Chapter 1

           Hello, my name is Ben. The last name isn't important, people have never been able to read or pronounce it. I am a new college graduate and now a Registered Respiratory Therapist, RRT for short, today I start taking care of patients on my own. Since the humid North Carolina summer I have been on orientation. Finally the weather has changed. Fall is the air. I love these crisp western Carolina mornings, man I shoulda been a weather man. 
        Back to the topic at hand,my job. I work at Winston Salem Medical Center. Off orientation and on my own, I will now get to show what I've got. I am not sure proving myself should be my top priority but its pretty high on the list. My job is take care of the breathing issues of a high array of patients. Emergency room duty all the way palliative care, fancy way of saying from in the door to death. Keeping all airways open and people alive should be my top priority.
         Driving to work is easy during a mental monologue. As I approach the time clock I see several people, I am awful with names. They all know me but I kinda know them. I've always thought its easier to learn the new guys name than for the new guy to learn everyone's name. "Hey Ben. How was the weekend?" says Ron. Ron is my boss. He has known my family since I was in the womb. My mom is a nursing supervisor on nights for the Burn Unit. "Ron! Oh it was great I watched football all weekend and went to church. Ate out on Sunday night. You?" I replied. "Thats good. What games did you watch?"He asked. Football talk, love it. Man cannot live on bread alone but ESPN differs on sports. " I watched Wake Forest on Saturday, Panthers vs. Jets, and the Steelers game." From the back of the room someone piped up " That Steelers game was intense." That ended our conversation. 
        After a few more pleasant hellos I received my assignment. I scan for my name, then BAM! Ben-MICU, thats the medical ICU. "Trial by fire."I said. Most laughed knowing I am fresh off orientation and that MICU is the roughest unit most all year. I admit nerves set in but I would never show it. See most of these folks thought I was a rough and tumble RRT veteran when I first arrived here. I finally let the cat out of the bag about mid summer. My first tractor roll over victim reminded me that the patient comes first and to let my pride take a backseat.
           I rolled into the unit at 0645. Report began at 0646, I got the feeling this guy wanted out. 10 ventilated patients, 1 empty bed, possibly 2 CT scan transports and a Hodgepodge of diseases. I set at our desk for a few minutes to collect my plan of attack. I wondered if I should say a quick prayer like Donna always does before a shift. Donna was my training therapist/mentor. I'm a weak christian and i know it so I just gathered my tool, I call my stethoscope my tool, and set out to work.