I was thoroughly gripped reading Sandy Macken's memoir Paramedic and read it in a single day. This is a first for me and a testament to Sandy's engaging story. Paramedic is a look at Sandy's 20 years service as a paramedic - or ambo - in Australia and covers the medical aspects, the humanity of patients and their loved ones and the toll it can take on first responders.
Despite reading this in a day, I was left wanting much much more. I wanted to hear more call-outs and more patient stories. I wanted to learn more about the training paramedics undertake and the different levels they progress through. I wanted to know whether they ever need to go to court and tips for members of the public when they call an ambulance. I've called several ambulances for those in need and I would love to know what's important to communicate to the dispatcher and the common mistakes to avoid.
Sandy's experience volunteering in disaster zones was inspiring and a reminder that we can all do better.
Running parallel to Sandy's demanding career looking after patients on what can often be the worst day of their lives, was the story of her spiritual journey. This gives the reader great insight into how Sandy has managed - and sometimes failed to manage - the stresses of her job and provides inspiration to those needing optimism and hope in their lives.
I'm currently in the process of organising an interview with the author so if you've got any questions you'd like to ask Sandy, please leave them in the comments below and I'll pass them on. Stay tuned for more.
My rating = *****
Carpe Librum!
My rating = *****
Carpe Librum!
