Happy New Year!!!!!

The times have changed. Independent blogging isn't as huge as it once was. Most of us are now writing for other health communities, is the reason. But, I've managed to keep this blog going. It's still here for anyone to enjoy.

Something I struggled with is who to make as my general audience here. Initially I wrote to respiratory therapists and patients. So, it was a unique situation to be in. It would have been easier just to focus on the  respiratory therapy profession. Here I share wisdom, but also poke fun at some of the unique situations we find ourselves in.

But, I started out also telling my story about asthma. So, this sort of spawned my asthma writing career. And I also wrote about COPDers. There are the types of patients we RTs take care of nearly every day. So, it's kind of hard to have an RT blog and not focus on the patients we get to know on a daily basis.

So, here we are going into our going into our 12th year. So many things have happened in that time. So many people have turned to the RT Cave for a tip or for a laugh. It's neat that we are still around. And it's neat that you're still popping in once in a while.

So, Happy New Year! We're going to make this the best ever!

RT Cave listed among best COPD blogs

So I am up late, and to kill the time I'm surfing the net.  I'm looking for a book that covers the basics of COPD in order so I can stay up to date on COPD wisdom, with the ultimate goal of coming up with ideas to write for healthcentral.com and this site.

As I'm doing this I come across a slide show called 14 Best COPD Blogs. I decide to flip through the show to see if there are COPD blogs that might be of interest, when I come to #10 on the list, which is Respiratory Therapy Cave.

This is what they said about the Cave:

Being diagnosed with COPD doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the humorous side of life. Respiratory Therapy Cave was created with the mission to cause you to lose your breath—from laughing too hard. The blog provides accurate information about respiratory therapy and related topics with unrivaled wit.

Topics include inhalers, mesothelioma, and the understated consequences of smoking. And each day carries a specific theme. For example, Mondays are dedicated to answering community questions on respiratory therapy.

That's a pretty good endorsement, and one I wasn't expecting.  So, in return for the favor, I'm providing the link above, and here, to Healthline.com.

By the way, they have featured my blog before as one of the best asthma blogs. So I'm taking this as a nice compliment, and an honor.

Happy Respiratory Care Week

October 20-26 is Respiratory Care Week.  The theme this year is "Bringing Breath To Life."

Some say the best way to celebrate the event is to host activities in honor of respiratory therapists, or to educate people by making awareness of lung diseases like COPD and asthma to the community.

I, however, am of the belief the best way to celebrate it is to get free things, and it doesn't matter whether its in the form of knowledge or material items.

Happy Respiratory Care Week.

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1893: Firefighters rush to extinguished the flames

Central Fire Station in Montreal on Craig Street

So it's May 16 in the year 1893 in Montreal, and and smoke is sighted by the fireman on night duty in the tower of the Montreal fire station. He rings the alarm bells that wakes up the men down stairs.

In the past there was only a volunteer fire force, with only the night watchman on duty.  His job was to sit in the tower above the fire department and watch for smoke.  Whent he rang the bell, men were aroused from their beds, or from the doings of their daily lives. Then business as usual, or sleeping as usual, was suspended while the citizens rallied to fight the flames, according to the March 11, 1893, isue of The Dominion Illustrated Monthy.

The authors said:

Hand engines were used in those days, and forty men formed the complement for each engine. Forty muscular men make a force that is not to be despised, and they contrived to pump out a strong stream of water for some time— but muscles were apt to become overtaxed, and the volume of water to vary in Consequence. When the alarm bells rang, the first available horse (provided it didn't belong to a doctor) was pressed into service to haul the equipment to the scene of action. The owner of the animal might or might not protest, but he must submit perforce—and he could get indemnified in due course by filing his claim at the City Hall. The water supply was by no means pertect in Montreal, in the days of the volunteer force. Indeed it was largely in the hands of a body of men who owned vehicles, which are commonly called watercarts. The corporation had a standing reward for the first water puncheon that put in an appearance to feed the engines. This was supplemented by a smaller sum to those that came later. Consequently, as may be imagined, there insued a great rush of "drawers of water" when the fire bells rang out. Of course the river furnished the volunteer brigade with a
supply in many instances, and in others a well would often be available.

The Montreal Fire Brigade is responds to an alarm.

On the first day of May 1863, however, a full and paid force of firefighters were on duty in the house for the first time, and they had equipment that was organized and ready for any emergency.  The men sleep in the station's dormitory, and each man has a bed, a chair, and a cupboard of his own.  Each man is always expected to be ready for the call to duty, whether it be day or night.

There were nine stations in total, and 30 alarm boxes in different parts of the city. All someone had to do when smoke was sighted was set off one of the alarms and the force was called to duty.

The Montreal paid firefighters on the way to a fire.

As the alarm on this night, all the men are sleeping in their beds except one.  The article notes that...

...the men sleep in their clothes, with their top-boots placed conveniently near. One man always keeps watch in the room below. When an alarm sounds, the first thing is for all hands to haul on their heavy boots. Then a rush ensues for a man-hole that is cut in the floor of the dormitory. This has a sliding-pole of polished brass running through the centre, stretching from the ceiling overhead to the ground-flat where the reels, engines and things are. The men slide down this brass slidingpole swiftly and safely; the horses are already standing in position and the snapping and automatic maneuvring ensues, as before described. Coats, gloves and helmets are always kept on the vehicles, and they are usually donned long after the wild rush to fight the flames has commenced. They have systematized things so that the actual time lost in answering a night alarm is only a couple of seconds longer than when one occurs in the light of day.

So the alarm sounds, resulting in the following sequence of events,

Montreal Fire Brigade in action. 

The clock stops, the doors of the stalls fly open, the halters attaching the horses unbuckle, and the animals, trained to that end,rush forth and wait, each in front of its allotted vehicle. Then the harness, suspended over the places where the beasts are taught to stand, drops upon their backs.

The collar is so constructed that a slight pressure snaps it around the animal's neck, the reins are made fast to the bit by means of a flexible steel spring fastening, and the belly band is also snapped secure. Of course each man is drilled to know his own particular duty. The driver mounts the box, and, when the harness is literally snapped on

The horse's back as aforesaid, he gives the reins a sharp jerk. This opens the street door and at the same time detaches the harness from the gear whereby it was suspended from the ceiling—and it also signals to the intelligent beasts that the time for actual starting has come. Then the other men spring upon their assigned vehicles, and the grand gallop through the streets to the scene of action ensues. These events that take so long to describe, are done in a marvellously short space of time. Eight seconds after the stroke of the alarm sees the detachment on the street enroute to the box whence the signal sounded—think of it, eight seconds! Truly this is a fast age.

This may be the dream job for men, yet it is not so glamorous as one might think.

One may see from the things aforesaid, that the life that seems so attractive when viewed through the glamour that is lent by the galloping of steeds, the ringing of bells, and the frantic excitement of citizens, great and small, is not altogether to be envied. For it is not nice to be on duty for twenty-one hours out of the twenty-four, with only one afternoon and burning building fell and buried three firemen beneath it. Those of their comrades that saw this thing, rushed to he rescue. In this they were joined by several citizens. It was known that the rest of the wall might tumble down upon them at any moment.

You see they did not dream of allowing their mates to perish without making an effort to save them —and it happened that the rest of the wall did fall. Of course no time was lost in digging beneath the ruins, and ultimately all were exhumed. The three that had suffered from the first falling of the wall lived—eleven of their would-be rescuers lost their lives. This, I repeat, is a simple tale.

But it manifests that there are brave hearts amongst those paid to fight an evening off every week. This particularly when one has a home to go to which is brightened by the presence of a wife and children. Decidedly it is not. But there is the spice of danger, the excitement of constant alarms, and the fierce joy of combat— the things in short that make small boys and grown men regard firemen as heroes—as indeed they are! For if it is heroic to do one's duty without the dread of danger, it is doubly so, in men's eyes, to die in the doing, which is no unusual occurrence.

For example, take the fire that burned the Woodware Manufacturing Company's place on St. Urbain street, in April, 1876. The alarm sounded early on a Sunday morning, and was promptly responded to by the brigade. It is a simple tale! It happened that part of the wall of the fire fiend in Montreal. Many other instances might be mentioned: indeed they are all too common. Allusion is made to the above because the number that perished is unusually large.

Apart from the actual danger to life and limb, there is the discomfort. It is no small thing to jump from a warm bedon a cold winter's night, to mount the driver's seat on a hose reel sleigh, and to go tearingfull tilt through the streets, too busy managing the horse to find leisure even to put on a coat.

It means the loss of a second or more to finish dressing before starting. Maybe that space of time would involve letting the detachment from another station reach the destination first. For there is a friendly rivalry in these things. Then again, when the temperature is very low, strange results befall. The hose freezes and refuses to work be towed back to snake-like thing, plugged with solid ice.

The men are necessarily exposed to the streams of water that are turned upon the burning building. This freezes, and their clothing becomes caked. They cease to look like beings of flesh and blood in consequence, and come to resemble perambulating ice columns.

Ultimately their trowsers crack at the knee, because being continually on the move, there is a constant strain on the ice formation, that has eaten into the fibres of the cloth. In due course this strain overtaxes the strength of the material, wherefore it breaks with a break that resembles the cut of a keen knife.

The same thing occurs with other portions of their apparel; but ordinarily the knee is affected first. Since the adbent of the present chief, Alderman Stevenson (who is Chairman of the Fire Committee) has ordered rubber coats and boots to be supplied, which is a great improvement on the old order of things. A few smart blows and the ice peels in cakes from the impervious surface of these. But in the days when the department served out pilot cloth pea-jackets and leather boots, it was not easy for the men to remove their clothing after a fire in winter. Sometimes they doused the buttons with boiling water, to make them flexible ; frequently they were obliged to cut them off altogether.

While all the men were paid differently, the average annual salary for regular privates in the year 1892 was a measly $500 to $600.  The fire chief was paid a bit more, and had a much better living arrangement.

This post is published here in honor of all the firefighters who lost their lives over the years trying to help other people, and all those who have risked, and those who presently risk, all that life has to offer to help those in need.  While the equipment and the training has changed over the years, the job is still the same with all the same risks.  This is in honor of National Fire and Safety Week.

The article concluded with these words, that still ring true today.

It is impossible to do the brigade full justice in an article like this. If one reads the daily papers, one gets an idea of the work they are called upon to perform, and of the dangerous nature of that work. The nearest approach to the old time man of blood and war in these days is surely the fireman. He is used to danger, because it is in the ordinary course of his daily duty. He is trained to obey implicitly and to act unmindful of what may befall—and his life is subject to constant alarms.

The end.

References:

1. "Montreal Fire Brigade," The Dominion Illustrated Monthly, March 11, 1893, volume 2, number 2, Montreal and Toronto, pages 67-73

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The meaning of Memorial Day

Memorial Day is more than just a day for taking time off work and going on vacation.  It's important that we not forget that the true meaning of this national holiday is to remember all those who died fighting to protect our freedom from the time of the signing of the Declaration of Independence to the present.

We need to remember it's not just a big picnic, and it's not just a big yard sale.  It's a special day where we pay tribute to all who worked hard, and put their lives on the line, to defend the natural rights that all of us are born with, but that, for 99.9% of history, governments have taken away.

We must not forget that, for 99.9% of history, only the gifted few were allowed to keep their freedom, and to obtain an education.  Only the gifted few, mainly among the aristocracy, were allowed an opportunity to better their lot in life.

We must thank all the brave men and women who have provided us the opportunity to keep what is rightfully ours: our freedom.  We must remember how frail freedom is, and how easy it would be, if it were not for these brave men and women, for it to be lost forever.

Happy Easter

This should be a happy day.  It's a day where the kids wake up to a feeling of joy that they will be able to hunt for their Easter baskets.  It should be joy for parents watching the joy of their children.

Yet, more important, it's a day for spending time with our families to celebrate the fact that Jesus Christ paid the penalty of sin by dying on the Cross on Good Friday, and then rose into Heaven in a symbolic gesture that we may all enjoy eternal life in Jesus Christ.

Let this be a good day. Let us pray that everyone receives the right message.

Hospital incinerators

When I first started as an RT in 1995 the hospital I worked for had an incinerator.  When I pulled up to the hospital at night you could see the smoke billowing from a chimney in the backside of the place, and, if the air was blowing just right, you could smell the rancid smell of burning flesh.

About ten years ago the government passed a law making it difficult for hospitals to burn their own surgical waste.  Since that time the products had to be balled up and stuffed into large black plastic garbage bags and stored in the freezer.  About once a year a big black, unmarked freezer truck pulls up to the back dock and hundreds of large garbage backs are stuffed into it.

The truck drives to Florida, picking up more waste along the way.  Once in Florida it's driven to the Kennedy Space Center where the stuff is loaded into dilapidated NASA rockets and blasted off into outer space.

This was my lame attempt at an April Fools post this year.  The trick here is that part of this post is real, and part fools.  Can you guess which is which?

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Happy New Year

Every new year most of us make some sort of resolution that we vow to continue throughout the new year.  The RT Cave proposes that all respiratory therapists make the effort this year to focus, not the patient this year, but charting. 

I know we sound like RT Bosses in changing the emphasis from the patient to charting, but after the patient is taken care of, there is nothing more important than accurate charting, with part of charting being accurate billing.  

It's important, folks.  If you didn't chart it you didn't do it, and if you didn't do it the hospital can't bill for it.  And if you didn't do it, a lawyer can cause some major headaches for you.  

Every one of us charts by unique means, both individually and as an institution. We encourage you, by whatever means you chart, to slow down, chart correctly, and make no errors.  

If nothing else, your RT Boss will earn more respect for you.  

Next year's resolution:  no complaining.  

Merry Christmas

Is it possible that we teach the wrong message by what we do on Christmas Day? I mean, Christmas was the most exciting day of the year when I was a kid.  There was nothing more exciting than waking up to all those presents under the tree.  But are we missing the point.  

My children are so excited waiting around the Christmas tree this morning at 6:30 a.m.  Their joy is unconditional.  But do they realize their parents had to sacrifice in order to give them things that will make them happy?  Will the reception of all these gifts supersede the true purpose of Christmas?   

Think of it this way: how many people are going to go bankrupt because they spent thousands of dollars on Christmas this year?  I know of one person who filed for bankruptcy this past year, and yet this Christmas she still spent thousands of dollars on material stuff for her kids.  I just don't see the value in that. Do you? 

One of my other friends emailed me this morning and told me I better have bought my wife a gift, even if it's a box of chocolates.  I wrote back: 

I can't help but see the irony in that. Jesus was the humblest man ever to live, yet to celebrate his birthday we have to buy something to keep those we love happy. That, to me, is the antithesis of what Christmas is all about.

Don't get me wrong, I love the joy brought forth when a little boy or girl opens up a gift replete with something they really want. 

Yet there will be people today who will be really unhappy because they didn't get what they wanted this Christmas. In such cases, those who truly understand the point of Christmas will be happy and thankful for the opportunity to celebrate the birth of a child who brought great joy to the world.    

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Happy birthday RT Cave

I have been doing this blog since October 13, 2007, and I have yet to run out of ideas to write about.

I promise I will not stop doing this until every hospital in the United States and Europe honors and respects the fact that respiratory therapists are well educated about respiratory therapy and are more knowledgeable in that regard than most physicians.

I will not stop writing this blog until every hospital in the United States and Europe allows respiratory therapists to determine what patients need aerosol and oxygen therapy.

I will not stop writing this blog until every hospital allows respiratory therapists to titrate and discontinue aerosol and oxygen therapy as indicated.

I will not stop writing this blog until respiratory therapists are allowed, by the guidelines and protocols created by the American Association of Respiratory Care, to determine appropriate ventilator settings, and perform weaning screens and spontaneous breathing trials as indicated.

I will not stop writing this blog until no ABG is ordered that is not indicated.

I will not stop writing this blog until there is not one physician who abuses beta adrenergic therapy.

I will continue to write the truth about respiratory therapy to the best of my ability.  I will not, in any way, be politically correct.  I will write about the facts as I see them.  I will also write about the truth, that sometimes what occurs in the lab doesn't match the clinical setting.

I will continue to show absurdity by being absurd.  In other words, I will create generalized humor without knocking down the person who said it.

I will continue to answer your questions, and keep you anonymous.  I will continue to allow anyone who has something to say to have a means of having their voices heard.

Happy birthday to my blog: Respiratory Therapy Cave.  I love doing this.

I would like to thank this moment to thank all my readers for making RT Cave the #1 Respiratory Therapy Blog on the Internet. Thank You!!!

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Happy 4th of July

If it weren't for the founding fathers gathering on that hot, humid day in 1776, chances are you would not be reading this blog right now.  There's also a great possibility the profession of respiratory therapy would not even exist.  We must all be thankful for the founders for their fight to protect the natural rights of men. 

I would like to take this moment to wish all my faithful followers a happy 4th of July.  I pray you all have a great time in whatever adventures you partake in, which, by the way, may involve sacrificing time with your friends and family to work. 

History of Christmas

Christmas falls on December 25 each year.  Believe it or not, this is not because this day is the day Jesus was born.  The truth is, the Church had no idea what day Jesus was born, let alone what year.  The reason December 25 was chosen for the celebration was because that is the date of a huge Pagan celebration.

The Pagans are people who believe in many gods, such as the ancient Greeks and Egyptians did.  December 25th was a day when the pagans gave presents to kids.  It actually started out these presents were simple, such as twigs from a sacred tree or brush as an offering of good luck.  Gifts became more elaborate over time, such as carvings of the gods, jewelry that acted as amulets, and food.  Food in and of itself was a very sacred thing in the ancient world, something that was very valuable, and often used as money, so it may have been the most valuable gift of all.  Yet this gift giving was not performed on Christmas, it was performed on  the first day of the calendar year.

The Catholic Church chose December 25th for the celebration of the birth of Christ because they didn't want to compete with the pagan holiday, so they adapted it as their on.  Over a few centuries the pagan holiday faded out and the Christians owned the holiday as their own.  It became known as Christmas day. The idea of giving gifts continued, although the church frowned on this.  The idea was that the three kings gave gifts to a baby Jesus, and this even became the major theme of Christmas songs.  Then St. Nicholas gave gifts to kids, and this theme caught on and ultimately formed a figure called Santa Clause.  Yet even the figure Santa Clause is derived from a Pagan spirit.

By the middle ages the Church gave up its fight, probably because those who were running the church by then had appreciated the joy of getting gifts as children.  Truly, though, the intended meaning of Christmas is to appreciate the examples performed by Jesus Christ, which included giving special gifts of food, time, good health, and life.

Don't forget your time will come

Nativity Scene

I went to the mall in search of a nativity scene.  I went to the largest store in the mall and asked, "Where are the Nativity scenes?"  

"We don't have any," she said.

"Isn't that the purpose of the season?" I asked.

So I went to the second largest store in the mall. 

I asked, "Where are the Nativity scenes?"

The clerk said, "What's a nativity scene?"

I said, "It's the purpose for the season."

I never found a Nativity scene that day.  And I came across five people who had no clue what one was.  Amazing. 

The true story of Thanksgiving

In honor of Thanksgiving, I've decided to post here the very first Thanksgiving proclamation by our First President, George Washington. He wanted to create a Holiday where we give thanks to the Lord for helping us create this great nation.

Note that he does not mention anything about Pilgrims and Indians.

WHEREAS, It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor;

WHEREAS, Both the houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me "to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted' for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have show kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

--George Washington - October 3, 1789

To learn the true story of the first Thanksgiving, click here.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

The history of labor day (a celebration for us)

About a hundred years ago the first Monday of September of every year was dedicated as Labor Day, a day to celebrate all the people who labor to keep the United States afloat.

The first person to come up with the idea is continually debated, although on September 5, 1882, the first Labor Day celebration was held in New York City as organized by the Central Labor Union.  A similar celebration was held on September 5 the following year, and in 1884 the first Monday of September was selected as the annual celebration of Labor Day.

The idea of such a celebration was appreciated by other labor unions, and by 1884 such celebrations were held in many cities around the United States.  Between 1887 and 1891 legislators in New York, Colorado, Massachusetts, and New Jersey passed laws recognizing the holiday.  By 1894 23 other states passed similar laws, and it was that year Congress passed a law honoring Labor Day as a national holiday.

A parade and family amusement activities were the main feature of the original celebrations, and later on speeches from prominent men and women were added.  The general purpose of the celebration is as follows:

The vital force of labor added materially to the highest standard of living and the greatest production the world has ever known and has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy. It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pay tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation's strength, freedom, and leadership — the American worker.

It was a holiday created by unions, back when unions were necessary and useful to protect the labor force.  Little did they know when the holiday was created that America would go on to become the world's leading economy. And you and I, as hard working nurses, doctors, x-ray techs, EMTs, and respiratory therapists, are a part of this.  We are being celebrated today.

We are the unseen worker who work hard around the clock, even on holidays, even on weekends, to keep people healthy so they can continue to labor.  Yes, folks, you should sit back a moment, take a deep breath, and feel proud that you are a part of the great American labor force -- the greatest labor force in the world.

Reference:

1. The U.S. Department of Labor, "The History of Labor Day,"  http://www.dol.gov/opa/aboutdol/laborday.htm

HAPPY EASTER!!!

Easter is one of those holidays that seems to get forgotten in the flux of hospital life.  In most of the hospitals I've worked for it's not even considered a holiday at all.  Yet it is:  Easter is a celebration of the resurrection of Christ.  It may actually be a celebration of the most important gift of all time.

With 85-90 percent of Americans celebrating this day, you'd think the hospitals these Christians work for would likewise celebrate it.  Where I work 100 percent of the administrators, and 100 percent of all the members of the hospital board, are Christians.  They all celebrate Easter.  Yet they still don't consider it a holiday.

On one of the most important days in the Christian world, many RTs are expected to work today.  Many good folks sacrifice time with their family to take care of others, and in my opinion they all deserve due respect.  Hospitals should consider this day a holiday, and pay these good workers time and a half.

So to all those who are making the sacrifice today, we herald you.  HAPPY EASTER TO ALL!!

The true meaning of Christmas

I remember going to Grandma and Grandpa Frea's house on Christmas Eve and seeing a million presents scattered from the Christmas tree to the fireplace mantle, alongside the fireplace and lined up all the way along the wall and up the staircase. I remember the excitement as we kids looked over all the boxes looking for something that was ours.

Of course in the end, after a long, long wait, there was only one box sitting alongside me when the gifts were handed out. Then Santa would show up and bring another small gift. I remember opening the package and receiving a great big firetruck with ladders and all. The excitement was real.

Then we'd ride home. It was dark and the stars were abounding. On the way home we listened to Christmas tunes on the radio, and listen as dad talked about how neat it was to see all the stars, "A great night to see Santa Clause," he said. And we kids were rushing to get as close to the window as we could to see the sleigh.

"I see it right there," dad said.

"I don't see it," I said with my face plastered against the cold glass, my brother David half way on my lap with his face pressed on the glass too.

Then we'd rush into the house, through squishy snow, pull our snow pants and boots off, and rush to get our pajama's on. The goal was to fall asleep as fast as we could so we could get up and see how many presents we had.

Of course then I wouldn't be able to sleep. I lay there looking on my dresser at the firetruck. I lay there past midnight. "What was that!" I'd jump up and look out the window. "Was it Santa?"

Then finally, after the longest night ever, waking up and rushing to the living room. Bobby and David were already up and sitting under the Christmas tree. Mom had said last night not to touch anything until she got up, yet Bobby and David already had the presents sorted by person.

There were a ton of presents, and this time instead of the entire Frea family, there was only THIS frea family of a mom and a dad and five boys. So the chances of many of these toys belonging to me was pretty good.

There were big toys. There was a wagon and a tricycle that more than likely belonged to Dan and Tony. And there were big boxes and little boxes. Then we looked at the fireplace mantle and there were five big stocks stuffed full of stuff. And Bobby handed each one of us ours.

I sat on the couch with mine next to me, salivating at the candy cane sticking out of the top. Little Danny already had his open and sticky white saliva dribbling down his chin. Finally mom came out carrying little Tony, and she said, "I guess I wasn't sleeping past 7 a.m. today with all this commotion.

Before I knew it all my presents were open, and I wasn't completely satisfied. I wanted to get Star Wars figures and what I got was a stiff statue of a Star Wars figure. I wanted little Hot Wheels, and I did, but I was upset that my brother David got better ones. He got a big Hot Wheels truck. In fact he got two.

Later mom said she made a mistake, because I was supposed to get one. Yet David would not give me what was mine. He claimed them both for himself.

As I got older the presents became fewer. I would get one box and that was it. David and Bobby would also get one. Dan and Tony would also get one or two little things. Grandma and Grandpa went to Florida. So the Christmas of 1978 seemed to be one of my best Christmas memories ever.

Until 2010. Now I have my own family, and I woke up and saw all the Christmas presents under the tree and was the happiest man in the world because I knew not one of the gifts was for me. They were all from me, but not for me. I learned that the gifts themselves was not the purpose of Christmas, but the happy looks on the people who received them.

The greatest gift was not material possessions, but humility and family. And I also realized for the first time since 1978 why there seemed to be so many presents under the tree that year and not so many later on. I realized that it was not the gift but the age of the kids.

As kids grow older they prefer electronics and games and even clothing, and this results in fewer gifts. Likewise, as kids get older they realize the true meaning of Christmas, and don't expect as much (well, sorta). When kids are little we parents find joy in giving the first Tricycle to the little ones, and the first Wagon.

It was those BIG toys that made this year seem like there were so many gifts. Yet the same amount was spent on the BIG toys for my two little kids 2 and under, as on the really tiny boxes for the bigger kids of seven and 12.

And then my kids put two little boxes in front of me, and I understood why it was that my parents always said not to give them presents. And why it was that they always waited until last to open their gifts.

This was because I didn't need any gifts. In fact, it mattered not that I even opened mine, except I knew it would make my kids happy and my wife happy. They bought me a radio because they knew that would make me happy. And it did.

Yet what really made me happy was that every one in this room was here today and was happy because of me. It was because of my hard work as an RT and my dedication to my wife and kids. It was because of humility and Jesus.

I made a video of my seven year old opening up her package, and when she found out Santa gave her a DSI her joy was unquestionable. She was ecstatic. My 2 year old was excited about a simple sucker she got in her stocking, even though she had several other larger packages yet to open.

My 12 year old was upset that my daughter got a DSI and he didn't, even though he already had one. He was unhappy. Truly, he had yet to realize the purpose of Christmas. To him, Christmas was getting stuff. Yet I said nothing, because I remember how happy I was when I was his age to get stuff and I still grew up to realize the true meaning of Christmas.

This year, at 40, I realized the true meaning of Christmas. It's not materialism: it's family. (This was written on Christmas Day 2010).

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The history of New Years

It's interesting to learn that the traditional New Year's Day celebration is in celebration of a Pagan Holiday. It's also the only public holiday that is celebrated most in most nations around the world.

In the U.S. we use the Julian Calendar, which was created during the time of Julius Caesar. It's also referred to as the Caesar Calendar. The New Year, January 1, was a celebration of the God Janus, who had two faces: one facing back and one facing forward. This was a god who could look back on last year, and see the year to come.

A new calendar used in most nations around the world is the Gregorian calendar. January one on the Caesar Calendar (adapted in 1752) corresponds to January 14 on the Gregorian scale, and therefore New Year's is celebrated on January 14 in most nations. Still, the celebration is basically on the same day each year.

Some Eastern Orthodox churches use another calendar, yet coincidentally they celebrate the New Year on the same day as us. So it's truly a national celebration.

January, thus, is named after the Pagan go Janus. He was the god of "gates, doors, and new beginnings," according to Wikipedia. The date this celebration is believed to have started is 153 BC, although there is no consensus as to the exact date.

Still, as you can see here, the celebrations vary from nation to nation. And some countries, such as China, celebrate the day on a different day as you and I. In fact, it is known as the oldest holidays, being first celebrated in ancient Babylon some 4,000 years ago.

According to Wilstar.com the New Year did not always start on January 1.

In 2,000 BC the Babylonian New Year was changed to correspond with the first New Moon after the Vernal Equinox (first day of Spring). Wilstar notes that spring (in March) was a better time to celebrate the new year, as spring is a time of everything fresh and new, and January has no such significance.

The Romans celebrated the New Year in late March, although tampering with various Emperors often made the date different until Julius Caesar was in charge of Ancient Rome. The calendar was changed to make the date in synchronization with the sun.

At this time, according to Wilstar, the Roman Senate (in 153 BC) declared January 1 to be the beginning of the New Year. Yet the previous year often dragged on for 445 days so January 1 would be in synchronization with the sun. So you can see the confusion this created.

However, the Julian Calendar ultimately created a set date for January 1 following a 365 day calendar year, or 366 on a leap year.

Since the New Years celebration was originally known as a Pagan holiday, the Catholic Church forbade its celebration. Although later the Christian church placed its own holiday observances on the same day as Pagan celebrations so people would forget about the old reasons for the holiday and remember the Christian reasons for the celebrations.

For example, like New Years, December 25 was originally a Pagan celebration. So the Catholic Church made it so the celebration of the Birth of Jesus was also on that date. This was possible because no one knew exactly when the Birth of Jesus actually was.

During the Middle Ages the Church was opposed to the New Year's Celebration, and it has only been celebrated by Western Societies for the past 400 years.

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Happy 4th of July, 2010

Happy America!!!! Today is the day we must not just celebrate, but remember the people who gave us the opportunity to appreciate what we are doing right now -- enjoying our freedom.

No matter what flaws you see around you, it's always important to REMEMBER that our founding father's would YEARN for what you and I have- freedom.

We must remember the importance of our great Constitution, and we must REMEMBER how the world was before it was signed, and we must remember why we fought in the Revolutionary War. We must REMEMBER why the Revolutionary War was fought, because the King was making laws that took away American Freedoms.

Our founding fathers made this great change so that we would never have to fight for our freedom again, although, as I'm sure they knew, this thing we call Freedom is very fragile.

We have many nations and individuals out there who hate that we have freedom, and yearn to take it away. And we have people even within the U.S. itself who are acting like insidious worms eating it from the inside out without us hardly noticing it's occurring. It's called gradual change of America by attenuation. They know our Constitution forbids one rapid change, so they've decided one small baby step at a time will work great; so gradual we never even realize it's occurring. And it's done in the name of it's-for-your-own-good.

We have people who do not care about the Constitution, and want the Government to control the people. These people want state control -- the exact thing we yearned to escape on that fateful day on 1776 when several audacious founders risked their lives and signed the Declaration of Independence.

In a way, that seems what we are doing right now. Right now, we have people in Washington making laws that are unconstitutional without batting an eyelash. In a way, our country has been under assault since the turning of the 20th century. And recently, without considering whether or not it was Constitutional, Washington passed a Health Care Reform package pent on taking away even more of our freedom.

The reason I think this assault is happening is because the further we get in time to what happened on July 4, 1776, the more we forget, and the more we forget how fragile this thing called freedom is. We must not forget, and that is the reason for the July 4 celebration every year. We must not forget, and that is why we must continue to educate our children about the true story surrounding the 4th of July, the Statue of Liberty, and the hardships of the founding fathers. We must make sure our children are taught an accurate version of history, about the founding fathers, about how it really was, and about the Great Speeches of that time, and about the importance of the U.S. Constitution.

So go out and celebrate. Have fun. Yet don't just celebrate and take your natural God-Given freedoms for granted, because they are and always will be under assault. We must continue to fight either with spoken words, the pen, or even with the sword if we need to, because what we have in this great nation is something special, and something extremely rare in the scheme of World History.

God Bless America!!!
Happy America!!!

Merry Christmas Hospital Style

It's nice to simply spend a day at home with the family. For the first time in 10 years I actually get both Christmas and Christmas Eve off this year.

Yet, lo and behold, one of my coworkers got kicked in the neck by a patient with a CO2 of 133, and I was called in a panic to come in and help out. My daughter was sad that I had to leave just before she was to open her gifts from the in-laws, yet I wasn't going to leave my coworkers stranded. I suppose, in a way, sacrificing my family Christmas time was my Christmas gift to Shoreline Medical. I was told I might as well plan on staying the night. My daughter frowned when I told her this news.

My coworker said she was kicked in the neck with a knee as she inserted the needle, and as she flipped the syringe under the bed, she was kicked on the other side of the neck with the other knee. Now she's in the ER while I take care of that crashing patient, and another, and another. And the other RT was in the ER taking care of yet another crashing patient. Merry Christmas indeed.

Of course as soon as I blessed the hospital with my presence all was well. My coworker was cleared of any neck ailments, and will be sore a few days and nothing more. The patient who kicked her was out of his gourd at the time, and is now on BiPAP and slowly coming to his senses. Yet I hope God's Christmas present to him is that he learn to quit being a MODEST COPDer. You know the type: they wait, and wait, and wait, and wait, thinking they will eventually get better. Yet it rarely ever happens. So they come to the ER by ambulance and become our problem.

It seems like every Christmas we get our share of MODEST lungers. Another Christmas gift we get from the community are Lonely-DEPRESSED lungers. These are the folks who are lonely around the season and come to the hospital for their annual dose of PAL-buterol. They just yearn for the company of your humble RTs.

Then you also have your dose of Break-lungers. These are they folks who's family needs a vacation from them, and they somehow -- coincidentally -- end up with fake pneumonia just in time for the holidays.

Of course we also get our share of post Christmas dinner heart attacks. Thankfully our hospital doesn't keep these folks anymore, and ships them to the cardiac hospital down state . Although if that heart attack is massive enough, our services come in handy.

It's neat how things work out this time of year. It's also neat that we have such a great team where I work, and we have good folks like you nd me who put our own selfish desires aside for the benefit of the community and spend time working.

Christmas is a time for sharing. It's a time for giving. It's a time for family. Yet, thankfully, the medical community does not close shop come Holiday time. We are available 24-7 to provide whatever services we offer. We help those who help themselves, and we help those who do not help themselves. We help the needy, and we help the fakers. That's what we do.

Thankfully we staved off the need for any intubations, and all those patients mentioned above are now fine. That, I imagine, was Gods gift to them. Within an hour after I clocked in I clocked out. My daughter smiled big time when I came through the door. She told me in less than 30 seconds all the neat little toys she got from her uncles, aunts and grandparents.