PT sucks

Today just started out great. Then it went from bad to worse.

I got to sleep late since my hours were pushed back a bit because of my PT appointment. It was nice, it was really nice.

When I got to work, things were busy, but not overly hectic. As time went by, things got busier, as they always do once everyone wakes up and hits the streets. I don't think things got too crazy before I left for my appointment.

Physical Therapy/P.T.
Well, I got there and had to answer a bunch of questions about if I'm able to sleep, what position I sleep in, how bad is my pain, does it radiate anywhere, etc. I also had to demonstrate how much flexibility I have in my neck. Certainly a lot more than a few weeks ago.

The physical terrorist...er...therapist, started me out doing exercises. Her reasoning is that it's been nearly 3 weeks and I have a lot of mobility. Maybe too much I guess.

I had to do a lot of different exercises with weights or the rubber bands. I was hurting pretty bad with each one. You see, I have this little problem I developed in the academy. If you tell me to do something, I'll do it, no matter how much it hurts. I learned I could do more than I thought, and now I push myself really hard. I'm thinking maybe too hard as much as I've been hurting since PT.

At the end, I sat with an ice wrap on for 10 minutes. It didn't help, nor did it really feel good. I was hurting then and I'm hurting now.

When I got back to work, things had gotten busy. I set to work trying to help chase units out of the hospital and update our board we track units on. We were without any transport units 3 times I think I was told while I was at PT/on lunch.

We would be looking good, then suddenly send almost every unit we had out on calls. Next thing you know, one nice sized chunk doesn't have any firetrucks in it. So we spent a while shifting those units around, just keeping up.

Things somewhat slowed and the captain came in and wanted to talk to me.

I understand I'm representing my department and carrying extra responsibility by being at 911, but although I'd like to think I'm being professional, I don't feel the need to be wound up too tight. The job I'm training for is serious business and I've had my eyes opened to what goes on, especially when the computer system crashes. I just can't understand why I'm supposed to basically just sit there and keep my mouth shut.

I want to build a good working relationship with these dispatchers. I have no choice but to count on them when I'm in the field and need help, I want them to be able to count on me for as much help as I can give them while I'm in the 911 center.

I was told that I wander around too much and that I'm not able to focus.

I have no idea where the wandering around thing came from. The lady I train with the first half of the week has no complaints about my performance. I know because she's told me so. She's been showing me the computer commands and allowing me to somewhat suggest what unit to move and where to put them, and if her choice is different, she's explaining why. The only time I leave the console is when I take my lunch break, or to hit the restrooms. The only exceptions being standing up to lean on the short divider to ask a question or relay some kind of information to 1 of the 2 dispatchers assigned to the channels I'm monitoring. The other exception being that I've walked around to the other dispatcher's side a couple of times. Of course, she/he is the one actually dispatching the calls and I'm curious how the system works, where they go to find the comments they read over the air, and how they actually assign units to the call/put the call on the unit's screen. I'm not only curious about it, but I feel it's part of my job in a way.

As for the lady I train with the 2nd half of the week, if anybody wanders around, it's her. Many times I'm sitting at the console and she wanders over to the far side of the room to chat with one of the calltakers. I'm not supposed to be answering the phones or really doing anything more than moving magnets on a board. Yet she leaves me alone and is reluctant to come back over when the phones start ringing. I'm certainly not saying she doesn't do her job, because I've seen her work. I just don't feel like she's really teaching me anything. Sometimes, I just feel like I'm only there to move the magnets for her, because she never seems to keep up with them. I guess she's just a lot more lax about things.

I shouldn't be so irked by this whole thing, but it's just been gnawing at me all day.