So nearing the end of my EMT-IV class, I've been a little hesitant about the ride alongs, as I'm well versed in the "book learnin;" aspect of the job, but lets just say my technical abilities are not quite what they should be. I mean, you give me some splints and some triangular bandages and I look like a monkey doing a math problem. Anywho, I just finished my first shift at the local EMS, and all I've got to say is I can't believe they actually pay you people for this job. It was freakin' amazing. So what if I only had two non-emergent calls over the span of eight hours? For the ten minutes I spent in the back of the ambulance, bouncing down the road with full lights and siren, I felt like I was on a ride at Disney World. And I don't care how much of a squirrel it makes me sound like, but when I was dealing with the patients, I kept thinking, "Heck yeah! Who just took your blood sugar, this guy!" Or, "That's right, I'm holding your hand all the way to the hospital, who's the man?" Basically, all the excitement came from the fact that for the first time in my life, something didn't feel like a job. So I've got my next ride coming up tomorrow night, should get a little more volume considering it's the weekend, here's hoping at least. Somebody please tell me it's all right for me to be this hyped about EMS, otherwise, I might start to feel a little strange.