Personal Narrative: My Paramedic Person

Throughout my life, there has been several times that I have stopped to help someone with a flat tire in the rain or return a lost item to the lost and found and did not expect a return favor. I have had a few weeks to think about this assignment and the act of kindness that comes to my mind is the time that I and my Paramedic partner in Cape Coral, Florida had taken and older “late eighties” woman who was wheelchair bound to the hospital for a medical problem. She lived with her frail husband who we could tell did his best to make sure he was taken care of her the best he could. They lived in a small single story home in a senior community and were well known to the EMS community for repeat public assist calls. A public assist call that we

After my partner and I had taken them to the hospital we knew that we had a few days, they would not be home and wanted to do something nice for them so they could gain back a sense of independence and

To our surprise, they did not call at all which made us think that “Oh Crap” we hope she made it out of the hospital. We talked about going there after our shift if we did not have a call in their community just to see how they are doing. Well it did not take long, before our tones dropped and we got a call to a house a few doors down and across the street for someone else who needed a lift assist. We thought well, we are here lets finish our lift assist and go say hello. When we finished, we walked over and knocked on their door and no one answered. I looked around, and the ramp looked like it was being used there was even a flower pot on it that we did not put there. My partner pointed to an engraved sign made out of wood mounted near the door that said, “If the sun is up, were not home. Whoever made our “Freedom Ramp”, Thank You!” There was also a picture of them both on the ramp with huge smiles on their faces under the varnish. Out of know where we heard a voice that sounded familiar, it was this couple coming up the street, her in her chair and her husband pushing her. I whispered to my partner to not say anything about what we did so that I could ask them about the ramp. I said, “Hey we are just here to see how you’re doing and getting along.” Her husband looked at me with curious eyes