The "Standard Operating Guideline For Life"  is the Holy Bible.

"Best Gift of All"

December 28, 2003

"And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you."

- Romans 8:11 (NIV)

I can't believe I am sitting here writing the last STRESS RELIEF article for 2003. Unbelievable. And, if it weren't for the "best gift of all," I might not be sitting here... period.

Last Monday afternoon, I was relaxing on my first complete day off in three months... no ambulance, no Chaplaincy callouts, no website development and no school. I was sitting here playing a game on the computer.

Then, totally unexpectedly, I felt palpitations in my chest. No pain, really... just a feeling like someone was playing drums on my chest. I grabbed for my pulse and realized my heart rate was so fast, I couldn't count it. I thought, "Okay, I need to call someone who can talk me through a vagal manuever (a way to slow the heart rate)." I called my partner from work. His response? "You need to call an ambulance!"

ME? Call an ambulance? Nonsense... I don't really need that. Then, after about five minutes, I was able to count my pulse rate... 180 beats per minute... crud... I was in SVT (supra-ventricular tachycardia) and it wasn't slowing a bit... even after a couple of attempts of vagal manuevers. My wife came into my office. She called another friend of ours, who, apparently, immediately called 9-1-1. In a matter of minutes, I had three first responders, an engine company and an ambulance sitting in front of my house.

Of course, I knew them all. But, when I heard the medic call dispatch and say, "Medic 83 is out with a possible urgent," I knew I must have looked bad. I felt dizzy at this point and had started getting sweaty. They hooked me up to a twelve-lead ECG - SVT with a rate of 237. They tried to vagal me down with carotid massage... nothing. They loaded me in the box and started an IV. Then, they pushed a drug called "Adenocard." This drug, basically, chemically stops the heart. The medic tells me, "When this hits, you will feel some pain in your chest." He gives the medication... nothing... my heart rate is still 196. He then doubles the dosage of the previous injection and administers that... WHAM!!!! - it felt like someone jumped in the middle of my chest and stood there.  It worked. My rate slowed to about 108.

To make a long story short, there are two know factors that cause SVT and a whole bunch of unknowns. The known factors are cocaine or amphetamine abuse and heart attack. The ER ran two sets of cardiac enzyme tests on me, about five hours apart... both were normal... no heart attack.

But, I know the real reason that this turned out the way it did... my wife had also called two pastor friends. Within minutes, one of the pastors was in my ER room and the other had initiated a prayer chain. I had bunches of people praying for me.

Being a believer, our REAL CHIEF promises us that HE has given us a "deposit" until we get to Heaven... the HOLY SPIRIT. Our verse this week reminds us that HE gives us life through HIS HOLY SPIRIT, who is living inside each and every believer.

The doctors called my event ,"PSVT due to unknown etiology." In other words, they don't know what caused my heart to race as it did. I, however, know what caused the outcome - a good EMS crew, faith and prayer.

Never again do I want to be "on the other side of the gloves". I'm afraid I don't make a very good patient. But, I know that if I do end up like that again, I pray that two calls are made - one to 9-1-1 and the other one to our REAL CHIEF.  Those are the two calls to make in an emergency if you are serving...

...On HIS Shift,

"Perfect Gift From Above"

December 21, 2003

" Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

- James 1:17 (NIV)

Last week, we talked about "Christmas gifts."  So, let's continue that discussion.

This past week, I had the honor and privilege of being able to fly along on a shift with Houston's own "Memorial Hermann Life Flight." Founded in 1976, by world famous trauma surgeon Dr. James "Red" Duke, Life Flight is the second oldest Emergency Medical Services Helicopter in the US and the oldest in the State of Texas. They fly thousands of missions each year.

Life Flight is based out of Memorial Hermann Hospital, which is located in the world famous Medical Center of Houston, TX. Hermann is a Level One trauma center.

During my time with them, I got to fly along on three calls for help; a multiple stabbing, an active stroke and a head-on motor vehicle accident with ejected patient.

In addition, I assisted in the unloading of three more helicopters.  All of the above patients came into Hermann via the landing pad on the roof of the hospital. They are unloaded and taken downstairs via a special elevator to the trauma center.

During my shift, I got to see a "God's Eye" view of Houston - both day and night.

I also got to see an example of our REAL CHIEF's "gift from above" - the flight crews and the staff of the trauma center.  If you are "in the business", you know what a busy shift is like. Try multiplying that ten-fold and you will begin to comprehend what goes on in a Level One trauma center in the fourth largest city in the United States. The worse of the worse.... and lots of it. Our helicopter brought in a person stabbed multiple times. Within 30 minutes, another "bird" brought in another stabbing. And, as we were on the way into the Trauma Rooms, a ground ambulance brought in another stabbing.

All of this during the holidays... 'tis the Season, huh?

We are all looking forward to receiving some nice gifts from friends and families. But, how about those families that have just lost a loved one? How about the trauma victim, that, while thankful to be alive, is just coming to the realization that they will spend Christmas in a hospital bed... alone?  And, how about the mother and father who had their firefighter son killed this past year and will be spending their first Christmas without him? What kind of gift can they be looking for?

Our REAL CHIEF has the perfect gift for those people that are hurting... JESUS... HIS Perfect Gift from above. It is through HIM, and HIM only, will we be able to make it through the holidays when we are facing trauma... whether it be emotional or physical.

I am asking each of you to pray a special CHRISTmas prayer with me this year... that all of those who need it, receive GOD's Perfect Gift... HIS love and HIS peace. I am also asking you to pray for our nurses, paramedics, firefighters and doctors who serve in our nation's trauma centers and flight programs... it is hard to be Merry at time when so much gloom passes in front of you.

May each of you have a blessed and Merry CHRISTmas. I want you to know how I love serving you, as I serve...

...On HIS Shift,

"Christmas Gifts"

December 14, 2003

"On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh."

- Matthew 2:11 (NIV)

The verses this week talk about the "wise men" who came from the East to find the baby JESUS. I thought you might like to know that the Bible never tells us how many wise men there were... I think that, down through time, we started assuming there were three, because of the three gifts that are mentioned. Also, in some translations, the wise men are called "Magi." It is believed that these men were of royalty from ancient Persia.

It took them about two years to find the CHRIST Child. We know this from studying the Standard Operating Guideline for Life - the BIBLE. We read about this in the book of Matthew... the King at that time was a guy named Herod. The Magi showed up and told King Herod they were looking for our REAL CHIEF. You see, Herod didn't know HE had been born in Bethlehem. The Magi told Herod that they had followed a star. So, Herod, wanting to rid himself of this new born king, told the Magi to report back to him when they had found the child. The Magi didn't... they went home a different route. The BIBLE says this: "When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi."  So, from this, we know it took them about two years.

This year, I noticed that Christmas decorations went up in October in some of the stores around here. October! I believe the capitalists would love to have a "Magi" Christmas ... two years to market each Christmas season!

Have you been to a store yet? On a weekend? Madness, I tell you. Every parking space full. Every shopping basket in use. The aisles are packed. The registers are jammed. Everyone and his brother scrambling to find a gift to give. Wait!  Doing what????  They are all out there buying stuff to give to others! That's what we are supposed to do, isn't it?

Think about it, if so many people weren't taking BIBLICAL advice from the Magi, there wouldn't be ANY lines.

You see, on that first CHRISTmas, gifts were brought to the CHRIST Child. And not just any gifts ... Precious gifts meant to show the love and adoration of the Magi. Gifts worthy of a King.

Understanding this, maybe we will be a little more understanding on the next trip to Wal-Mart... those folks are simply trying to show their love and adoration to their friends and families by buying them gifts. All of this is a part of the longest birthday party in history... the celebration of the birth of our REAL CHIEF.

Wouldn't ya' just love to get on the intercom at Wal-Mart and say, "Attention Wal-Mart shoppers... thanks for celebrating the birth of JESUS. It's great to see so many people serving..."

...On HIS Shift,

"Compassion Conflict"

December 7, 2003

"When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things."

- Mark 6:34 (NIV)

Those of you who have been reading these articles for a while have come to know me a little bit. At least, I hope you have. I want to get everyone "up to speed" on my life in EMS (Emergency Medical Service). I was a full time Paramedic for almost 14 years. I wasn't a Christian back in those days... let alone, a Chaplain. Anyway, I left the field and let my certifications lapse. Four years ago, I got back into EMS. I thought it might help me and the agencies I serve, since I am "out and about" so much.

Well, I found out that I missed it. I missed helping. And, I missed the feeling I got inside when I helped.

Now, I have been through the first three certification classes and currently am taking the Paramedic course. I am back working full time on a 9-1-1 box... er, ambulance. This includes, of course, getting toned out at 3 AM for someone with constipation. And, I noticed something... my compassion for those callers who think their stubbed toe or posterior boil is an emergency is, well, non-existent.

But, the capper was a few shifts ago... we got toned out for a full arrest on a 3 year old. Without going into a whole lot of detail, what we had was an obvious death. After law enforcement arrived, I was left inside the ambulance with the child by myself as my partner was being interviewed. As I gazed upon the lifeless body of the young, innocent form, I came to a realization... I didn't feel anything. I mean, yeah, it was terrible and all. But, it was just another dead body.

My fear was that I had lost my compassion and that I couldn't do this job or, for that matter, my Chaplaincy anymore.

But then, I just got off the phone with a good friend... a "sister of the badge"... who also is a paramedic. She told me something that lifted me... she told me that I still have compassion. She told me that my compassion was for the others who needed the compassion... the survivors... the families. And, in the case with the dead baby, my compassion was for my partner. You see, it was his first toddler fatality.

Just today, in my Chaplaincy role, I was called to the scene of a double fatality. And, I went and notified the families of both victims. And... I had compassion on them.

You see, our REAL CHIEF has compassion on us when we are hurting. I know, because HE sent my paramedic friend to me, who had compassion for me... and understood me... and taught me.

I love serving...

...On HIS Shift,