My little life saver!!!

This was Nic when he began his Air Force career as a member of the Air Force Honor Guard. It was roughly 5 years ago. My mom used to call him Fly Boy and while at a museum he took this picture just for her. Well a lot has changed since then. He became injured after one month of performing funerals at Arlington National Cemetery. He was facing medical discharge and he beat that. He was constantly under pressure for his position in the Honor Guard because he was unable to perform the mission of marching in funerals but he helped the Air Force immensely when he organized an entire peripheral. He created the Flag Support Center. He also wrote a book that showed how he organized this unit. This book is now being used in every other service as the standard for all Honor Guard units, base and service. I am so proud of him. He recently left for training on 2 April 2010 to train in Aerospace Medicine and become a Combat Medic. He has lead his class in test scores since the beginning and now he has officially passed his National Registry test. Today 25 May 2010 my husband, Nicolas Sylvester, is now officially an Air Force Medic! This is a picture of their coin for their job.



Here is a little description of what his job is all about.

Provides field medical care in contingency operations and disasters. Performs basic life support and triage in emergency situations. Serves as member of primary emergency medical response to in-flight emergencies and potential mass casualty scenarios from on- and off-base incidents. Operates emergency medical and other vehicles. Loads and unloads litter patients. Frontline preventionist who identifies potential health risks and provides preventive counseling. Participates in contingency or disaster field training, exercises, and deployments. Assists flight surgeon with aircraft mishap and physiological incident response, investigation, and reporting. Augments search and rescue flying squadrons. Performs critical care duties. Provides nursing care for patients in various intensive care units. Assists with patient examinations and special procedures including mechanical ventilation. Assists with cardiovascular and neurovascular procedures and hemodialysis. Prepares patients with special equipment transfers.

Can you believe it? Watch out everyone... this guy can now save your lives with much more than self aid buddy care. When we were first dating he would tell me stories about warrior week in basic training and how they gave him basic knowledge to save his battle buddy. Such as how to help someone if they have a pencil in the eye. He would explain the process in a very excited way and it made me laugh. To this day he is so pumped when he tells the process. I am happy to say that thankfully he is now able to bring much more than a pencil in the eye to the table.
This guy on the little car is now nationally certified to save your life. :) You go babe!!!

smooth skills

So yesterday was the second test of a series of three that will nationally certify him to be a medic. It is difficult waiting for results seeing as how he only has access to his phone for a small portion of the night. I raced home and grabbed the phone and called Nic as soon as I could. I figured he wouldn't be able to answer his phone but he did and the first thing out of my mouth was , "did you pass?!?!" and he thankfully said, "duh". :) I was so excited for him. He is doing such a great job. All of that excitement was cut short because he had a lot to do last night. He had to finish studying for his national test this morning and watch LOST of course. I personally, can't stand that show. I tried to watch it for him but I couldn't get in to it but he is obsessed with it. We chatted for a little bit, about half an hour and then he went to bed early.
Today is the day. I have been waiting for this moment for him for a long time, about three years. After he passes this test he will have a certifiable skill in case, god forbid, something like the medical board rears its ugly head our way once again. However, he has been waiting for this moment since he was in junior high. For as long as I have known him he has wanted to be an EMT. I am so happy for him.

Oh, and sidebar he would like all of us to answer "saves lives" when asked what he does for a living. And when asked what his job is in the Air Force I have been informed that either "combat medic", or "certified badass" will suffice, for now... :)
Good luck to you today Nic!!!

nic's skills

Since Nic got to Texas everyone has been telling him about the horrors of the block three stage of training. Well, he's been in the thick of it for about two weeks or so. This week he has the big test. Yesterday he had a block test, which he got a score of 85% on and today he has his skills test. While practicing for the skills test yesterday the only criticism he got was "Sylvester, that was great. But some advice, you are a big guy and you're just a little well, rough with them. You should be more gentle with your patients, especially when they have supposed spinal injuries." :) That made us both laugh pretty hard. Today he takes his skills test and tomorrow he takes the big test. The test that will national certify him to be an EMT. I am so proud of him and wish him the best of luck.
Prayers please everyone.