Six months...

Six months ago today, I entered the Equity Bank building at Rock Road and Kellogg Drive in Wichita to take my National Registry written exam. I was scared spitless. Would I pass?

Upon entering the Pearson VUE testing center's suite, I was electronically fingerprinted and my social security number was checked and double checked before I walked into a secure testing room.

I took the test - 73 questions - and left. Five and a half months of training hung in the balance and I had no idea if I'd passed or not. There were several questions that I guessed on. My mind was simply blank. I couldn't remember learning anything like what they were asking.

I went home and waited. I knew that it was likely that my test results wouldn't be up until the next morning, but I checked the NREMT website three or four times before dropping into bed a nervous wreck.

I awoke early the next morning, March 26, 2008, and logged on to NREMT.org again. No news at 6:30am. No news at 7:45am. I ran down to the City Building to talk with Richelle. I told her waiting was about to drive me crazy. I returned to my office at 8:30am and checked again.

"I passed!" I jumped up and down and screamed and shouted. I called Richelle. I called Susan. I called everyone I knew. "I passed! I passed! I passed!"

I've seen a lot in the past six months - a half dozen trauma cases, several chest pain calls, a possible stroke, a diabetic emergency, anaphylactic shock, a rescue from a river, one code blue, a few courtesy calls. I've been on standby at the rodeo and at a fire. This Friday I'll do my first football standby for the Homecoming game.

I'm glad God allowed me the privilege of serving him and my hometown as an EMT. I look forward to the next six months and the six months after that and the six months...