Very sweet lady in her 70's, wheelchair-bound, always dressed to a T with make-up, hair did, and her best arm purse...got it? Very nice, very kind, and needed my services for a multitude of problems. But...this is not why she makes my blog. She makes the blog because of her daughter. Let me pick up the paintbrush again... Definitely took after her mother in the way of make-up. Picture the biggest lips you have ever seen, painted with purple lipstick, then add a house coat and house slippers. Need I say more???
Anyway, Ms. Easter's daughter would come with her to every visit and pretty much just sit around and eat while she waited for her mom to finish her exercises. Now, don't get me wrong, almost every visit gave the staff something to talk about at lunch, but one particular day stands out above all others.
This was the day that Ms. Easter's daughter wasn't feeling so well. We all had been informed many times by the daughter (while she was drinking Coke and eating potato chips) that she was diabetic. On this particular day, Ms. Easter was being fitted for a leg brace by one of our vendors. He was occupied taking measurements and Ms. Easter was occupied telling him her life history. I was working nearby with another patient when I hear a huge BOOM! Immediately I hear Ms. Easter screaming, "Ooooh, Ooooh, my baby! My baby! Somebody help my baby!" I look around the corner and all I see is the daughter laid out on the floor with her house slippers askew. I quickly made my way there to assess the situation. Here's what I saw.
The brace vendor - pale as a ghost and backing away quickly
Ms. Easter - fanning the floor from her wheelchair
and last but not least
The daughter - eyes rolled back in her head and purple lips trembling
What would you do??????????
Well I'll tell you what I did. I took a deep breath and remembered that I was CPR trained and I was a health-care provider. Took the oath and all that. I also looked around me and quickly realized as the boss, I drew the short straw on this emergency. Another deep breath and then I leaned down on the ground to start my CPR ABC's. I was about to start the process (I promise I really was) when the daughter started to moan. For those of you who are not familiar with the process...moan = breathing and breathing = no mouth to mouth. WHEW! For more reasons than one!
I have never had to give CPR and I hope I never do. I will however admit my weakness and state for the record that their are some patients that I really really really hope that breath in and out the entire time they are in my office! Know what I mean?
Just kidding!!! (not a real pic)CPR Class
Toward the end of their senior year in high school, students were required to take a CPR course. The classes used the well known mannequin victim, Rescue Anne, to practice.
Rescue Anne was legless to allow for storage in a carrying case.
The class went off in groups to practice. As instructed, one of the students gently shook the doll and asked, "Are you all right?" He then put his ear over the mannequin's mouth to listen for breathing.
Suddenly, the student turned to the instructor and exclaimed, "She says she can't feel her legs!"
(Pop - that was for you!)
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