I’m tired, completely and just totally drained/exhausted mentally and physically….but….

I PASSED.

I freaking passed.  It’s been a hell of a long week.  Due to some paperwork issues (the cause of the migraine mentioned in the previous post), it almost didn’t happen.  There was a question of eligibility that was raised and there may have been initially inaccurate paperwork submitted somehow.    But, it looks like since I took the written in November, I stopped the 2 years to test clock as they consider that the "beginning" of testing.  I apparently by taking the written in November of last year extended my time to a year from then.

I’m having a hard time finding this online, so I can only go by someone’s word.  But I have this person on my side who will work with me to get anything straightened out with the NREMT.   So…I’m fairly confident I’m okay.  After all I’m still able to pull up my "candidate status" stuff and nothing there looks "expired".   I…..passed.

It was a long day that began at 5am so that I could make sure I was in Verona, VA by 8am.   My nerves were on edge with the emotional rollercoaster that I’d been on for the last 3 days dealing with the state Office of EMS, the NREMT, and the school where I took my initial course.  And from Wednesday until Friday at approximately 3pm, I was convinced I wouldn’t be able to test.  I was a bit more devastated at this than I expected.  Thankfully, I got the green light to test yesterday afternoon, and I spent the rest of the night studying.  The limited study time just prior had me in a bit of panic, and I don’t do well on practical exams, particularly when I need to "pretend" and/or verbalize everything.  If you didn’t verbalize it in these, you didn’t do it.

I was solid in areas that I was the most nervous about.  I was completely solid on my cardiology.  In fact, those 2 stations were the _easiest_ of them all I thought.  My nerves were on edge from being tired, the extra pressure that I HAD to pass EVERYTHING today since my eligibility was still questionable (or so I thought).   My first station was the worst since I’d had no time really to try to deal with the nerves and compensate.  I walked out knowing I’d blown it, especially since I realized later how much I did NOT verbalize.  For testing, it doesn’t help that I’m used to riding with a medic that I _know_ how he works, and often there is much that doesn’t need to be verbalized.  There was one other station I was certain I’d blown as well, the pediatric intraosseous (Pediatrics scare the HELL out of me).  I found out later this latter one I had passed, but had failed one I didn’t expect or think I had failed.

You are given the option to retest that day provided you have no more than 5 stations to retest.  Most people had to retest one or two stations, and I believe most passed the second time around.  I did as well.  I realized what I’d screwed up in the station I’d failed that I hadn’t expected, and it’s not something that would ever happen in the field.  It was back to the verbalization issue.

Next steps:  Find ACLS refresher (or maybe original), PALS and ITLS classes.   Also, I need to get cleared as an Aide and Driver in my department so I can start my internship.  I’d really ultimately like to be released in my department as an ALS provider so that I can also provide the volunteer engines with an engine medic as this will make them ALS engines as opposed to BLS.

So begins a new time of learning. YAY!