12 Years of Therapy is enough

I haven't been blogging in a long time, haven't even posted in almost a year.

Why?

I'd chalk it up to a mix of depression, exhaustion and success in my professional efforts.

An odd combination, I know.

Blogging was a pressure relief valve I so desperately needed in some dark times. Along the way I met some amazing people I am still friends with, others have fallen by the wayside. We changed minds, inspired professionalism and argued constantly about the best way to provide EMS.

We met in dark corners of bars in places like Baltimore, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Dallas. Wherever we were the debate was informed, lively and respectful. Some went on to promotions, others to amazing new opportunities.

This little therapy experiment has allowed me to spread my wings and, as a result, it is time to leave the nest.

The Happy Medic isn't dead, or going away, but the time, money and effort in maintaining websites, hosting and the like will slowly fade away.  Your old links may not work, but I'll still keep this spot on blogger going (yourhappymedic.blogspot.com).

While my early writings complained about the status quo and lack of support in EMS command, together you all pushed me to apply myself and climb that ladder to impact my system for the better and I did.

Instead of complaining about what's wrong, I had a chance to fix it, and then some.

You had me so fired up and inspired I tried to reach a little too far and fell farther than I thought I would.

So, when I once again reached out for help, the first thing she suggested was starting a journal. I giggled and mentioned this experiment.  Our second session skipped way ahead and I'm in a better place as a result.

Your online friendship, following or stalking has brought me to where I am and I appreciate that, but I don't think it will do us much more good.  It was born before Facebook, Twitter and all the other easy ways to communicate came along. It was raised in feeds, random posts to online chat boards, mentioned in passing at conferences when we'd have our real life introductions following hours of online conversations, disagreements, laughs and tears.

August 2nd celebrated my 25th Anniversary in the fire service. 29 if you include my Explorer time, but I don't. 25 years ago I started Firefighter I in the hills outside Albuquerque, NM, wishing everyday I could get a career job back home in California.

I busted my but in school, then dropped out, then tried again, then dropped out again. It was sitting on the tailboard of the small rescue truck in a converted mechanic's bay on the Isleta Reservation when a beautiful brunette sighed and said "You don't belong here."

That inspiration propelled me farther than I ever imagined possible over the last decades. Your involvement once I realized that goal only propelled me farther and farther.

Along the way I got to host a British Paramedic who changed my life,

I got to fall asleep next to Chris trying to find our hotel in the wee hours of the morning in Indianapolis, then inviting April to share the room since she had none.

I got to face off with TOTWTYTR and RogueMedic about statistics, research and policy.

I met Dave and Geezer and Rhett and was on the internet radio with Chris and Scott and the rest.

I spoke at a conference, then another, then another.

I co-hosted a reality TV series filmed in Ted's garage, then a real studio.

I got to have late lunches with Charlotte, help carry gear for Dridge and every now and then fill in for Greg or Kelly interviewing someone for some magazine who 3 years prior told us social media was a passing fad.

I got to see Dee before she died.

Every time I try to remember those days, nights, mornings I am filled with pride, joy and sadness.

Pride for what we created, joy for the friendships and sadness that we've all done so much while spreading so far apart.

So with that being written, the memories fresh and the tears starting to flow, this is the end of this adventure, this therapy experiment gone right. The therapy blog with an EMS problem is hereby closed.

The archives will remain.

Your Happy Medic,

Justin