Hey y'all - just found this board. I've recently interviewed for a 911 call taker position. Am curious if I'm crazy for considering the job or what. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. If you don't wish to post on the board, feel free to use my email. I've read lots of horror stories on the web about 911 call takers and what they have to endure. Is it as bad as I've read??? There are 5 positons available and six applicants that made it through the initial testing and official interview process. This Saturday, I'm sitting in to observe the operation. Am excited to see what all goes on. Would like to hear from those of you with a 911 background. Thanks! Vicki

I had open RNY and was off work 4 weeks (because of being sedintary I could really have gone back after 2 or 3, but dragged it out) everyone was great, work was easy to work with, but I had been there over 2 years before i had it done. Good luck, I hope you get the job.. dispatching is GREAT, albeit it stressful at times. Funny you mentioned Fresno, I grew up there, but left when I was in 15.. small world

I filled out my application for the LE exam yesterday. The test is tentativley set for sometime this Spring. My big problem is that I need to focus a lot more on my fitness routine, or lack thereof. I really have no excuse other than laziness and hatred of exercise. I've lost 100lbs so far and it's certainly a lot easier to get around now. If I don't get serious about this, I'll never be able to pass the physical portion of the academy. I really believe that part of my problem is that I slef sabotage out of fear of the unknown. I'm very scared that I'll get into the academy and even after losing all of the weight, be humiliated because I can't keep up physically. This is a problem that goes way back for me. I was almost through the military recruitment process when I was 18 and I did the same thing. I was very thin then but I still didn't meet the Air Force's weight requirement. It really was way too low for my build, but the gov't thinks in very arbitrary terms, with no room for such ideas. Anyway, I had less than 15 pounds to go but I never lost it. Instead, I gained a ton of weight and ended up battling morbid obesity for years to come. It was all out of fear. I wanted to be in the military more than anything in the world, but my self esteem was so low that I let my fear get the best of me and take away my dream. I can't let it happen again. I'll admit that my self image is a lot better now than it once was, but there are still those old demons lingering in my mind. They are the ones that tell me I'm not good enough and I'll never make it, so why even try. I CAN'T LET THEM WIN THIS TIME!!! I really need to stop sabotoging myself and deal with this issue head on. I did order several exercise DVDs the other day and they should be here soon. I need to talk to my Lt at work about helping me too. He's in perfect shape, and he owns a gym that I will be joining soon. Hopefully I can use him as my personal trainer. I'm lucky enough to have a great support system and I really need to start utilizing it. So I guess the only question here is, if I know all of this, then what the hell is my problem?! sorry for rambling on so long, I'm just really frustrated with myself right now. If anyone would like to give me good swift kick in my big fat butt, feel free Carol

Congratulations Chloe! I had a lap rny and was back to work in 10 days. I really could've gone back sooner, but it was nice to have a little time off. I work for a small department and just about everyone there knew I was having wls. I was lucky enough to have a lot of support from everyone. I don't know how it is with the bigger departments though. They didn't have a problem with my taking the time off. After the first week my lead dispatcher was begging me to come back early though lol. That was just because everyone else is always calling out and she had too many extra shifts to fill. Congratulation and best wishes on the new job and on your wls journey. It sounds like this is a pretty exciting time in your life. Enjoy every minute of it. Carol

My baby sister had her 2nd son Sunday morning 3/12/06 at 3:42am. He was a little early, as he was due April 4th. Brantley Ray Bailey weighed 5lbs 7oz, but was immediately put into neonatal intensive care. He was having difficulty breathing, so they put him under an oxygen tent. He was breathing on his own, but not able to maintain a good oxygen level on his own and his respirations were way too fast. Monday he was transported to Montgomery by the Angel Care mobile hospital unit. Brantley is there at the Neo-Natal unit. He has a chest tube in and has a collapsed lung. They have discovered a pnuemo-thorax, or a pocket of air outside the lung, below the chest wall, and it's pressing on his organs. They also suspect he is missing the coating on the inside of his lung to allow the lung to move smoothly and keep from sticking to the tubes inside. They aren't 100% sure about the coating on the inside yet, but he has done better since the chest tube aiding in re-inflating his lung. He is crying, which is a first since his birth. The doctors said once his vitals are holding well, they will worry about checking the coating inside the lung. The other lung seems to be fine and functioning normal. It was just struggling and being the only one working was too much on his immature lungs. They are afraid he will tire out soon with one lung still doing all the work, and they actually hope that happens because then he can be put on ventilator and it will let his little body rest and mature some more. Please, please keep my family in your prayers. My sister was released from the hospital a day early so she could go see him, and she had a c-section. They were a single income family, and now my brother in law is taking off to be there. My husband and I have their other son, who will be 2 on March 30th. He's missing his family so much. I am going to Montgomery Saturday to be with them for the weekend. I am sorry I've been out of the loop for the past few weeks, but my sister has been having contractions and the flu and needed all the help I could give her. Thank you in advance for you prayers. Sherri Carroll Dothan AL