Taste of Home....

Ok so I guess "home" isn't exactly the right word, but I did have a nice experience tonight that brought back loads of memories of what was once like a second home to me since I spent so much time there. I was on my way up to Jersey Mikes to pick up sandwiches for myself and family for dinner. I was driving along and I noticed a car and what looked to be a guy waving a light around near the back window. As I was about to drive by I noticed the light was gone and now he was turned facing me behind the car and was waving his arms frantically for someone to pull over and help. At first I thought I am all alone and it's dark it may not be safe but then I noticed a bike between the car and the curb and at the time NO cars had stopped. I went into EMT mode. If there is such a thing. I pulled over immediately as did 2 other cars at the same time. I was a little bit ahead of the car by now and as I walked back the waving guy was knocking on the passenger window of the car. He said the guy inside was twitching and had been swerving like maybe he was drunk or something before stopping. I looked in the window and he was slumped over being held by the seat belt and was twitching. It definitely looked like a minor seizure to me.

First thing I did was ask if anyone had called 911, I already had my phone in hand and immediately started to dial. As I was doing this I was checking the doors on the car (all locked) I spoke with the dispatcher to explain the situation and she transferred me to the fire dept and I explained to them again what was happening and the location. I described the car, gave the license number etc, Shortly thereafter the guy kinda "woke-up" and was kinda scared of the people around his car. He wasn't willing to open the doors. He seemed out of it. This is a common thing for seizure victims, it is called the "post-icthal" stage. During this stage as they begin to come out of the seizure they are very confused, sometimes combative. This stage usually doesn't last long but it can. After a min or two he kind of opened the door but not very far and if you tried to get close he would pull it back. I tried to talk to him a little, telling him that I am an EMT and was there to help. I asked him if he had a seizure history and he denied it, he denied having any medical history, but at the time he wasn't even able to tell me his age. He looked like he was in his 20's. A few minutes later I asked again but re-worded the question to ask if he has ever had a seizure before and he said yes. I asked if he takes medications and he said yes. By this time I could hear the fire/ambulance which both pulled up. I told him that we had called 911 for him because he was not responding to us in his car and he was stopped in the middle of a traffic lane. They came and I gave the paramedics a brief explanation, they walked him to their ambulance to further question/examine him. and the Fire Dept were going to move his car out of the way of traffic. I left when I knew he was in safe hands.

It was nice to feel like I could help someone again. Although I didn't really do much tonight it was nice. The real hero here if anybody was the guy on the bicycle! He flagged us down and then stepped aside.

The interesting part of the story is, as I was walking back to my car I was thinking I need to text my mom and let her know what happened so that she doesn't wonder why I am taking so long to get sandwiches. Than my phone rang, it was her. My neighbor drove by and saw the fire truck and my car and called my mom asking what happened. My mom of course had no idea what was going on and said that I had gone to get sandwiches. Alli told her that was not where I was at and that my car was there and so was a fire engine etc. So my mom called me. I explained to her that I was on my way to my car and that I had stopped to help someone else out because I was flagged down.

So after I got home and we were sitting down to eat my dad said "what if that was some planned scheme and they waited for you to stop and robbed you of all your money?" I said well then we wouldn't be eating any sandwiches right now would we?" My mom and sister kind of laughed. I told my dad I don't stop every time I see something like this or for every accident I pass or stranded motorist. But this felt right. The thing that scared me the most was the bike in the street. I didn't know if someone had gotten hit. I needed to stop! Needless to say I am safe, but it did feel nice to be "home" again in the working sense. I like to feel needed.



Oh and on a really EXCITING note: if you haven't already heard I got a letter on Sat from the CA Highway Patrol. I have an interview on March 18th at 14:30!!! I cannot wait! They also already sent me the paperwork that I think is for the background check stuff they do for dispatchers! I spoke with someone I know today who was the former asst chief of police or 2nd in command or whatever it's called for Simi PD and he told me to call him sometime before than and he will give me some interview questions that they will likely ask so that I can be better prepared for them. I am also planning on going on Tues nights to the church building where they do an unemployment workshop type thing to get some help with mock interviews etc so that I can use that to also be better prepared. I really hope to have full confidence in myself before that interview and to go in there shining! Please keep this in your prayers for me in the next month or so because I am way hopeful I get this job and am excited and nervous for the interview!