Quality Content Writers Group
How far from real life can reality TV get?
by Arthur Webster Just plain honesty
Arthur Webster 
Just plain honesty
Last night I had another one of my episodes that required me to be ferried to the hospital.
This is an occurrebnce with which I am far too familiar but, maybe it was the site of the trauma or maybe it was just destined to be - I was acutely aware of everything that went ion around me.
The paramedics got me 'stabilised' before loading me onto a stretcher for the trip down four floors with no lift.
Nobody panicked! Nobody shouted any of the things that we see and hear on TV and film shows. Indeed, it was so abysmally routine, I nearly blacked out. That did get a reaction - a sharp slap across the cheek and a definite instruction not to go to sleep.
Into the ambulance and the paramedics did whatever they had to do - all in silence. They each knew their own job and got on with it.
We set off and I once again was reminded that the suspension in some ambulances leaves a lot to be desired - whether this is to stop you falling asleep or not I have no idea. That's what it does, though.
An ambulance going at 120kph is not a very easy one to move around in, especially considering the restricted space - but the paramedics managed it.
In the whole trip, I onnly heard one or two little calls from the siren for cars to get out of the way - I suppose the flashing lights were all that was necessary.
Once at the hospital, a quick inspection by a doctor and then I was wheeled in to casualty (emergency room) and descended upon by whispering, green clad and white clad masked dudes. They all did what they had to do and there was little conversation - indeed, the only chatter came from the machinery.
Once the emergency was over and what bits they could salvage had been salvaged and it was clear that I was back to (my) normal, the dudes drifted away and either went back to bed or went home. A watch was kept on me for a couple of hours and then, once I was convinced it was safe to do so, I arranged to go home and discharged myself.
This was the first time I had recogniosed just how professiomnally these people work. The depth of their concentration and their superb level of knowledge and team work.
And the total lack of panic
Nov 26th 2007 04:03
Just plain honestyLast night I had another one of my episodes that required me to be ferried to the hospital.
This is an occurrebnce with which I am far too familiar but, maybe it was the site of the trauma or maybe it was just destined to be - I was acutely aware of everything that went ion around me.
The paramedics got me 'stabilised' before loading me onto a stretcher for the trip down four floors with no lift.
Nobody panicked! Nobody shouted any of the things that we see and hear on TV and film shows. Indeed, it was so abysmally routine, I nearly blacked out. That did get a reaction - a sharp slap across the cheek and a definite instruction not to go to sleep.
Into the ambulance and the paramedics did whatever they had to do - all in silence. They each knew their own job and got on with it.
We set off and I once again was reminded that the suspension in some ambulances leaves a lot to be desired - whether this is to stop you falling asleep or not I have no idea. That's what it does, though.
An ambulance going at 120kph is not a very easy one to move around in, especially considering the restricted space - but the paramedics managed it.
In the whole trip, I onnly heard one or two little calls from the siren for cars to get out of the way - I suppose the flashing lights were all that was necessary.
Once at the hospital, a quick inspection by a doctor and then I was wheeled in to casualty (emergency room) and descended upon by whispering, green clad and white clad masked dudes. They all did what they had to do and there was little conversation - indeed, the only chatter came from the machinery.
Once the emergency was over and what bits they could salvage had been salvaged and it was clear that I was back to (my) normal, the dudes drifted away and either went back to bed or went home. A watch was kept on me for a couple of hours and then, once I was convinced it was safe to do so, I arranged to go home and discharged myself.
This was the first time I had recogniosed just how professiomnally these people work. The depth of their concentration and their superb level of knowledge and team work.
And the total lack of panic
Nov 26th 2007 04:03
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Comments
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Dave Thomas
 Hi Arthur, I know what you mean in my day job I spend a lot of time in different hospitals at all hours of the day and night, the staff vary from hospital to hospital and department to department from the very friendly and helpful to the not quite as friendly or even a bit rude at times, the thing is we do not know what they have been through that day in what can be a very stresfull job , however the one common theme in all of them is the dedication and expertise of the staff and their willingness to go that extra yard Dave Nov 26th 2007 06:27 |
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Cheryl Baumgartner
  Medical Billing/Coding/InsuranceI don't put much stock in "reality" TV. If that is the way the world really is, we are in worse trouble than we thought. Unfortunately reality is boring and normal. Nov 26th 2007 08:49 |
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Arthur Webster
Just plain honestyHi, Eric, Thanks for your kind words. Hi, Dave, That extra yard is often a mile, in my case. To a very exasperated medic, I became one of those "Why the hell won't he do as he is told" events. At least they didn't say "I told you so" as I was wheeled in again this afternoon. and Cheryl, Reality is boring? That's your life you are talking about! At the very least, reality is better than the alternative. Isn't it strange how incompetence, ineptitude and panic make rivetting viewing yet watching a goatherd keeping his flock out of harms way or a policeman ensuring security simply by his presence are not so exciting. Excitement is not what you get out of an experience, it is what you put into it. Nov 26th 2007 13:15 |
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Cheryl Baumgartner
Medical Billing/Coding/InsuranceMy life is far from boring. It's the media that considers true reality as boring. That's evident any time you turn on the TV and see one of those reality shows. Nov 26th 2007 13:36 |
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David Schupbach
Speaking of bad reality shows, I see there is now one advertised on cable about a group of Orangutang stranded on an island! Maybe they will do better than the humans we have seen! Arthur, my thoughts and prayers are with you during this time.... D Nov 26th 2007 16:01 |
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Rae Steinbrink
Unfortunately, the belief of the T.V. stations programing, whether the news, sit-com or reality show is the more drama the better. I am finding less and less to watch on television these days that has any real quality! Arthur, I hope you are doing better. I too hold a great deal of respect for your insight and posts and would rather read those than watch "Reality T.V." anyday! Dec 5th 2007 16:13 |
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Arthur Webster
Just plain honestyI have been allowed three posts today. This is the third. Reality TV is a symptom of what our education systems are turning out. Have you noticed how everything is becoming more dumb and more fractured? Look at the toys our children are being led to want - they almost play themselves! Our children do seem to play by themselves!. Look how long a game lasts - not very! Everything produced today, whether it be a documentary film, entertainment, a play, a song, a television programme, even a book........ all are produced in tiny bite sized pieces. Songs consist of oft repeated lines. Films have scenes lasting a minute or two, music videos have shots, rather than scenes, chapters in books are getting shorter and many authors have adopted the film makers habit of running three stories at the same time with switches between the stories at each chapter - the final chapter, of course, pulling all three together and ending up with a totally unpredictable scenario. Our young people have been trained NOT to concentrate. They have been damned with butterfly minds that flit from subject to subject as their attention span dwindles. Maybe reality TV is only a forecast of what is going to happen as frustration sets in and our young people realise just how badly we have let them down. Dec 8th 2007 01:14 |
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Cheryl Baumgartner
Medical Billing/Coding/InsuranceWe are definitely dumbing down the next generation. I think it's hilarious when I co into a store and the register dispenses coins. I worked in a grocery store in my teens and we were required to count back change. Even back then in the 80's there were many that got lost if the person added change to a bill. Now everything is becoming automatic, not only can they not count but I guess they can't read either. Sinbad(the comedian) had a comedy routine about McDonald's having pictures of the food on the cash register keys. Well he's right fast food places are putting pictures of the food on the keys. You don't even need to know how to spell a simple phrase like "Big Mac", just look for the picture! Dec 8th 2007 09:21 |
You know Arthur, Your not such an Old Coot. I have a lot of respect for you and i enjoy reading your topics...
I hope everything is well now with you.
Nov 26th 2007 04:37