Thank you Wittman
Thank you longfellow.
Please do not feel like a jerk. I give my health status so there will be no surprise if I just up and disappear one day. lol. No, really, it has happened in this community before.
I do not expect everyone to comment on it because many just don't know what to say.
I mean, how do you tell someone to get well when they have cancer? Or how do you say "I'm sorry you are dying".
It is tough to know exactly what to say... and with translation issues at times, they are concerned about mistakes. I understand those feelings. Damn it... it is just a perplexing issue when you hear something like this.
But many, many members in this community have been very supportive of my issue and have stood with me in my fight. They will never know how important that has been for me... even when I tell them several times...
So again all of you... thanks for your strength and support!!!!!!
And you are correct about Stress.
You young guys out there pay attention to what longfellow and I are saying here... STRESS is a KILLER.
It is because of my daily STRESS that I come here and share my time with all you fine people. It helps me get rid of it for a while.
Because of my Occupation as a Firefighter, I know all about STRESS. STRESS will hit you in the middle of the night when you wake up to an alarm for a house fire, a motor vehicle crash or a medical call.
STRESS will hit you on every call you ever make at some point or another.
STRESS will hit you when you see your team members and buddies go down from an injury, or sometimes killed in the line of duty.
STRESS will hit you when you listen to someone tell you how they have lost everything they owned in a fire.
STRESS will hit you when you must work on a heart attack victim.
And STRESS will definitely hit you anytime you have to try to save a child. This is by far the hardest call to answer, and carries with it, it's own unique and high level of STRESS..
Each time I was promoted, the STRESS became worse. Not because of wearing the new heavier badge, but because the level of responsibility that comes with the rank. Each promotion meant more people to worry about and more paperwork and reports to write.... meaning hard deadlines.... thus more STRESS...
So now I'm at the top of the food chain in rank. I can slow down and let the young guys and subordinate officers do all of the heavy lifting while I just sit back and enjoy life. Right?
Nope... WRONG!
Now I have over 150 firefighters and 35 officers, not to mention 10 support staff that I am responsible for. What they do affects me and what I do affects them. I am responsible for what happens within the city limits and over 100 square miles of rural area, when it comes to an emergency, that affects over 55,000 people.
If a firefighter is injured or killed, I am the one that has to find out why and report that information to the Investigation Team and the Federal Government. I am the one that must walk up to the front door of the family home and tell the spouse that their husband or wife is not coming home.
I am the one that has to do the announcement to the press. I am the one that must endure the protocol review and suspicion which looks for any kind of negligence on mine or my officers part. I am the one that must bear all of the weight of this Fire District, the Fire Department and all actions of the Firefighters.
STRESS is a Killer.
It causes you to breakdown in your prime and age prematurely. It can lead a stroke or heart attack, or cause other medical issues. STRESS can rob you of your life and your hope and dreams.
So listen to me... damn it...
STRESS is a Killer.
I know first hand and you have watched me fight because of it.
Firefighters and Police Officers can suffer from PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It is not so far removed from what Soldiers go through during war, except no one is trying to kill firefighters... well not so far here anyway.
I now step off of the soapbox which I stand. I broke it anyway...
Thank you for your attention.
Everyone, (except longfellow), may now ignore the rest if this post and go back to what you were doing....
longfellow: Anyway... thanks for your concern and giving me a platform to hammer these guys... over STRESS...