm shift is needed for the paramedics at times, where they are more likely to have to attend more calls then their EMT partners - easy for me to say from outside the field now – but transporting the patient is almost always the safest, lowest liability option, we shouldn't be trying to get out of transports just because it's less workAlways treat the patient like they are a family memberWe are looking for proof that the patient is not sick, as opposed to assuming they are not sick from the outset, our approach is different in emergency medicineWe have, historically, reversed hypoglycemia or opiate OD, and the patient has refused when maybe transport to the hospital is warranted despite the fact that we have temporarily fixed a major problemSupport the showFull show notes can be found here: Episodes - Practical EMS - Content for EMTs, PAs, ParamedicsMost efficient online EKG course here: Practical EKG Interpretation - Practical EMS earn 4 CME and learn the fundamentals through advanced EKG interpretation in under 4 hours. If you want to work on your nutrition, increase your energy, improve your physical and mental health, I highly recommend 1st Phorm. Check them out here so they know I sent you. 1st Phorm | The Foundation of High Performance Nutrition Everything you hear today from myself and my guests is opinion only and doesn't represent any organizations or companies that any of us are affiliated with. The stories you hear have been modified to protect patient privacy and any resemblance to real individuals is coincidental. This is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice nor used to diagnose any medical or healthcare conditions.
How do we have successful, long careers in EMS?John recommends living away from where you work, doing unrelated activities outside of work so your life doesn't revolve around work thingsTaking care of someone you know is an odd position to be in, it can mess with your ability to be objectiveJason says we need to have an awareness of how we are feeling and how those around us are feeling, therapy is always a great option, get outsideThose of us in EMS/fire do deal with a level of PTSDTerry talks about this in his own life, when he broke down and started crying without an obvious reasonPTSD is not a lack of desire to cope nor is it a sign of weaknessKash talks about burnout vs moral injuryBurnout tends to blame the individual vs moral injury blames the system we work inI don't disagree that the systems we work in are imperfect and moral injury exists, but I still like the term burnout because, no one is coming to save us, the responsibility is on the individual to overcomeBurnout can slowly occur to the degree that you don't even realize right away what is happeningIs burnout inevitable?Kash says that moral injury is inevitable in some form or another - the important thing is to recognize it and deciding what to do about it, take actionAcute vs chronic burnout requires different solutions as wellKash recounts the Covid effects on EMSTerry talks about the ability to acknowledge your struggles and continue to move on and live your life, in spite of themI asked Jason about his decision to stay a fire paramedic instead of promoting up the chain, he didn't want to promote just for the money, he would rather have passion for it. He is still very passionate about practicing medicine as a paramedic and enjoys his career as it isHow do we get along on scene when responding with multiple agencies, fire vs private ambulanceJason talks about how beneficial it has been to see both sides, you can have more compassion for the other side when you see their strugglesHave the right attitude approaching a scene, work to get along with others as best you can despite the strong personalities we all tend to haveSometimes a short conversation goes a long way. Having ambulance crews stop by the fire station for some food or short hang-out can also dramatically improve your relationshipWe tend to assign ill-intent when we don't know someone, vs good intent when we do know themIt is difficult to fully understand each other's roles, when you aren't doing that job on a daily basis, trauma bonding calls can be helpful when you get into thSupport the showFull show notes can be found here: Episodes - Practical EMS - Content for EMTs, PAs, ParamedicsMost efficient online EKG course here: Practical EKG Interpretation - Practical EMS earn 4 CME and learn the fundamentals through advanced EKG interpretation in under 4 hours. If you want to work on your nutrition, increase your energy, improve your physical and mental health, I highly recommend 1st Phorm. Check them out here so they know I sent you. 1st Phorm | The Foundation of High Performance Nutrition Everything you hear today from myself and my guests is opinion only and doesn't represent any organizations or companies that any of us are affiliated with. The stories you hear have been modified to protect patient privacy and any resemblance to real individuals is coincidental. This is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice nor used to diagnose any medical or healthcare conditions.
We run thru some of the coolest movie memorabilia as the Pee Wee Herman bike goes up for auction. Plus, Neal Justin of the Star Tribune on some of the best in streaming, and EMTs have some very specific advice about Gatorade bottles. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Eli Beer is a pioneer, social entrepreneur, President and Founder of United Hatzalah of Israel. In thirty years, the organization has grown to more than 6,500 volunteers who unite together to provide immediate, life-saving care to anyone in need - regardless of race or religion. This community EMS force network treats over 730,000 incidents per year, in Israel, as they wait for ambulances and medical attention. Eli's vision is to bring this life-saving model across the world. In 2015, Beer expanded internationally with the establishment of branches in South America and other countries, including “United Rescue” in Jersey City, USA, where the response time was reduced to just two minutes and thirty-five seconds. Episode Chapters (0:00) intro (1:04) Hatzalah's reputation for speed (4:48) Hatzalah's volunteer EMTs and ambucycles (5:50) Entrepreneurism at Hatzalah (8:09) Chutzpah (14:15) Hatzalah's recruitment (18:31) Volunteers from all walks of life (22:51) Having COVID changed Eli's perspective (26:00) operating around the world amid antisemitism (28:06) goodbye For video episodes, watch on www.youtube.com/@therudermanfamilyfoundation Stay in touch: X: @JayRuderman | @RudermanFdn LinkedIn: Jay Ruderman | Ruderman Family Foundation Instagram: All About Change Podcast | Ruderman Family Foundation To learn more about the podcast, visit https://allaboutchangepodcast.com/ Looking for more insights into the world of activism? Be sure to check out Jay's brand new book, Find Your Fight, in which Jay teaches the next generation of activists and advocates how to step up and bring about lasting change. You can find Find Your Fight wherever you buy your books, and you can learn more about it at www.jayruderman.com.
Internal medicine physician Edward Hoffer discusses his article, "Can rural health care be saved?" He outlines the significant health care disparities facing rural communities, including higher death rates from major diseases, increased opioid overdoses, ongoing hospital closures, and an aging physician workforce without adequate replacement. Edward questions the effectiveness of programs like the Critical Access Hospital designation, suggesting they may sometimes support lower-quality care, and shares a personal anecdote illustrating the dire consequences of specialist shortages in isolated settings. He proposes several potential solutions to improve rural health care: enhancing transportation, including establishing fairly-priced air ambulance services; expanding the use of telemedicine for specialty consultations and patient access; better utilizing EMTs and paramedics with remote support; considering strategic consolidation of rural hospitals for improved quality despite potentially longer travel; and focusing medical school recruitment on students from rural backgrounds. Edward underscores the complexity of the rural health care challenge and advises awareness of resource limitations. Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot. Want to streamline your clinical documentation and take advantage of customizations that put you in control? What about the ability to surface information right at the point of care or automate tasks with just a click? Now, you can. Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Offering an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform, Dragon Copilot can help you unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise and it's part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare–and it's built on a foundation of trust. Ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow. VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended
Unlike your kids or your dogs, when you call them, they come! I am talking about the 1000+ men and women who make up the Anne Arundel County Fire Department! Sure, the department is an arm of the County Government, but the IAFF Local 1563 is the Union that collectively bargains for their pay and benefits, makes sure that they are staffed safely, and they are getting the support they need. After all, they see some pretty horrid things in the course of their duty! Today, we speak with Joe Addivinola, the long-time President of IAFF Local 1563, to see how the union plays a role. And, it is a lot larger than I imagined! From literacy campaigns to coat drives, our Firefighters, EMTs, and Paramedics go all out for the community when they are not working that 24 on 3 off shift! Did you know that the Union owns a four-story building in Millersville? Did you know there is a huge banquet room that can be rented out? Did you know they are a nonprofit, and you can donate directly to support their work? Me either! Joe even lets us know his thoughts about Anne Arundel County Executive Pittman! This was a VERY enlightening conversation and some insight into the men and women who put the wet stuff on the red stuff! Have a listen! LINKS: IAFF Local 1563 (Website) IAFF Local 1563 (Facebook) IAFF Local 1563 (X)
Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message This podcast is designed to inspire you to donate either time, money of blood. That's what we say every episode. Well today, you're going to meet someone who devotes a lot of time to the lifesaving work done here at Bloodworks. Her name is Adelyn Emil and as Bloodworks 101 Producer John Yeager found out, the volunteer work she does for Bloodworks is designed to prepare bystanders to step in and help accident or shooting victims in the precious moments before EMTs arrive.
They're trained to handle life-or-death emergencies, but what happens when the emergency defies all logic? In this chilling episode, first responders—EMTs, firefighters, police officers, and 911 dispatchers—share their real-life encounters with the unexplained. What's Haunting This Episode? A firefighter's encounters in a historic firehouse haunted by the playful ghosts of its former inhabitants. An emergency line operator in Australia dispatches EMS for a medical alarm call, to what turns out to be an empty house… A critically injured person recalls being comforted by an EMT at the scene of an accident—only to later learn no such EMT was ever there After Hurricane Katrina, a first responder follows a mysterious infant's cry and has a shocking discovery. From life saving specters to eerie voices on emergency calls, these are the kinds of paranormal stories that can't be dismissed.
The Insulin Injection That Sparked a Murder Charge She wasn't prescribed insulin. And she didn't need it. But she got it anyway—twenty units, straight to the shoulder, allegedly from her own daughter. It was just before midnight on May 25th, 2023, when first responders arrived at an apartment in Grafton, West Virginia. They were there for a cardiac arrest call. Inside, they found 81-year-old Ethel Moore already dead. Her body was lying on the bed in the back room. Her daughter, 61-year-old Kelly Louise Moore, was there too—on the phone, telling someone, “It's bad.” She seemed, according to police, more annoyed than distressed. When paramedics asked what happened, Kelly told them her mother's blood sugar had been high, so she gave her insulin. Not hers, but Kelly's. Kelly has diabetes and is prescribed insulin. Her mother was not. One of the EMTs on scene told the first cop who showed up, “I think she really killed her.” And that hunch would later be backed up by science. Kelly Moore said she hadn't been feeling well that night either—claimed her own blood sugar was low, so she went to bed around 8:30 p.m. Ethel, recovering from a recent hip replacement, also wasn't feeling great. That's when Kelly said she checked her mom's blood sugar twice. It was high both times, so she decided to give her some of her insulin. She told police, “I gave her some of my insulin.” The amount? Twenty units. That's a hefty dose—especially considering Kelly herself, who is more than double her mother's weight, takes 30 units per dose under her doctor's care. And her mother wasn't prescribed any. At all. Police noticed that Kelly seemed irritated throughout the interaction. She mentioned how much her mother was dealing with—arthritis, heart issues, dementia—and that she was the one "elected" to live with her since she was the only sibling not married. She allegedly told cops, “She had all kinds of s— wrong with her.” But on the same day she died, Ethel had called her other daughter in Florida, saying Kelly “wasn't doing nothing for her.” That daughter called back in a panic, concerned that their mother wasn't being taken care of. According to the affidavit, Kelly never told her sister that she had given Ethel insulin—only that she'd died, letting the family believe it was complications from surgery. It wasn't until August 2024, more than a year later, that the medical examiner's report came back. Cause of death: insulin shock. Manner of death: homicide. After hearing that, detectives circled back to the sister in March. She handed over the death certificate—likely still under the impression this was all post-op related. Then, just last week, police arrested Kelly Moore. She's now in the Tygart Valley Regional Jail without bond, charged with murder in the death of her mother. Ethel Moore's obituary paints a very different picture than the cold details in the affidavit. It describes a woman who hugged everyone she met, who found joy in trips to Walmart and McDonald's, and who could strike up a conversation with just about anyone. A woman who read books, loved her family, and lived a full life—until one decision ended it. #TrueCrime #WestVirginia #ElderAbuse #InsulinHomicide Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com The latest on The Downfall of Diddy, The Trial of Karen Read, The Murder Of Maddie Soto, Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK's Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, The Menendez Brothers: Quest For Justice, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, The Murder Of Sandra Birchmore, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary
The Insulin Injection That Sparked a Murder Charge She wasn't prescribed insulin. And she didn't need it. But she got it anyway—twenty units, straight to the shoulder, allegedly from her own daughter. It was just before midnight on May 25th, 2023, when first responders arrived at an apartment in Grafton, West Virginia. They were there for a cardiac arrest call. Inside, they found 81-year-old Ethel Moore already dead. Her body was lying on the bed in the back room. Her daughter, 61-year-old Kelly Louise Moore, was there too—on the phone, telling someone, “It's bad.” She seemed, according to police, more annoyed than distressed. When paramedics asked what happened, Kelly told them her mother's blood sugar had been high, so she gave her insulin. Not hers, but Kelly's. Kelly has diabetes and is prescribed insulin. Her mother was not. One of the EMTs on scene told the first cop who showed up, “I think she really killed her.” And that hunch would later be backed up by science. Kelly Moore said she hadn't been feeling well that night either—claimed her own blood sugar was low, so she went to bed around 8:30 p.m. Ethel, recovering from a recent hip replacement, also wasn't feeling great. That's when Kelly said she checked her mom's blood sugar twice. It was high both times, so she decided to give her some of her insulin. She told police, “I gave her some of my insulin.” The amount? Twenty units. That's a hefty dose—especially considering Kelly herself, who is more than double her mother's weight, takes 30 units per dose under her doctor's care. And her mother wasn't prescribed any. At all. Police noticed that Kelly seemed irritated throughout the interaction. She mentioned how much her mother was dealing with—arthritis, heart issues, dementia—and that she was the one "elected" to live with her since she was the only sibling not married. She allegedly told cops, “She had all kinds of s— wrong with her.” But on the same day she died, Ethel had called her other daughter in Florida, saying Kelly “wasn't doing nothing for her.” That daughter called back in a panic, concerned that their mother wasn't being taken care of. According to the affidavit, Kelly never told her sister that she had given Ethel insulin—only that she'd died, letting the family believe it was complications from surgery. It wasn't until August 2024, more than a year later, that the medical examiner's report came back. Cause of death: insulin shock. Manner of death: homicide. After hearing that, detectives circled back to the sister in March. She handed over the death certificate—likely still under the impression this was all post-op related. Then, just last week, police arrested Kelly Moore. She's now in the Tygart Valley Regional Jail without bond, charged with murder in the death of her mother. Ethel Moore's obituary paints a very different picture than the cold details in the affidavit. It describes a woman who hugged everyone she met, who found joy in trips to Walmart and McDonald's, and who could strike up a conversation with just about anyone. A woman who read books, loved her family, and lived a full life—until one decision ended it. #TrueCrime #WestVirginia #ElderAbuse #InsulinHomicide Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com The latest on The Downfall of Diddy, The Trial of Karen Read, The Murder Of Maddie Soto, Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK's Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, The Menendez Brothers: Quest For Justice, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, The Murder Of Sandra Birchmore, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
Send us a text First responders—police officers, firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, and emergency room personnel—face unique psychological stressors that extend far beyond trauma exposure. In this insightful Podcourse, I'm joined by Steve Bisson, LMHC, to explore the complexities of first responder mental health and how therapists can effectively support this population.Purchase this Podcourse here!You will gain an in-depth understanding of the unique challenges first responders encounter, including PTSD, acute stress disorder (ASD), depression, and substance abuse. Steve shares real-world insights and practical strategies for overcoming the barriers first responders face when seeking mental health support.SEE THE FAQ on Podcourses HERE! (scroll to the bottom of the page)This episode will equip mental health professionals with evidence-based therapeutic interventions, such as Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, and prolonged exposure techniques, tailored to address the specific needs of first responders. Additionally, listeners will learn how to develop comprehensive treatment plans that incorporate trauma-informed care principles, crisis intervention strategies, and referral resources to enhance the mental well-being of their clients.If you're a clinician looking to deepen your expertise in working with first responders, this Podcourse is an essential resource.Remember, while you can listen to the show for free, those seeking continuing education credits can purchase them here. Learning Objectives:Analyze and describe the unique psychological stressors and challenges faced by first responders, including but not limited to PTSD, acute stress disorder (ASD), depression, and substance abuse.Apply and demonstrate evidence-based therapeutic interventions, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, and prolonged exposure techniques, to address the specific needs of first responders.Develop and design comprehensive treatment plans that incorporate trauma-informed care principles, crisis intervention strategies, and referral resources to effectively support the mental health and well-being of first responders. Support the showYouTube Channel For The Podcast