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.

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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.

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Something more sensible next week - maybe!