It is Sunday night. I leave for China in a week and 3 days. As usual, this is met with mixed feelings. Tonight after work I spent the evening ridding the stairs of laminate flooring. Wasn't to hard, and I had help from Art. This is all good for the house, and ultimately will make Jenn happy that we will have some carpet in the house. The bad is that i didn't get a chance to relax with the family. Ah, but the more I do before my rare 2 days off this week means more QUALITY time with them then. It is becoming more and more difficult to imagine a month without my wife's amazing smile, or Jackson's infectious laugh, or Cameron's untiring enthusiasm. I read to them before bed, as I do nights when I am home. I wonder if I could be a part of some kind of reading with them through Skype. I will definitely miss doing that.
I have known about the hotels I will be staying at for about a week. The first night will be in Beijing at a Courtyard by Marriot. Then a flight to Chengdu, where my month long residence will be at the Wyndham Chengdu. It bills itself as the only 5 star international hotel in Chengdu. The website is www.wyndham.com/hotels/CTUCD/main.wnt if you'd like to check it out.
Other than that there isn't a whole lot on that front. I will be picking up my converters for plugs soon, which reminds me I need to email the hotel about that! I'm out!
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Training Classes 2/15 & 2/16
Last week, we met for our training classes. This was also my first time meeting Dave Schappe, who is one of the 3 going over there. I suspect that I will definitely enjoy his company. Very pleasant to be around and has some knowledge that I would love to pick up on. Easy enough since I'll be spending a month with him! He also fits in with Paula and I as if we have known him for years. Excellent news!
On the first day it was equipment, equipment, equipment. We picked through every box, every piece of equipment that was ordered and decided what exactly we needed to take with us. Mannequins, airway kits, drugs, generators, backboards, KEDs and splints. And that wasn't all of it! A whole day devoted to equipment. It was absolutely necessary. We packaged it all up and prepared it for shipping. Some of Daves' genius came out this day as well. He (and Chris Diaz) figured out a way to make a simple 'pleur-evac' system for simulating the fluid drain from a chest tube. Wow. Consider my mind blown.
Day 2 was mostly going over the schedule and agenda and assigning lectures to individual instructors. Partly chosen for one instructors expertise and willingness to do so, and partly chosen because no one else wanted to do it! There was also some learning of back boarding Mark by use of 9 ft straps and the box method. Much better than what is used where I work in the field. Seat belts for spinal motion restriction to a back board is a joke. Wish we had 9 ft straps. We also had a conference call with some of the GMR and Witt & Associates folks who made this all possible. They had some great information that is too lengthy to put on here!
Jenn and Cameron also made an appearance, bringing Lena some flowers. Jenn wanted to show appreciation for the cell phone usage and also for Lena just generally being awesome. Great idea babe!
All in all, it was a very successful couple of days. I feel much more prepared for the project. Meeting Dave was also a necessity. Once again, I become slightly excited and also very sad at the same time. This will most assuredly be an ongoing issue!
On the first day it was equipment, equipment, equipment. We picked through every box, every piece of equipment that was ordered and decided what exactly we needed to take with us. Mannequins, airway kits, drugs, generators, backboards, KEDs and splints. And that wasn't all of it! A whole day devoted to equipment. It was absolutely necessary. We packaged it all up and prepared it for shipping. Some of Daves' genius came out this day as well. He (and Chris Diaz) figured out a way to make a simple 'pleur-evac' system for simulating the fluid drain from a chest tube. Wow. Consider my mind blown.
Day 2 was mostly going over the schedule and agenda and assigning lectures to individual instructors. Partly chosen for one instructors expertise and willingness to do so, and partly chosen because no one else wanted to do it! There was also some learning of back boarding Mark by use of 9 ft straps and the box method. Much better than what is used where I work in the field. Seat belts for spinal motion restriction to a back board is a joke. Wish we had 9 ft straps. We also had a conference call with some of the GMR and Witt & Associates folks who made this all possible. They had some great information that is too lengthy to put on here!
Jenn and Cameron also made an appearance, bringing Lena some flowers. Jenn wanted to show appreciation for the cell phone usage and also for Lena just generally being awesome. Great idea babe!
All in all, it was a very successful couple of days. I feel much more prepared for the project. Meeting Dave was also a necessity. Once again, I become slightly excited and also very sad at the same time. This will most assuredly be an ongoing issue!
Monday, February 21, 2011
Getting up to Speed.
There has been a lot that has happened that has gotten me to this point. First, was being selected to go. I originally was #5 on the list, and only the top 3 were going. The 2 above me both could not go for personal reasons and the table was set. Lena (my amazing NCTI boss) called me one day as I was out of town teaching and needed an answer fairly quickly. This was not an easy answer to come by. Obviously I was extremely flattered to be an alternate, let alone someone chosen to go! The honor was high, the experience a once in a lifetime opportunity but I am a family man first and foremost. Leaving my wife and children for an entire month? Not something I ever thought I would have to do. How can I justify it? Perhaps I may not want to be in the field as a Paramedic forever. Perhaps an injury, such as a back injury which is common to my profession would cut my career short. This opportunity would be a great item on a resume in any future job I might want. In 5 years would I regret not going? Jenn did not want me resenting her for telling me not to go despite the fact that it is clearly obvious she does not want me to.
Thus, the decision was made that I would go. Am I excited? Somewhat. It is a very difficult question to answer. It already hurts me to know that my wife hurts because of it. And then there is Jackson and Cameron. Almost everyday I get a "Do you have to go to China, Daddy?" or "Please stay home, I'll miss you too much". I've had to choke back tears everytime. It is going to be a very painful month.
Thankfully, I have 2 means of communication with them. Both ways were somewhat unexpected. I did not own a laptop, but my mother in law Patty, and father in law Jay stepped up to the plate big time. They decided to give me a netbook! This particular netbook has a built-in webcam, so SKYPE will be possible with my family! What a relief that was to know that I would be able to see them! Then, Lena told me during our China training classes a week ago that NCTI decided that they would give me a phone for use while I am away! Suddenly, 10,000 miles doesn't seem as far! It is amazing to experience this kind of generosity from 2 different sources. Thanks to Patty, Jay, Lena and Mary!!
I will save the training classes for another post....
Thus, the decision was made that I would go. Am I excited? Somewhat. It is a very difficult question to answer. It already hurts me to know that my wife hurts because of it. And then there is Jackson and Cameron. Almost everyday I get a "Do you have to go to China, Daddy?" or "Please stay home, I'll miss you too much". I've had to choke back tears everytime. It is going to be a very painful month.
Thankfully, I have 2 means of communication with them. Both ways were somewhat unexpected. I did not own a laptop, but my mother in law Patty, and father in law Jay stepped up to the plate big time. They decided to give me a netbook! This particular netbook has a built-in webcam, so SKYPE will be possible with my family! What a relief that was to know that I would be able to see them! Then, Lena told me during our China training classes a week ago that NCTI decided that they would give me a phone for use while I am away! Suddenly, 10,000 miles doesn't seem as far! It is amazing to experience this kind of generosity from 2 different sources. Thanks to Patty, Jay, Lena and Mary!!
I will save the training classes for another post....
Saturday, February 19, 2011
...and so it begins
Welcome to my blog on my visit to China! For those that do not know, I have been selected by one of my employers, NCTI, to travel to China to instruct 48 physicians over the course of one month. I will be teaching them ACLS, ITLS, needle thoracostomy and pericardiocentesis. I am one of 3 instructors to go on this trip, and it is the first such assignment from NCTI ever. The other instructors are Dave Schappe, from Oregon, and Paula Botman, whom I have taught with many times.
Sometimes I will be brief, sometimes I will share experiences and sometimes will be personal moments or reflections. It is meant for family and friends alike, and although this trip is an amazing opportunity it is also going to be extremely hard to be away from my wife, kids and family for an extended period. Hopefully this blog will help me to feel more connected to all of you, and I urge you all to comment freely on here!
Sometimes I will be brief, sometimes I will share experiences and sometimes will be personal moments or reflections. It is meant for family and friends alike, and although this trip is an amazing opportunity it is also going to be extremely hard to be away from my wife, kids and family for an extended period. Hopefully this blog will help me to feel more connected to all of you, and I urge you all to comment freely on here!
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