Why 2010 was A Bitch!

  Last night I posted my last facebook status for the year 2010 and I couldn't have been happier to do so, The status read simply: "Dear 2010: You were a B!+@& I hated you. You'll be remembered as the toughest year of my life." Forgive me for cursing in my title, I could think of no other way to describe the year: I censored it on FB but here I feel that I don't need to as you readers know how I feel about cussing. Now, I'm about to explain why to me; 2010 was a Bitch:

  2010 started for me with high hopes and dreams, I spent last New Years Eve with my wife, daughter and in-laws.  I was working part time at REI, A national chain of recreational equipment stores in Marina CA near the beach while also looking forward to Paramedic school, ER Clinicals and an Internship to finish it all out, I've been waiting for as long as I can remember to make my dream of becoming a Paramedic a reality and living with my in laws allowed me to make this become a reality. Living with my in laws was a great blessing - No Rent.... However it wasn't at all easy, We had our challenges living there. (I'll spare you the details)


 It was on January 12 of 2010 that I realized the year was going to be a Bitch, On that day I finally started Paramedic school, I was given a 1300 page textbook (The fattest one I've ever seen) along with 2 other books; a drug book and a pill book, we were expected to learn and memorize all the drugs in the drug book as these are the drugs that paramedics use daily in practicing emergency medicine, and we were expected to read and have a good understanding of the top 200 most commonly prescribed pills in the US with their effects on the human body.  (At first we had to memorize our drugs verbatim out of the book or off of the sheets we were given for each drug but as time went on and our knowledge grew we no longer needed to know them verbatim). I've never EVER enjoyed reading and as I gazed down at my 1300 page book I realized I was in for a long long year, Not only was I expected to read this book, I was expected to have a good understanding of its pages and I would be quizzed on every chapter with major exams equivalent to that of a final on each section. We were quizzed on something (Drug knowledge, Reading, Skills, Etc) at least every day. Our lead instructor Brian asked us all to introduce ourselves and share our thoughts with each other near the end of day 1, It was at this point that I really realized that I was in deep but I also couldn't have been happier. As my turn rolled around I stood up and said  something along the lines of  "I'm Derek Green, blah blah blah, and I expect 2010 to be the hardest year of my life"... Little did I know!!!!

   It was a little over an hours drive from home to downtown San Jose where I would be attending paramedic school. Over the course of the hours I spent driving I would eventually rack up more than 10,000 miles over the year driving to and from school - At about 20 MPG, That was around $1500 in gas just for school alone, OUCH!! I spent the vast majority of my time at home upstairs in a bedroom where my wife and I kept all of our stuff, It was crowded with a queen bed in the middle and 2 small desks side by side up against the window where I would study and keep my laptop. This was "MY" space, It was our bedroom, but to me it was a glorious getaway, to me it was a place where I could have my alone time, a quiet place where I could read, study and just be in peace. Unfortunately, It was also like a cage, After a while I started to spend more and more time studying, and relaxing in that room which caused me to spend less quality time with my wife and daughter. I figured one thing out that I seem to have forgotten, I like my "me time" and I enjoy being alone with my thoughts.


  The trend I created of studying and not doing much else continued for most of the year between working at REI, going to school, and studying I really didn't do much of anything, I had opportunities to go skiing in Tahoe area for free that I didn't use and I probably passed up all kinds of fun adventures because all I was able to focus on was how bad I wanted to be a paramedic and how much time I needed to spend studying, Thankfully I have a great wife who would force me to get out of that room and go play with her and my daughter Brooklynn, in fact my favorite memories of 2010 will no doubt include Brooklynn coming upstairs and opening the door while saying "Daddy? Daddy? Daddy!


 When I finally finished the classroom portion of paramedic school, I celebrated by jumping right into my ER clinicals and spending about 50 hours a week working in a busy ER for a month, I loved it, however as soon as I completed my hours at the ER, I spent a few weeks with my family, then jumped ship and moved back to Utah where I spent the next 3 months or so doing my paramedic level internship with a local Fire Department. Amy and Brooklynn stayed in California because I wasn't going to be around much and I'm still looking for work. I spent nearly 1/4 of the year 2010 away from my wife and daughter and (THAT) if nothing else, was a Bitch!


 I did enjoy alot about the year 2010, I had a great time getting to know my in laws and family in California better on a more personal basis, My daughter turned 1 and began to walk, speak, and understand things. Watching her grow up kept me sane and I loved every minute of it.. I'm still not 100% done and I've got plenty of studying to do in order to pass the National Registry exam for paramedic licensure, but here's to a better 2011!