Sep 14
Who is this guy?
Kal’s an Accident and Emergency Paramedic in Edinburgh.
He’s just this bloke who grew up on a tiny rock in the middle of the sea.
He spent years looking after people’s kids, setting off fireworks, researching prison sentences for High Court Judges and sticking plasters on people at public events.
At the end of it all, he decided the plasters were the best bet and chose to do it professionally.
He now trundles around Edinburgh, flashing blue lights and making “Mee-maw” noises while swearing at taxis . He also, on occasion, practices a little emergency medicine, though most of the time he’s a glorified cabbie.
Still, he suits green.
He’s 27, single, lives with BamBamTheSocialWorker, takes photos, writes here and elsewhere and sings in the shower. He’s saved the occasional life and his shit stinks just as bad as yours.
Disclaimer: All opinions are Kal’s and Kal’s alone and should not be taken to represent the opinions of any organisation.
He disguises the identities of anyone discussed on this blog to such an extent that if you think you recognise someone, you’re wrong.
Furthermore, linking here is absolutely welcomed, but everything on this site is mine and mine alone, all rights reserved, don’t even *think* of lifting it. I will not be pleased and, as folk have found out…I *will* find you.
All articles are copyright the author known as Kal Traumaqueen, pictured above.
February 1st, 2008 at 8:43 pm
Found your blog through a friends “blog”. Just thought i’d say the work you do is underpaid and undervalued and you make me laugh. Keep it up mate your doing OK……….
February 8th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Hi Kal,
Just thought I’d say hi, I’m a probationer nearly 4 months into the year, in Lanarkshire, based at Cumbernauld. Have been reading Random reality for a couple of years and now searching for other people daft enough to try and get people to see what it is we actually do.
I’ve enjoyed looking around your blog so far…………I’ll keep looking, thinking of doing one myself but not sure I can inbetween overtime, studying and sleep!
Sam
March 23rd, 2008 at 10:41 pm
Hi, Kal!
Man, I love your writing. It makes me laugh and it makes me cry. If you ever find yourself somewhere in the middle of Norway and need a beer, look me up. It’ll be fun.
March 26th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Hello hello my Kal…
Absolutely love your writing- you’re a talented beast. This job suits you so much better than Anatomy theatre!!!
Great to see you again, so so proud of you. You done good.
(I can still do my mog too- she comes out occasionally!)
x
March 26th, 2008 at 11:34 pm
Loving your stuff. A daily dose of reality in the *spangly jazz-hands* world I work in! x
June 18th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
I’m an Emergency Physician and former aeromedical/LifeFlight doc, and I think your writing is great. Love your style, and the stories ring true. Would like to feature you on a new EMS community on Wellsphere — would you send me an email?
Cheers, Geoff
–
Geoffrey W. Rutledge MD, PhD
July 8th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
Finally found your site - it’s great. Will be in touch soon
July 17th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
Found this blog via randomreality - great stuff, very well written. Keep it up!
August 2nd, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Plasters at public event hey? Were you in St Andrews or similar?
Im a St John Member from London and just wanted you to know how much blogs like your mean to us guys. Reading blogs like yours, RandomActs, Siren Calls etc taught me one massive thing… Its OK to be scared at times, even the Boys in Green are shitting themselves sometimes! I think that is a lesson thats too rarely taught, that its ok to be bricking it inside while you are putting on that lovely calm public persona on the outside!
Ive just moved up from a first aider to a patient transport role, and hope to do our internal emergency transport course next year, and reading your beautifully written blog really helps me to see what its really like out there. Thanks and keep up the great stuff xx
August 6th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
Ok so having gone back to the very beginning of the blog and reading the posts in some sort of order I see you were BRC. Loving the blog even more, the more I read
Jezzi
p.s. I promise I am not one of those Jonnys that believes I am an ambulance tech/paramedic just because I trained using sections of the same bloody manual!
August 7th, 2008 at 7:07 am
Your writing is magnificent, and all the more effective because I can identify so completely with so many of the emotions and experiences you paint so beautifully in words. If I weren’t married and you weren’t gay, I’d totally fall for you on the basis of your writing alone.
August 24th, 2008 at 9:57 pm
Kal … I have no idea how you managed to post when you were going through paramedic. I’ve been in two weeks, and can hardly breathe. It was a miracle I got something up this weekend at all. Don’t know if it will happen again, but cheers! your posting is keeping me going.
September 4th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Longtime lurker - still thoroughly enjoying your blog. I also found you via Random Acts of Reality and have recommended your blog to quite a few friends. Some posts make me really glad I’m a desk jockey!
September 7th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
Hi Kal I am a tech in the lovely rainy city of manchester thinking of maybe transfering up to edinburgh for certain reasons. Any chance of a chat.
October 26th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Love the blog. Can’t remember how I found it but it’s great to see no matter where in the world we are so similar. Keep up the writing.
October 26th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
OK so that made no sense. Guess I didn’t sleep long enough afer my shift. I can’t even remember the thought I was working on. Blast it! never mind
October 31st, 2008 at 10:47 am
Hey thanks for a great blog… its totally cool and interesting. I live in australia, am a nurse in a public hospital and we call our ambulancemen (?) “Ambo’s” here, whether male or female and they are a unique bunch!! Must be strange tho being named after a vehicle. Also our firemen are called “firies” (pronounced fire-ees) and tradesmen are called ‘tradies’ so you can see a pattern here eh?? We can’t all be as cool as americans calling the ambo’s paramedics… very formal!
.. pps your writing is excellent !
Anyway I think you should marry my 21 year old daughter, you seem like you’d be a good son in law!!!
Jenna
November 20th, 2008 at 2:00 am
Your writing is fantastic. Just found your blog - now I’m up at 2am when I have lectures tomorrow!
I’m seriously considering becoming a paramedic but I’ve not had much opportunity to talk to a REAL technician. Such an honour…
Anyway, is there any chance you could email me in a spare moment? I’d love to ask you a few questions about the job so I have a better idea of what I’m getting myself into (other than massive debt for C+D driving licences…)
January 14th, 2009 at 8:29 am
this piece of clothng might have been made for you:
http://clothing.cafepress.com/item/trauma-queen-classic-thong/94669497
May 8th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
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