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Monday 9 June 2014

An unexpected DIAL-a-RIDE thank you!

I was surprised when I got to the Dial-a-Ride office on Friday.

I was presented with this award


Did I think it was just for me?

Well hardly had the thought crossed my mind when my good friend Ian, who runs the office on Fridays and also is a volunteer, was quick to point out he had one as well.  We 'rib' each other something rotten do us two, so I said,

"Come here, darling! and let's have our photo taken!"

"Oh Shit! I've forgotten my camera!"

There was raucous laughter as the swear box was passed to me and I said, "Gosh this is heavy, you lot must have done a lot of swearing - How much?"

"Twenty pence!"

"In that case I'll have forty pence worth, I said, "Oh bugger, I said Shit!"

(laughs)

The manager's wife, the delightful Julie, said she would use her cellphone and duly obliged, "Smile! . . . . .  cheese! . . . . . snap!"

She emailed me the photo - thanks Julie . . . . and Ian, get on with your work!


On seeing the result of Julie's handy work I said,

"Oh Ian! what a dreadful photo of you! . . . . . . !" 

"What do you mean of me? Just look at you!", he said.

We proceeded to banter each other and soon had the whole office in uproar with Julie and the manager joining in! 

 You see we tend to be on the jovial side - just look at Terry, the manager:


Mind you . . . .  two can play at that game if it's a hat fashion show you want:


But I would much rather see this hat on this adorable young lady who was the heart throb of the Ambulance Station and with whom I used to work whilst in service - you see we had a few perks in the service didn't we?


But I digress . . . . these are but distant memories of my Ambulance days and by now everyone is going to shout at me,


"Eddie get back to the present and get to the point?"

"OK"



As many will know I drive for Dial-a-Ride in my home town. I have worked there in a full time capacity twice, but now I am an unpaid volunteer driver, working for them every Friday. 

I just love it!

  We have three regular paid drivers and several other volunteer drivers including myself, plus of course Ian, who works in the office, manning the telephone desk and inputting appointments onto the computer.  Ian, like me, works just on a Friday.  In fact when I was working full time I used to call him "Man Friday".

Now, it seems Dial-a-Ride has two Man Fridays. him and me!"

Last year Ian and I attended a First Aid course held by two gorgeous paramedic ladies - unfortunately I do not have their photographs. 
It was a refresher course for me because I am well trained in such matters like CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation)

We practised resuscitating a non breathing unconscious patient using a manikin - after opening the airway by tilting the head back, 30 compressions, 2 breaths, 30 compressions 2 breaths . . . . 


The procedure has changed somewhat since I was in the Ambulance Service.

I was taught when entering a possible dangerous situation where a patient is injured and unconscious we should apply "Dr ABC" which stands for:

check for Dangers, check patient Responses, check Airway, check Breathing and check Circulation.

Nowadays the girls taught us this has changed to DrSHAB

meaning:

Check for Dangers, check patient Responses, SHOUT for help, check Airway and check Breathing.

They leave out circulation because if the patients airway is closed and there is no breathing then it will be almost impossible to detect any circulation.


"Eddie Get back to the point of the story!"

"OK"


The point is that sometimes I call Ian, Dr Shab and sometimes he calls me Dr ABC, and I make a point that he has no circulation! lol

The poor man has such a bad memory though because now he has forgotten who Dr ABC and Dr Shab are.

_________________________________________________________

All these HAT DISPLAYS remind me of a savage Vi-Queen I met on Jinksy's blog a while ago.  Geepers she is enough to put the fear of God into anyone, including Queen Boadicea, Maggie Thatcher and Ada Trellis.


  Yes, it really is Jinksy!  You really wouldn't think so after reading about that sweet and innocent lady I met last week and featured in my previous post.

Just take a look at this!  

What a battle axe!

HELP!



The full story about that one is HERE for those brave enough to read it.

______________________________________________________________________

Something more sensible next week - maybe!

40 comments:

  1. So proud of you both.
    Congratulations, Eddie. Thank you so much for volunteering...and of course for the smiles here on your blog.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Jackie - boy you are early!
      Are you having a morning coffee?
      I am just about to go outside and do some gadening.

      Delete
    2. Yes. Early morning coffee.
      Today is our son's 38th birthday. Just thinking about how time goes so quickly.
      Enjoy your gardening. Have a beautiful weekend.

      Delete
    3. Thanks Jackie, a Happy Birthday to your son and have a great weekend too. Hugs ~ Eddie

      Delete
  2. ha. fun friend you have there....
    CPR has changed a lot since i was an instructor...
    i had to retake it last year for teaching...

    and its really cool that you volunteer
    so i am glad they honored you...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Congratulations on you award! How nice!

    Having fun at work is one of the greatest perks! And yes, the lovely girl looks better in that hat than all you silly men! Lol...

    I'm trained in CPR, too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, that girl is MUCH of an improvement than us silly men - love it!!

      Very interesting you are trained in CPR - in the very old days they used to call it "The Kiss Of Life"
      Did you train in a private capacity or was it to do with a former occupation?

      Delete
    2. I trained in college when I took a course in First Aid, then I kept renewing my certification when I worked full time, as the corporation required a certain number of employees to be certified.

      Delete
    3. Glad you kept it going Betsy. You never know when your help may be needed. I know two paramedics who have brought people bak from the dead by applying CPR. I will write up their stories one day.

      Delete
  4. I think a Hat War is quite an idea...LOL.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, a good link and pleased it works but I have added a footnote to my post about this dreadful woman who would frighten even Boudica. . . . . lol

      Delete
  5. Congrats by your Award Eddie and Im sure you are really happy with trhis adorable girl lol

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Happy with this adorable girl? You must be joking! Where is she? No we were hust very good friends as we all were in the Ambulance Service - we were all very close friends.
      Thank you Gloria - come to think of it, you'd look pretty good in an Anbulance Uniform I should think! :)

      Delete
  6. You and Ian. A bigger pair of villains I have yet to see!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, and congratulations on your certificate. I couldn't think of a better person more deserving to receive it. . . . . . .well, I could, but I wont say.

      Delete
    2. Good job you are not here then, otherwise the Three Musketeers would not hold a candle to us!

      Delete
    3. And thank you Ian . . . . I mean Keith. I'll try to find a second hand one for you ROFL

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    4. Old Chinese saying "He who seeks praise for his endeavours, usually receives a kick up the a**e". Just saying. . . .

      Delete
    5. And I have an old Chinese Proverb for you Keith:
      "Man who pass wind in church sit in own pew!"

      lol

      Delete
    6. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
  7. Congrats on the award
    there you will sure never be bored
    With hats on the go
    And driving to and fro
    CPR has changed a bit indeed
    Way long since I took it at my feed
    I think the young lady in the hat wins though
    No hat award for you at your show lol

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thank you for that, my friend Pat
    But sorry you don't like my hat.
    I think on her it looks much better
    as you would see if you had met her.
    And everybody would agree
    The changes made to CRP.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi there Eddie Bluelights! Jumped on board your blog from over at Betsy's "My Five Men." Enjoyed the read!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Don and welcome and glad my post exercised your chuckle muscle.
      I post about once a week, maybe twice - mostly humour but sometimes more serious things..

      I don't know how Betsy and her friends manage a daily post but we all love meeting there daily - must be the coffee LOL

      I bet she spots that!
      She doesn't miss a thing!! LOL.

      Very nice crowd there.

      Delete
  10. Oh Eddie! You are always so funny, you must have had a great time working with all of these people. Congratulations on your award! Very well deserved.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Amy and glad to exercise your chuckle muscle. Yes I loved all the people I worked with plus the nurses plus the patients and now the passengers. :)

      Delete
  11. This looks like a tight, friendly and efficient crew you have together there. Nice award, too! Congratulations!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks and great to see you. Just loved your poem

      Delete
  12. Hi Eddie .. you certainly have a lot of fun with your volunteer work - and how excellent everyone is who does help out ... Interesting how the DrSHAB replaces Dr ABCs ... seems to make sense .. but anacronyms help I guess! Love all your photos ... cheers Hilary

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Hilary . . . . and yes we have a lot of fun and the work is enjoyable :)

      Delete
  13. Those hats are too funny!
    Not the last one, though! that is scary!
    My Miss V loves to wear hats ♥️
    Sure sounds like a great place to work...laughing while working is a must!
    Another award??? You'll have to build an addition on your house to hold them all!
    Enjoy your week....
    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Linda - glad you liked the hats - you should have brought Miss V with you.

      Delete
  14. Great to volunteer and be recognised for it. And it's good to know that if I pass out at your feet, you will revive me... I hope! Fun get-up on Jinksy, but I wouldn't want to meet up with her in a dark alley!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Suzie. I would certainly revive you! Want to practice??? lol
      I wouldn't want to meet the V-Queen in a light alley, let alone a dark one ROFL

      Delete
    2. Smiling... you are a fast one!

      Delete
  15. You and Ian are a hoot. And that's none too SHABby.

    Big congrats on your award. Bravo!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Hilary . . . . . and, oh how clever with SHABby. Think you deserve Comment Of The Week. lol
      LOL

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