Guest Book

Seeing Tony post again reminded me of something that I just now learned about an old buddy of mine. Greg and I went to paramedic school together way back in 1983. A lot of sweat went into the learning process for two knucklehead firefighters. 'put the wet stuff on the red stuff' was our creed and this medic stuff was going to be a sideline to our job. We laughed too much for anything to ever be serious to us. Firefighters have the strangest way of relieving pressure. The MTV show 'punked' only has it half right.... Anyway we graduated and went about the business of patching bullet holes and delivering babies, and more often than not, taking minor stuff to the emergency room. Throughout it all he fought fires, I fought fires, no big deal. 'Pick your rate: pick your fate'. That's an old military expression that basically means if you choose to do something, don't explain, don't complain. An excuse is just a reason why YOU didn't do your job. 100% is what is expected and 110% is what is given... So why am I posting this? Tony's post got me to thinking about Greg. He is dead now because once on a call he contacted a patients blood and he got Hep. Simple as that. Twenty or so minutes out of his day doing the best he could to save a life and it eventually killed him. I know that Tony started a forum thread on HepC and that perhaps there are those that wish I would've posted my post there. I got to thinking about Greg and his dog. That dog barked one night so long that Greg finally had to scold the dog and stop its barking. The dog wandered off, sulking. The next morning when Greg went to go to work at the fire department he was presented with his car on blocks and all four tires stolen! His dog was doing his job trying to warn him and surely had the last laugh! Tony and others battling this silent killer need every prayer that we have. This is no game where someone wins; someone is just losing faster than the other... When I remember Greg I remember his expression telling the dog story. When I think of Tony I think of his courage. Pray. Pray Hard!! Remembering Greg.