Aboard Dignity (Lagoon 420) Blog

Already it feels like we’ve been at it for days on end. We are covering a lot.

Day 1 basically taught us how to assess a victim. To check an overall situation, to check for life threatening issues, to check from head to toe, to measure vital signs and to record medical histories. We also learned how do minimize the potential threats posed by the unique legal system here in the US.

Day 2 we’ve refined our learning from day 1, we’ve learned to perform CPR, to straighten victims in non-ideal positions and to maneuver injured parties. We also learned about spinal injuries and how to immobilize a patient in a litter.

In amongst all this we’ve had numerous hands on scenarios often involving the use of make up and preprepared stories to create a scene for rescuers to analyse and determine appropriate issues. Each day, class runs from 8 to 5 with an hour lunch. In the evening we are encourage to read to reinforce what was learned during the day as well as practice what we’ve learned.

We’re all very much immersed in the training and enjoying ourselves despite feeling already a little mentally exhausted.

We did have plans to put in a little hiking in the evenings but this has not worked out due to thunderstorms which have crept in each afternoon. We’ve managed to use the time quite productively though – I somehow wonder if we could have fit much else in.

All very good.

The image stuck in my mind from today is from our CPR practice sessions. Today we learned to perform CPR at the right frequency by listening to music – in this case “Another one bites the dust” by Queen – dark humour to say the least. A third of the class at a time would be practicing on dummies to the sound of the music. Looking at the entire class you would see 10 people at once preforming CPR in time to the music – quite an amusing and memorable scene.

First I hope I never have to perform CPR but if I do, I really hope I don’t start singing this song. Might be a little alarming for the patient. Fortunately the beat for “Staying Alive” works just as well.

Yesterday was fairly busy. The longest time spent was on a key for my Audi. One of them had stopped working recently so I assumed it was the battery. I drove to the dealer to have it replaced. The replacement battery made no difference so I was told the keys had to be reprogrammed. That would take an hour and I would have to wait for someone to become available. 2-3 hours later we discovered that reprogramming didn’t work either so I needed a replacement key. In all, this took over 4 hours and cost $250. Good job I was able to switch into island time.

Yesterday I also initiated efforts to establish our forwarding address in Florida through St Brendan’s Isle. We already have an address but it will take a while to sort out paperwork. I also applied for Helen an my health insurance to start in September. Fortunately by corporate health insurance lasts until the end of the month.

Today we’re leaving Anne and John’s for now. We need to leave by 1pm as we need to get to Sam’s college to pay for his tuition. We want to leave our little space in the far bedroom as clean as we found it. We’re nearly done packing but there is more to do. A few more transfers of stuff to the boys can be planned for today. Sam has room for the last of our sofa chairs in his attic so we’ll take that.

Tonight we’ll all stay in Sam’s attic. Bit of a squish but it means we can leave early in the morning for Newark without disturbing Anne and John. We have an early morning flight to Phoenix and due to the time difference we’ll arrive before lunch. We’ll have plenty of time to get to Flagstaff so I think we’ll go via Sedona and take a look around there. We have a couple of days spare at the end of our trip which we haven’t planned so sussing out Sedona will let us know if we want to come back. I’ve heard it’s very nice there.

The last trappings of my working life have been handed in. My work pass, my secure ID (which let’s be log in from home), my office keys and my Blackberry – this being the combined godsend and curse of modern work. Now I am fully detached ready for what’s to come. How do I feel? Nervous. Excited. Ready.