The customer service people at the Cingular store were amazing and very good to me. I told them my phone was not working and I was pretty sure I had not signed up for the insurance plan. I didn't say at first why it was not working. They asked if maybe I dropped it into some water. I said yes. (Later I told about the washing machine.)
I asked if we could first try a new battery before looking at buying a new phone. She got one from the back room and put it in. My phone turned on. The display looks a little soggy, but it works. Isn't that amazing? lol. It went through a hot/cold wash cycle and was in the spin cycle when I found it, and it still works with only a change of batteries.
The story gets even better. They didn't charge me for the battery (purchase price over $40), and they said, "You can sign up for phone insurance now if you want to." So, I signed up for phone insurance on the spot ($4./month). It has a $50 deductible if I use it, but the phone costs $150 new (I got it almost free with a 2-year contract purchased a year ago).
So, I am one happy camper. When the phone worked, I said to the (probably shocked) customer service girl, "Thank you SO much!!! I LOVE you!!!" lol. She laughed. That was good.
I smiled and said, "Yippee!!!!" all the way home.
Remember Roseanne Roseannadanna???
"It just goes to show you, it's always something! If it's not one thing, it's another!" Well, isn't that the truth?
I did something really .... I'll not say 'stupid', because I made a commitment to myself years ago not to insult myself for mistakes or inadequacies (in an effort to love myself rather than acting like I hate myself). What word would be appropriate? "Caused by exhaustion"? That probably fits.
I had been home a few hours from my 2nd day (in a row) of learning and laboring for free (on the ambulance). Yesterday, my 12-hour day on the ambulance stretched into 13.5 hours. Tonight, we finished after 12 hours, but I was still very tired.
Since I have only one set of EMT pants and one shirt, I'm washing my clothes every night after work. Tonight was no different. I came home, took off my boots at the door, and signed on to my email account to check mail.
After awhile, I began falling asleep, and I thought I'd better get my clothes into the washer before it was too late. I emptied out my pockets, taking care to check and double check to be sure everything was out. Then, I pulled off all my clothes and started a small load in hot water.
I'm hooked on the internet, so I came back to the computer and worked on my blog a little bit. Then, I looked in at a few other blogs. Before long, I was falling asleep again. The clothes were not finished washing, but I knew I could dry them in the morning.
I use my cell phone as my alarm clock, and I'd already set it for my wake up time. But, I wanted to be sure it was near me so I'd hear it ring. I started looking around, but I could not find it. Then, I got offline and used my home phone to dial my cell phone. That's how I find it when I've misplaced it.
It never rang. I dialed again and listened from the receiver this time. The cell phone went straight to voice mail. That could mean only one thing. It was turned off. But, I did not remember turning it off.
Then, it hit me. "What if my cell phone is still in the pocket of my EMT pants???" There was only one way to find out. I stopped the washer half way through the spin cycle, and reached in and pulled out my pants.
There was a lump in the back pocket where I keep the phone. The phone and my lip balm were both in the pocket of my pants, in the washer, near the end of a hot/cold wash cycle.
I took it out. Of course it was turned off, even though it was turned on when I started washing it. I was remarkably logical about it. I didn't start berating myself. I just reminded myself that some electronics will work again, after they've gotten moisture in them, if they can be dried first. I decided to try it.
I opened the back of the phone and took out the battery and the computer card (with a gazillion phone numbers). Then, I shook the phone in a slinging motion. Water flew out of it onto my bed sheets. I did the same thing with the battery. Water came out in streams of tiny drops.
This was not promising. But, there is nothing I can do about it tonight. And, it won't serve any purpose for me to call myself unfriendly names. I hung the phone in front of the air conditioner, sans battery and memory card, with a plan to leave it there until morning.
I don't know if morning will be long enough for the moisture to be gone. I may need to use a blow dryer. I even wondered, half joking to myself, if maybe I should have let the spin cycle sling more water from it, or if maybe the dryer might be a good place for it.
Most likely, I will be buying a new telephone in the morning, or some day soon. Until then, I will be without long distance, roadside assistance, and all the conveniences cell phones provide.
This is especially disconcerting since I signed up for a two-year contract with my cell phone company less than one year ago specifically to get this particular phone, and I have no reason to believe they will replace it for me just because I washed it in hot water when I was too tired to realize my mistake.
I don't know why I'm not more upset about this. It could be that I'm just too tired to do any more than try to stay awake while I write this post. But, maybe it's because even with the expense I will most likely incur when I replace the phone, it's small in the greater scheme of things.
Today (yesterday on the ambulance), I saw a man with no legs, a woman who was found dead by a family member, and a methamphetamine addict who claimed to have been clean for over a year whose muscles were twitching so hard I couldn't keep my fingers on the pulse point.
Today the temperatures were in the 90s F. A little boy was concerned about a stranger he saw fall in the park near his home. He took the man a glass of water while his mom called 911. He stayed with the stranger until we arrived, and he told us everything that had happened up to that point. He gave a very good report.
I also talked with some children who asked me, "Is she going to be okay?" We are not supposed to answer questions like that, since we cannot tell the future, and we do not know what will happen. I asked, "Are you worried about your grandmother?" They said, "Yes." I told them she was doing better than she had been when we arrived, but she was going to go to the hospital so the doctors could check her out and make sure she was okay.
"Grandmothers are really special," I said, trying to affirm their love and concern for their grandmother. I tried to speak to them in a way that might provide some comfort without making promises that she would definitely be okay (although I believed she would be fine).
And the miracle I saw today was a mother and child who walked away unharmed from an incredible motor vehicle crash on the highway. The EMT-Basic said the EMT-Paramedic was "still looking for feathers" (from the angels that were protecting the mother and child). Other emergency people on scene said the same thing. It looked like a miracle that anyone came out of that car alive.
In light of my day 'at work', ruining my cell phone by washing it in my work pants was in the 'small stuff' category.
I'll be using a wind-up alarm clock to wake me in time for day 3 on the ambulance.
Lights, Sirens, and High Speed Travel
I did my second twelve-hour EMS (on the ambulance) clinical yesterday. It ended up being 13.5 hours, because we got a late call for a very sick woman. I was wondering on the way to the hospital if she would die before the night was out.
The paramedics (EMS and firefighters) and all the others helping (EMS and Firefighter EMT-Basics/Intermediates/First Responders) had done all that could be done pre-hospital. We transported her to the hospital and kept a close watch on her breathing and heart rhythms and level of consciousness.
On the way to the hospital, I was thinking about how she was someone's mother, grandmother, greatgrandmother, sister, and aunt. Maybe she was still a wife and a daughter and a niece. I'm sure she was someone's friend and neighbor.
I was thought about how frightening it is for families when a loved one goes to the hospital and they don't know if they'll ever see them (alive) again. I wondered if her family would see her again. She was breathing, and her heart was beating. But, sometimes things change quickly, and the heart rhythms become irregular to the point that the heart can't pump the blood efficiently, or it stops completely.
When everything goes wrong, you hope the best of the best are with your loved one doing all the right things at all the right times. But, even with all the 'correct' interventions, when a person has no pulse and is not breathing, most times (from what I've been told) the person does not begin breathing again and the heart does not start beating again.
It is always a joy for pre-hospital emergency people when they can 'bring someone back'. The worst times are when the person dies right in front of them and nothing will bring them back. Those calls haunt EMS workers in much the same way that suicides haunt the survivors of those who commit suicide. They always wonder if there was one more thing they could have done to save the person.
Fortunately for this woman, her heart kept pumping and she kept breathing. We left her in the care of the emergency department at a local hospital.
After we left, I asked the medics I was riding with, "Is she going to die?"
The answer was brief.
"Not tonight."
Cancer Vaccine (What I Learned at the Health Department Today)
Today, I learned that there is a vaccine for cancer. I had never heard that before, so you can imagine my surprise.
Today, I learned that Hepatitis B is the leading cause of liver cancer. I did not know that.
The Hep B vaccination series prevents Hep B from developing in a person's body. By preventing Hep B from developing, the vaccine also prevents liver cancer from developing (in most cases).
Wow! That was a surprising bit of information. I told the nurse, "I need to tell everyone to get the Hep B vaccine."
They had a photo of a man who has liver cancer. The man looked horribly uncomfortable. His abdomen was swollen as large as two full-term pregnancies (all in one belly) and it was filled with large dark veins just beneath the surface. I don't know what stage his cancer was, but the cancer information says that liver cancer is almost always fatal.
It also says that Hepatitis B is the cause of liver cancer in 80% of the cases. So, the Hep B vaccine won't prevent it for everyone, but if the numbers are right, it could have prevented 8 of every 10 of the cases that are already active.
That's reason enough for me to get the vaccine. But, I didn't know that until I was already there for the vaccine.
I'm getting the vaccine a little late in the game. It's been about a year since I did my EMT-Basic ambulance rides and about eight months since I began my hospital clinicals for the EMT-P program. Two years ago, I began work at a group home working with adults who have developmental disabilities. I was offered the vaccinations then. But, I was afraid of it. I thought there might be some way I could get hepatitis from the vaccine. I knew that was probably irrational (and untrue), and it was, but that prevented me from getting the vaccinations two years ago. Now, I'm finally doing it.
Fortunately, I've not had any needle sticks. So, even though I drew blood from an addict once ("Try this vein. It's usually pretty good. The others don't work anymore."), I don't have the disease. So, it's not too late.
Here's what the Hepatitis B Foundation has to say about Hepatitis B and liver cancer. It's enough to convince me that we all need the vaccine, not just those of us who work in healthcare.
Did you know that hepatitis B is the primary cause of liver cancer? 80% of primary liver cancer worldwide is caused by chronic hepatitis B infections.
In other words, if you do not have hepatitis B, your risk for liver cancer is low. Since hepatitis B is a vaccine preventable disease, the hepatitis B vaccine was dubbed the first "anti-cancer vaccine" by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
ps- I found the photo of the swollen belly. Maybe it isn't as big as TWO full-term pregnancies, but it's pretty big. And, it looks like it would hurt terribly. Look at the photo, and start your Hep B series tomorrow!
The Hepatitis B series involves three shots in the arm over a period of six months. I'm doing mine at the Tulsa County Health Department's immunization clinic at 15th and Yale, next to the Driller's stadium and the Tulsa County fair grounds.
My employer is paying for the series of shots. (THANK YOU!) If they were not, it would cost $50 per shot. I am paying an extra $5 each time in order to get a combined Hep A + Hep B vaccine. It costs less if you combine the shots.
I added the Hep A series in with the Hep B series, because it's more affordable that way. I added the Hep A vaccine at all, so it can help me avoid being one of the ones who has to go to the hospital after an outbreak of Hepatitis A at a local restaurant when an infected worker hasn't washed his or her hands well enough after a trip to the bathroom.
Oh, one more creepy medical fact, as if all of this (including that photo) is not enough to convince you that you need to get the Hepatitis B vaccination series. Hep B lives in body fluids. It can be transmitted sexually, and it should be feared as much as HIV/AIDS, because it can kill you.
Here's the creepy part. The Hep B virus can live outside the body. The nurse at the health department told me it can live outside the body for up to thirty days. This means, you can get Hep B from something as simple as using someone else's razor or toothbrush or tweezers (assuming there was blood on it from an infected person and it was not properly sterilized first).
Most people who have Hep B do not know they have it until many years later. Many have no idea how they acquired it. These people pass it along to others without either being aware.
Protect yourself. Make safe choices. And, get the Hep B series of vaccinations.
Some Articles of Interest to me
George Will on the powerful claiming persecution. (You'll need to sign in to read it, but you can visit the Washington Post site for free if you sign up.) This was his editorial printed in the Thursday, May 5, 2005 edition on page A25.
One of my classmates is the partner of the paramedic who was attacked May 2, 2005. A man who lived near the ambulance station wanted morphine and she refused to give him any. So, he tried to kill her.
epinions.com says ...
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Country Bunny Oatmeal Milk & Honey Bar Soap
Author's Product Rating: 4 Stars
Pros: Smells wonderful, helps with itchy skin, can be used for shaving, exfoliates.
Cons: Can only be purchased from a rep, can disappear quickly!
The Bottom Line: A great smelling bar soap that not only cleans, but also takes care of dry and/or itchy skin and replaces your shaving cream/gel!
You can purchase these items at my online store, or call 1-877-662-8669 and tell them my name and Rep # 7733. Either way, you can pay with your credit card and have items shipped directly to your home.
Chain e-Mail, Quotations, and a Job Offer
Chain Letter Someone sent me one of those chain-letter emails to forward to other people in hopes that a wish will come true. I don't like things like that. But, I did like the prayer she sent. So, here it is:
St. Theresa's Prayer:
May today there be peace within. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith. May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you....May you be content knowing you are a child of God.... Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of you.
*****
This ties into some quotes I've been wanting to blog:
1. I spoke with a friend on Sunday whose family has had a number of physical and financial setbacks during the past year. This includes multiple injuries and surgeries, mistreatment by employers and colleagues, a small business going under, and a significant drop in income.
I asked how they are doing (emotionally). I asked if there is any resentment about these difficult times.
Her reply was one I should have expected. She has an excellent sense of balance in her life. And, she chooses to take life as it comes, the good and the bad. She does not blame others for setbacks. She just looks at what she can do to change her world, and she keep working.
My friend has very good mental and emotional health. To the degree that we are able to contribute to our own mental health, her attitude is the equivalent of eating all the right foods, drinking enough water, avoiding substances that are harmful to the body, getting enough sleep and exercise, and managing stress.
She said, "I don't have any resentment. I thank God for everything, the good and the bad."
She said that to me. And, I believe her.
2. On Sunday, yesterday, I looked at the Careers section in the local newspaper, Tulsa World. It was part of a story they picked up from the Chicago Tribune written by columnist Carol Kleiman. There was a quote that rang true for me, so I wanted to share it with you. Maybe it applies to many of us. It was from an article about a woman who started her own business. She said,
"I have a strong personality, desire and drive, and there are very, very few companies that embrace these kinds of characteristics. Most companies look for the 'yes' person -- and that is not who I am. I've had so many doors slammed in my face that I've decided the only way I'm going to be happy is to have my own business."
*****
This brings me to the Job Offer section of this post.
I was hooked on the Country Bunny Bath and Body Peach Mango Lotion Bar within moments of seeing it, smelling it, touching it, feeling it, and using it. And, only a few minutes later, I was asking, "What do I need to do to sign up?" I liked it that much.
I still like it that much.
The cost to sign up with Country Bunny Bath and Body is $89. As soon as your information is in their computer, they'll ship you a bag (over the shoulder briefcase style) with products worth at least the amount of the sign up fee. They also include training materials and an online-store free for the first year you are with the company.
I really like the Country Bunny Bath and Body products.
The products are wonderful, so I've been telling anyone and everyone I can tell. People are beginning to say, "I'll have a party for you" and "I'm selling your products for you. I'm telling everyone about it." That's great, because they'll get free and half-price products based on the sales at their parties.
I'm also excited about the new change in the EARNINGS FOR FUND RAISING GROUPS. It's impressive. AS OF TODAY, a fundraising group can sell the special HOP, Inc (Help Other People) line of fund raising products by Country Bunny Bath and Body, and they can KEEP 50%.
That sounds good to me.
I'm already talking to groups about the possibility of using these products to earn money. Contact me if you'd like to disuss this possibility.
If you would like more information about Country Bunny Bath and Body products, click the link to visit my online store. Then, click 'email me' and send me a note. I'd love to tell you more about Country Bunny Bath and Body.
