MY INVITATION

FOR ALL THAT DON'T KNOW ALREADY THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA COLLEGE OF MEDICINE HAS ASKED ME TO SPEAK TO A GROUP OF H.S. JUNIOR WHO ARE THINKING OF PERSUING MEDICAL CAREERS . THESE H.S. JUNIORS ARE FROM ALL OVER THE STATE OF AZ PARTAKING IN A PROGRAM CALLED MED-START. I AM PASTING A ROUGH DRAFT OF MY SPEECH/PRESENTATION COMMENT ON WHAT YOU THINK


(OPENING)
I am a navy corpsman. I possess the stamina and enthusiasm of youth and the wisdom and experience of an old man. I am 3 parts doctor, 1 part nurse, 2 parts marine, 1 part yeoman and 3 parts mom, yet I am 100% sailor. I am unemployable to the civilian world in my given profession yet have been the very life line for countless marines, soldiers and sailors since 1778. I have carried marines from the battle field ... and have been carried reverently myself by marines who mourned my passing like that of a brother or sister. I am young. I am old. Brave, scared and scarred. my title has changed over the years: loblolly boy, surgeons steward, pharmacist mate, hospital corpsman, IDC, yet with all the changes I am still simply know as "doc". I have celebrated peace; yet felt the sting of war on the seas, in jungles, in foreign cities, in Washington D.C. and on beaches of every shade of sand... white, tan, coral and black. I have raised hell on liberty; hope in the midst of battle .... and Old Glory on Iwo Jima. I have removed appendixes on submarines and limbs in the midst of battle and many other procedures far above and beyond what I am expected to do by the normal practice of medicine because it had to be done in order to save the life of a marine or sailor in battle or under the ice, far from a doctors care. I have ignored my own wounds to the point of death in order to stay at my station treating the wounded of my nation’s navy, marine crops, army and air force. I have the highest number of medal of honors of any corps in the Navy.....most of them presented to my wife, child or mother because I was already in heaven at the time. I am proud to know in my heart that every marine who has ever fought and every sailor who has gone to sea on ships owe their very lives to those they simply, yet respectfully know as "doc

(INTRODUCTION)


Good evening , first of all I would Like to thank everyone at Med-start for inviting me back to the program that giving the push to pursue my dream in medicine. I just didn’t know what road I would be taking to get where I am today. In 1997, I sat where you are sitting now listening to speakers like myself. Well like (fill in Name of Person introducing me) I am Gueillermo Mendez Former Hospital Corpsman, Med-start Alumni, And Current Jack of all trades at the Arizona Heart Hospital. Growing up in a single parent home in central Phoenix where the streets were drug and crime ridden, the thought of me doing anything in medicine was far fetched. I was lucky to get accepted in a magnet program at in my opinion the best High School In the world ALHAMBRA H.S.! Like mention before I got the opportunity to come to the University of Arizona and Participate In a great program called Med-start and boy do I have stories of this place. However I digress, As you could tell from my opening I am proud of my military training, In September of 1998 after navy boot camp, I went to the Naval Hospital Corps School in Great Lakes Il. I learn all the basics of health care from blood draws to even in an emergency delivery of a baby all in a 3 months time frame. After corps school I attended a 6 week program at the formally known Field Medical Service School (FMSS) on the Marine Corps base at Camp Pendleton, Ca. There I learn everything from inserting I.V.’s , putting in chest tubes, emergency cricothyrotomy (cutting a hole in the throat to insert an artificial airway on a person with an closed airway) Even Battle Field Surgery, as well as learning everything it means to be a corpsman in the Marine Corps. After FMSS, I was given my first duty Station with the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines Battalion Aid Station (BAS) in 29 palms, Ca ( I left one desert to go to another) with the BAS we had doctor for 2500 personnell so I became the doctor I did all the work up and testing and also recommended what medication to give. all the doctor did was sign off on my work. I was 19 yrs old and I had the responsibility. How many 19yr old do you know can do that. After a few yrs of doing grunt work I got my opportunity to spread my wings, I was given the chance to get temporary assigned duty to the 1st Force Reconnaissance Company as their company corpsman but first I had to prove myself by being able to Knows the laws of diving and gas physics and understands the theory and practice of decompression and the use of decompression tables. Performs duties as a hyperbaric chamber operator. Recognizes all types of illnesses associated with diving to include oxygen and carbon dioxide toxicity, nitrogen narcosis (reversible alteration in consciousness that occurs whilst scuba diving), type I and II decompression sickness and air gas embolism. Enters the chamber as the inside tender to care for patients suffering from decompression sickness as well as other conditions requiring hyperbaric treatment. As well as complete USMC Basic Reconnaissance, USMC Combatant Divers, Army Basic Airborne School, USMC Special Amphibious Reconnaissance Corpsman Diving Medicine, and Joint Special Operations Forces Trauma Medic. But my biggest challenge was just around the corner, While I was doing my temporary duty I received my order to attend Basic Underwater Demolitions/SEAL Training and If you have seen G.I Jane that was all real all the sleep deprevation to water training even the training to Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE). The medical training was even tougher such things as Therapeutic measures that are taken for granted in the emergency department, such as CPR, c-spine immobilization, endotracheal intubation, starting two large-bore IVs, insertion of nasogastric tubes and foley catheters, supplemental oxygen therapy, and the complete undressing of the patient to complete a secondary survey would be inappropriate in the middle of an ongoing firefight.

My Most rewarding Experience was my Last and Final Duty station of my Military Career was the NAVAL AMBULATORY CARE CENTER In Port Hueneme , Ca where I Assumed the duty as The Leading Petty Officer of The Primary Care Clinic. I Had a staff of 7 subordinates and we provided health care to 10, 000 military personnel active duty and retired as well as their dependents. I also ran two specialty clinics an immunization clinic as well as a male health clinic with included performing Vasectomies.


Who Want to be a :

RT?
X-RAY TECH?
LAB TECH?
PT?
PMT?
PHARM TECH?

GUESS WHAT YOU CAN DO ALL THIS WITHOUT TAKING SCHOOL LOANS!

SEA STORIES!

(CLOSING)

I shall not walk in your footsteps, but I will walk by your side. I shall not walk in your image, I've earned my own title of pride. We've answered the call together, on sea and foreign land. When the cry for help was given, I've been there right at hand. Whether I am on the ocean or in the jungle wearing greens, Giving aid to my fellow man, be it Sailors or Marines. So the next time you see a corpsman and you think of calling him "squid," think of the job he's doing as those before him did. And if you ever have to go out there and your life is on the block, Look at the one right next to you... I'm the one called "Doc."

Q&A TIME

life

Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't how hard you hit; it's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done. Now, if you know what you're worth, then go out and get what you're worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hit, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you are because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain't you. You're better than that!

2009 AZFL CHAMPIONS

IF ANYBODY CARES I JUST WENT TO THE AZFL (ARIZONA FOOTBALL LEAGUE) CHAMPIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CASA GRANDE WOLF PACK vs. THE SOUTHWEST STAMPEDE (MY COUSIN AND FRIEND BOTH PLAY FOR THE STAMPEDE) AFTER ALL IS SAID AND DONE THE STAMPEDE WIN THIER FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP BY THE SCORE OF 31-21. THIS WIN NOT ONLY WON THEM THE CHAMPIONSHIP BUT ALSO GAVE THEM AN UNDEFEATED RECORD OF 13-0 ....THE BEST PART WAS THE VICTORY PARTY IN AVONDALE. GOOD TIMES GOOD TALK

They Started Again

My dreams have started again that is not good ....not good at all so anyhow i'm new to this blooging site so here it goes . for those who don't know I was Dx buy the Navy to have PTSD Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ...there are many symptoms but the most scary are the nightmares ..I can't explain the fright, the pulse pounding ways on how a dream can feel so real ... but it did and I woke up screaming ...not good at all i wonder how long it will take me to see a doctor