It Could Happen to You

Yesterday I found out to my dismay that those incidents that you hope you never are a part of can indeed happen. I’m glad that I was prepared in the sense that I knew what to do – well, sort of.

We had around 14 inches of snow fall in Two Harbors over the past two days. Of course once it stops, everyone gets out their winter boot, shovels, mittens and snow blowers. Our next door neighbor was one of the many that sprang into action.

I had just changed Gwyneth’s diaper and was ready to head downstairs when I heard someone shouting outside and a snow blower running. Snow blowers are scary to me. I always think of limbs getting sliced open…or worse dismemberment, so I hurried to a window, thinking I should check, but figuring I was just overreacting. Unfortunately, I wasn’t just overreacting, but my next door neighbor was lying on the ground and my other next door neighbor was kneeling next to him on the sidewalk. I shouted to Wes to call 911 and passed Gwyneth off to him and dashed out the door in my slippers into knee deep snow.

I tried to wake him up, tried to get a pulse, tried to feel his breath. There was nothing. I gave him two rescue breaths to see if that would get him going. Nothing. I asked the neighbor that had found him if he knew CPR, he didn’t. I was just about to start on my own when another neighbor ran up and we began CPR together. He did the chest compressions while I breathed for my neighbor. The rescue squad arrived and took over. I stood back, next our neighbor’s wife who came outside when she heard the commotion. I put my arm around her as she wept and asked me what she would do without him; I held her up. I asked her if she wanted me to pray for him, she did and so I prayed aloud, asking God to come and to heal. The rescue squad pulled out the defibrillator and tried to jumpstart his heart. It worked and our neighbor took in two deep breaths, but remained unconscious. They transferred him to the ambulance and I brought his wife into her house so she could get her things to head to the hospital. The police officer on the scene offered to take her to the hospital. I asked if she would like me to meet her there. She said she would like that.

I got to the hospital and stood by her in the ER bay as they stabilized him and arranged for helicopter transport to a larger hospital. I did my best to encourage her, reminding her that her husband was really strong, that he was taking some breaths on his own, that he now had a pulse. I was dying to say, “it’ll be okay,” “he’ll be fine,” or “he’ll pull through this,” but couldn’t because I didn’t know if that was true – no one did. I left shortly before they life-flighted him.

I got to be the hands of Jesus to her. It was a privilege. I was even a bit proud to know that in the situation, I knew what to do and I knew how to be a comfort. I did an important job and I did it well.

Wes received a phone call from his wife late in the evening. She said that the prognosis was not good, that there seemed to be brain damage, and that they were going to reassess his situation in 24 hours to determine whether or not they were going to continue with medical intervention. When Wes told me that news, I felt crushed. I felt so much responsibility. The “what if’s” ran through my mind…especially, what if I had started CPR without any hesitance, without any assessment. What if that minute would have saved his brain? Right away, God reminded me that he’s the sovereign one, that no one enters this life or leaves it without his allowance. Regardless, my heart is heavy. I’m begging God for a miracle.

In thinking about this, and talking to people, I realize that not all people know CPR. I know realize the importance of knowing it, committing it to memory and internalizing it, because, like it happened to me, it could happen to you.

Here are some simple instructions:
CPR - CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION

IT CAN BE AS EASY AS A- B- C:

A - AIRWAY
• Place victim flat on his/her back on a hard surface.
• Shake victim at the shoulders and shout "are you okay?"
• If no response, call emergency medical system -911 then,
• Head-tilt/chin-lift - open victims' airway by tilting their head back with one hand while lifting up their chin with your other hand.

B - BREATHING
• Position your cheek close to victims' nose and mouth, look toward victims' chest, and
• Look, listen, and feel for breathing (5-10 seconds)
• If not breathing, pinch victim's nose closed and give 2 full breaths into victim's mouth (use microshield).
• If breaths won't go in, reposition head and try again to give breaths. If still blocked, perform abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver)

C - CIRCULATION
• Check for carotid pulse by feeling for 5-10 seconds at side of victims' neck.
• If there is a pulse but victim is not breathing, give Rescue breathing at rate of 1 breath every 5 seconds Or 12 breaths per minute
• If there is no pulse, begin chest compressions as follows:
• Place heel of one hand on lower part of victim's sternum. With your other hand directly on top of first hand, Depress sternum 1.5 to 2 inches.
• Perform 15 compressions to every 2 breaths. (rate: 80-100 per minute)
• Check for return of pulse every minute.

CONTINUE UNINTERRUPTED UNTIL ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT IS AVAILABLE.

(http://www.spodek.com/Claims/CPR.htm)