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Tuesday 5 August 2014

A TALE OF JACK - AMBULANCE STORY




Alas, Jack is no longer with us - I heard he passed away two years ago.  He was a much loved patient during my days with the Ambulance Service - everyone liked him. 



Jack was a double amputee and a renal patient.  He lost both legs to Type 1 Diabetes a number of years ago, and then both kidneys failed, and he almost died.  Fortunately he recovered but he had to have four hours of kidney dialysis three times a week for the rest of his life.  He was considered too old for a transplant and our private ambulance company had the contract to take him  to and return him from the renal unit three times a week.  He lived 40 miles away and so it was something of a day out for him and he looked forward our company.  He loved being with us and chatting and telling and hearing jokes.  He really did have a great sense of humour.

In spite of his disability he was the life and soul of the party and put aside all the hurt and disappointment of his failing health.  His wife was a lovely lady, of similar disposition, and often gave us a piece of cake and a cup of tea before we wheeled Jack to our vehicle, often a Pope-Mobile like one of these. 



We wheeled him up the ramp and secured the wheelchair with fittings, which incorporated a seat belt.

Sometimes we arrived in a large ambulance and he pretended to get all excited and say, "Can we drive on sirens and blues and watch them all get out of the way?"

"Sorry Jack - it's not an emergency!"

"Oh! you spoil sport!", he would say, and clutched his chest in jest.

You had to watch Jack's keen sense of humour.  He loved playing tricks on us, particularly new ambulance personnel.  I remember the first day I met him I had him secured in the Pope-Mobile  and was about to drive away when he said, "Sorry! I have forgotten something!".  I stopped and said, "Ok Jack . .  What is it? . . . I'll pop back to get it for you!"

He said, his face deadpan, "My slippers!" 

I said, "OK", and was just about to leave the vehicle and I heard him laugh and then it dawned on me! . . . and we both laughed and he said, "Slippers! I get you chaps every time with that one!"

On the way he saw a pub and said, "I wish I was in there, I'd soon get legless!" . . . or engineer another situation where he would say he did not have a keg to stand on.

It seems a bit macabre for him to say things like that, but it was his way of dealing with the situation.  Yet underneath it all I knew he was sad, and so were we.  

He used to like being driven along by all the attractive young ambulance ladies and when I arrived sometimes he would say, "How disappointing, I was hoping it would be Michelle or Natasha or whoever!"
Well I wonder, can you blame him?



  Then he would say,  "It's ok Eddie - you can tell me some jokes instead!"



I said, "Now listen Jack, I am driving the Pope -Mobile, so I have got just one thing to say to you!"

"What's that, Eddie?"

Holding aloft my piece of double glazing

"Bless you, my son!"  


Eddie with his bit of double glazing which got a few laughs


Boy did he laugh.

Yes, Jack was quite a character and is sadly missed but I expect he is making someone laugh up there in the blue yonder.  He just made the best out of life and we all admired him for it.


There are quite a number of patients we got really close to - you just can't help it in that job, and it was almost heartbreaking when they died as they invariably did after a few years with failed kidneys - even with dialysis.



I'll write a few more ambulance stories from time to time.  I just need to jog my memory first.  I will put my thinking hat on.




(In the interests of confidentiality Jack was not his real name - neither do I use real names in my stories, except mine!!)








30 comments:

  1. ha. he sounds like quite the character...gotta love a person that keeps their sense of humor beyond the circumstances....he would have made my day if i was driving him...

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    1. Yes - great guy and a real pleasure to drive him, Brian

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  2. Jack sounds like quite a guy. It must be difficult keeping one's mood up in the face of such serious health issues. He's an inspiration for all of us.

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    1. Yes, Stephen , he was quite a guy and was an inspiration to us all - it wasn't easy for him :)

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  3. Hi Eddie...
    This is my 4th attempt to comment.....geesh!!
    It must be difficult getting to know someone, knowing that they will pass...
    It takes a special kind of person to deal with these situations...and you fit the bill!
    I am pretty darn sure, that you have a lot more stories to share with us..
    Looking forward to the next installment...
    What did you make yourself for dinner???
    Enjoy the rest of your evening...
    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

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    1. Hi Linda,
      First off - thank you for your very kind comment and I did enjoy my ambulance work a lot and the patients and my colleagues and those gorgeous nurses - I made a lot of friends.
      Yes I do have a lot more Ambulance Stories to tell and some funny Painting and Decorating stories, when I used to do it for a while.

      Please badger me to write some more - I need a bit of a kick up the rear somtimes . . . lol
      I made a cheese and tomato pizza and it was yum.
      I'll email you about the comment problem.
      Cheers
      Eddie

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  4. I think probably the most wonderful thing a person can do for another is to make them laugh. People such as Jack make the world a better place to be - as do you, Eddie. Thanks for sharing his story with me.

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    1. Thank you Jim - Jack was a fine example indeed. I was just privileged to do a job I loved and pleased to make people happy - like you do Jim.in your life. More stories to come :)

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  5. what a lovely remembrance!
    ROG, ABCW

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    1. Thank you Roger - will be over to see your blog later . . . . :) Eddie

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  6. Eddie....thank you for sharing these memories with us. I look forward to your ambulance series very much.
    Hugs,
    Jackie

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    1. Thanks Jackie - always great to see you and love to you and your family. Hope your sweet mamma is doing well, please give her a hug from me. . . Eddie :)

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  7. I admire people like him, who despite everything, still go out and enjoy life, and are a delight to be around. I'm sorry for your loss, Eddie, you clearly had a good rapport with him.

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    1. Thanks V and yes we all admire people like him. The word slippers will somehow never quite be the same again . . . . lol

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  8. Aw, such a sweet man! I admire people like that...those that have such hardships but choose to make the best of it and enjoy their lives as much as they can...seeing the glass as half full instead of half empty. Lovely story!

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    1. Yes he was a sweet man . . . . I don't think I remember him complaining even once but I did see the sad look in his eyes a number of times. A really brave guy and a pleasure for us to attend.
      I like that expressing of the glass being half full and not half empty.
      He is a positive guy and you are a positive gal. :)
      I must dig out some more stories soon. Please 'badger' me . . . . I mean 'persuade' me . . . . . thanks . . . . . :)

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  9. aw he sounds how a lovely man and BTW you always has stories about all !

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    1. Hi Gloria - He was a lovely man. I am sure you and all my blogging friends, would have liked him.
      Yes I have quite a lot of stories which I will post . . . :)

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  10. Sounds like a wonderful guy indeed, fooling everyone with the slipper remark had to get a chuckle or three

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    1. Yes, lovely man and a great sense of humour . . . :)

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  11. " Yet underneath it all I knew he was sad, and so were we.

    Oh, Eddie, this is the most beautiful line . Thank you for writing it as in this uplifting storytelling, I found it a relief and then an invitation to enjoy the beautiful story.

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    1. Thank you Julianne . . . . most encouraging and glad you liked the story - lots more to come . . . . :)
      Cheers ~ Eddie

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  12. That's a very touching story, Eddie. Definitely happy and sad all mixed up together. I'm sure you brighten anyone's day with your wit and jokes. It seems like you are particularly well suited to a job where so many of the folks can use a bit of cheer. Well done you!

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    1. Thanks Mary - yes sad and happy mixed . .
      . . . you say such nice things Mary . . . . . I want to cry . . . .and if I did that you would cry, then others would follow and then we would all be sobbing our hearts out!! . . . . . lol
      Yes love the job and try to brighten up people's lives . . . . :) Eddie

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  13. Some people just have an abundance of spirit and good cheer.

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    1. Thanks SAW and agree - so refreshing to meet someone like that. .. . :)

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  14. Awww as sad as it is to lose the people you bond with over your line of work, what a blessing it was to know them.. and that they came to know you. "Jack" sounds like a character and a half... much like his driver. There is no gift better than laughter. Your photos are a hoot and your memories are tender. Thank you for sharing them. I'm looking forward to more.

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    1. Thank you Hilary - so kind - and as my dear grandmother used to say, "Laugh and the whole world laughs with you - weep and you weep alone!" - so I chose laughter - it is much less lonely.
      There will be more ambulance stories - they are crystallizing in my cerebral hemispheres as we speak. . . . lol
      Cheers ~ Eddie :)

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