07/17/2026
The calls Iāll never forget? Honestlyā¦ I forget a lot of them.
I have partners who can remember everything.
The house.
The color of the walls.
The dog standing in the hallway.
Exactly what the patient said.
And Iāll look at them and think, Was I even there?
Somewhere along the way, my mind learned how to put those calls in the back of my headāalmost like a movie I watched once instead of something I personally lived through.
Maybe that sounds strange, but I truly believe it has protected me.
That does not mean I do not care.
Actually, the longer I have done this job, the more compassion I have foundāespecially for people struggling with addiction or mental health.
Those calls hit closer to home for me because my own family has walked through some of those struggles.
I know there is a whole person underneath the addiction.
I know there is a family who may be exhausted, scared, angry, and still desperately hoping this time will be different.
And it breaks my heart when someone finally asks for help, only to be met with eye rolls, judgment, or treated like they are wasting everyoneās time.
They are not just āa drug user.ā
They are not just āa mental health patient.ā
They are a person who is hurting.
Sometimes my job is not about having the perfect words or fixing their entire life in the back of an ambulance.
Sometimes it is simply treating them with dignity, listening without disgust, and helping them take one more step toward the resources they need.
I may forget the details of many calls.
But I hope people remember how I treated them when they were having one of the worst days of their life.
I hope every healthcare provider remembers this: We may not remember every call. But our patients will always remember how we made them feel.
