Coping with emergency care….
A well educated young person fresh out of paramedic training asked one fine evening:
“How did you unwind and cope with a stressful emergency medical career for forty years?”….
I simply replied: “When work became overwhelming I simply put on wool pants and suspenders,” pointing to a tired photo of a Northern camp… “and immersed myself in the great outdoors.”
The picture was taken on a fine October day many years ago at Ootsa Lake, near BC’s Tweedsmuir Provincial Park. We were camped in a remote lakeside setting amidst a pine and spruce forest, far from flashing lights, ventilators, and metropolitan life… I found comfort losing myself in the peaceful serenity of that wilderness place. The photo’s Autumn colours have long since faded, the fella pictured is a longtime family friend, “Kenny” as my boys call him, I’ve known him for over fifty years… He is wearing a wool sweater, wool pants, and suspenders… An attire we both use in the outdoors for good practical purpose. Wool clothing is breathable, resists fire, has a comfortable relaxed fit, silent in salal & brush, and keeps you warm in damp, mild, or blistering cold weather. The suspenders perform the noble purpose of keeping my spirits and pants up where they should be.
Distracted from his phone he stated … “you should recolour it….
No! I replied… the photo may be tarnished but it always brings back colourful memories as vivid today as they were forty years ago. The simplicity of that moment still beckons me to pause, reflect, and get out there into Nature whenever a reset is needed. Works every time!
I lamented … Aaahhh, the comfort of our first wall tent was warm in a blizzard, a real game changer… a “Norseman”, made by a Langely, BC manufacturer. The canvas design was roomy and withstood wind, snow, and rain. A tin “Quebec” woodstove kept us warm on some cold, cold days… and still does. Even now we assure a large potful of hot water always sits stovetop. It could be 20 below and blowing outside, but a toasty environment inside…. with plenty of fellowship for Kenny, myself, sons & nephews, and hot tea to warm one’s thoughts.
I explained our canvas “outfitter” tent style has been used virtually unchanged for hundreds of years; by fur traders, prospectors, trappers, and voyagers… Old fashioned by today’s recreationalist, but it has proven functionality keeping occupants safe from the elements. Originally we used sapling wood to make a sturdy frame…. Today however, we have upgraded to an aluminum frame… our camp can be set up in less than two hours, ready to withstand anything the weather throws at us. And we have seen our share of sunny days that suddenly turn icy snow cold overnight!
“What do you need and where do you go, he asked?”
I answered, one only needs a desire for adventure, a good tent, a wilderness location, packsack of essentials, sleeping bag, good boots, stanfield sweater, wool pants and suspenders. Add tea, coffee, cook pans, fishing rod and rifle and one could live off the land comfortably. Nothing fancy is required other than a good compass and headlamp. On a moonless cloudy night it can be as dark outside as the inside of Black Angus’ stomach is with its mouth shut and tail down.
I went on to describe our many Camp locations, chosen for their unspoiled forest lakeside settings: in the Chilcotin, Francois, Omineca regions. Delightful exciting spots, full of wildlife, moose, deer, grouse, owls, grizzlies, squirrels…. and fish! Sustainable ecosystems of unbelievable natural and untamed beauty, as wild as it is captivatingly to one’s soul… teasing all one’s senses, replacing workplace scars with pleasures of sight, hearing, touch, and aromas. No deadlines to meet, no critical trauma to deal with, just wonderful sounds of natural balance in natural wilderness habitat…. Filled with rich stories narrated by the surroundings of the wild kingdom.
I reminisced about the experience of raising a family on the bounty of harvested venison, and a time our meals reflected a deep connection to the land and the changing seasons; foraged mushrooms, berries, salmon, shellfish. I spoke of wilderness settings surrounded by brilliant colours of autumn, followed by winter snows that blanketed everything in peaceful silence. I painted vivid pictures of our outfitter tent tucked away in secluded hideaways steeped in the rich history of gold mining locations where the echoes of prospectors’ hopes lingered in the crisp air. I recounted tales of adventurous fortune seekers, known as sourdoughs, who traversed rugged trails to reach our favourite Omineca camp sites, driven by dreams of striking gold and carving out a new life. Even today, the spirit of those hopeful adventurers can be felt in our camps, inspiring a deep appreciation for heritage, nature, and the simple unconnected joys found in the heart of outdoor family life. Our camp locations treasured not only for campfire stories but also for incredible opportunities for trout fishing amongst an amazing array of wildlife, greeting morning sunrises and evening shadows.
I asked, try to imagine the peace waking up after a restful sleep in front of a mirror calm lake surrounded by poplar, spruce, and birch trees. Standing on shore you are holding a fishing rod bent over with a fine trout throwing diamonds of sparkling water with each jump…. Now imagine a campfire’s crackling sound of glowing coals ready to receive a frying pan. Across the lake are snowcapped mountains, overhead the cackle of geese flying south… camped in friendship in Mother Nature’s backyard. Do you find yourself relaxing… are cares melting away?
Can you taste it? Can you hear it… Can you see it? A sizzling dinner pan of butter fried trout, no cares, no critical decisions, just relaxed camaraderie, the rustling of Birch leaves, and drumming of Spruce Grouse! You finish the day with stories of the day’s adventures as a beautiful sunset signals an evening sky.
Then imagine the marvel as shadows of moose appearing in the mist across the lake…. a howl of a distant timbre wolf breaks the silence… You awaken the next morning to crisp frost, the aroma of percolating coffee, thick cut bacon, and an unforgettable morning sunrise.
Do you feel yourself slipping into simpler times, with only a compass to guide one’s thoughts, free from sirens, emergency care, electronic devices, city drama, scrolling through news reels?
The Young fella said.. “so that is how you unwind… interesting”
Yes I replied… wilderness camping allows me throw away visions of professional complexity dealing with chaotic emergencies by connecting with nature in wonderful natural environments… When a need to sooth a restless mind arises I simply put on “wool pants and suspenders and get out there” into comforting serenity.
”The young chap thanked me for my time… summarizing his thoughts: “I would not feel safe in a tent out there!”.… then whispered “not for me” and thanked me for my thoughts!
I just smiled and wished him success, as we bid our goodbyes, realizing we were born fifty years apart in different eras…. No doubt this young new paramedic would find his own personal coping mechanisms.
Safe travels out there,
Gord