Originally Posted by
79blue
The support and messages have been overwhelming and it has lifted my spirits. A few of the posters have said my writings have helped them, particularly uncle bob, who has also gone through a particularly dark time. If I have helped anyone in anyway then that makes me feel much better and glad that I posted my very personal situation and thoughts.
I had planned to stop posting about it after this thread, but many posters have found it helpful and others have asked me to continue. So I will add further updates when they arise. Optimistic Nick asked if I wanted to achieve anything more before the end? I feel quite happy with my achievements in life despite having a difficult start in life.
I was brought up by my father, who served in the RAF, but who was an alcoholic (he died aged 49 due to alcohol). We moved frequently which affected my education and I left school in 1980 with 1 O’level and CSE’s, which severely affected my job prospects. After 2 yeas on the dole and frequently getting into trouble (I was fined £250 for fighting outside NP in 1982), I packed a bag and moved to Devon. I found myself a bedsit and got a job in a holiday camp in Exmouth.
After a couple of years I joined the army, Royal Corps of Signals, which I did for 6 years. This gave me a lot of self confidence and changed my life. I learned to Ski and I undertook the army’s Arctic Warfare and Survival Training in Norway, which is an experience I will never forget.
When I left the army I joined the Gwent Ambulance Service. Starting at the bottom, transporting patients to outpatients and clinics. I did this for 2 years before passing the entry exams to undergo emergency ambulance training. I did this for 3 years before I passed the Paramedic entry examinations and then the Paramedic training. During this time all the studying leading up to the training was done via self learning, so you had to be self reliant. By the time I qualified as a paramedic I had been studying and learning on the job for 5 years, equivalent to doing an apprenticeship. When paramedic training was passed over to Universities, all current NHS paramedics were allowed to claim a diploma in Paramedical Studies.
I decided to continue to study after qualifying, so I spent 6 years studying mathematics and physics with the OU. This allowed me to undertake research secondments within the Welsh Ambulance Service. I had 5 research papers papers published, 4 in medical journals and 1 internally, which changed practice within the service. One of my research studies was published in the British Medical Journal, which is one of the prestigious in the world. This was on how effective school children can perform chest compressions during CPR. I conducted this study in Radyr comprehensive, Cardiff High, Oakfield Primary and Ton Yr Ywen primary in 2006. This paper is referenced by organisations across the world when setting training programmes for children.
I have also written training courses and instructed on them. I spent my last 6 years mentoring staff of all grades whilst being operational. I believe that I significantly improved myself during my life, despite my poor start and looking back I can feel proud of my achievements.
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