I just got home from the St. Lukes Cancer Center because my grandfather was recieving a blood transfusion. He has cirrhosis and liver cancer and needed some fresh blood. While we are waiting in the waiting room, a man walks in with a cane and sits next us. He was quiet, kept to himself. We get called into our room and get comfortable. My grandfather gets his IV started and everything is going fine. The man with the cane got the room next us and every now and then I would walk past his room and see him sleeping. Ok no big deal. Well, later on in the day, (we had gotten there about 8:30 in the morning and my grandfather's blood transfusion got started about 30 minutes later) I would say about 1:30 we heard the man in next room with the cane yelling. We heard the nurse ask him what was wrong and he said he is having this g**damn chest pain and for her to make it stop. She told him to calm down, and all of a sudden all the nurses come running and another nurse is calling 911. The man had cardiac arrest. The nurses gave him some oxygen but the man was not responding. I went by his room for the last time and he was shaking violently. The EMT's came and shocked him about 10X's and got no pulse. They also he wasn't breathing. They were working vigorously on him. Its one of those situations you just have to be there. It was crazy and sad. I just looked at my grandfather and thanked god it didn't happen to him. I told him to be thankfull that he is walking out of here on his own power. I felt so bad for that man, I couldn't even look up. In a moments time, his life changed for ever. It shocked me that nobody came with him for support. I'll be damned if my grandfather is going by himself to a medical clinic for treatment like he did. Anyways, I just had to share that moment with you. It kind of makes you appreciate life. This even will always have an impact on my life and I will always remember this.
Yeah, sorry, forget to mention that. They did CPR numerous times, they did all kinds of things to him for like 10 - 15 minutes.
My dad had a heart attack a month ago - on Christmas day. Lived through it, though. Appreciate the beauty of life. Learn CPR. You'll probably have to use it someday. -- droxford
my father pullled up at a stoplight a year or so back...and a jogger fell over with a heart attack. my dad tried to help..got out...stayed with the man until ambulance came. the man died. really shook my father up. you're right...appreciate every day.
While working in a hospital I saw this a few times. You don't know serious until you've seen about 5-10 people running around trying to save 1 person's life while rifling through crash carts looking for meds. The first time I saw it, I was scared out of my mind... it really is scary to watch. Especially when you see the guy there and know he's seconds from either surviving or death. People in IT talk about stress - try working in an ICU or emergency unit. Yeesh.
no, i don't believe so. i think someone else who stopped did. my dad sat there and talked to the man.
About 18 years ago I spent new years eve in an emergency room in Katy with my girlfriend who slipped on the wet ground and slit her wrist on the glass she was holding. The area they had us in was right next to an area where they were doing emergency stuff. They brought in a motorcyclist who was wasted by a car and I watched them try to save him for what seemed like hours. Very hard to watch but I couldn't take my eyes away.
He probably had a MASSIVE heart attack that CPR & drugs would'nt have been enough, & also his age factored in! It could have happen anywhere & anytime! I'm a registered nurse, so I see & hear about this all the time. Thank goodness I work with healthy newborns, but once in a while they too need CPR due to sudden breathing problems, heart, or infections. You have to be vigilant bcuz, they can't yell out their problems ! I always tell parents before we discharge them for home to learn CPR! To have regular scheduled check ups with pediatrician. Also, when baby is sleeping keep them on there sides, not on their tummy!
Yeah, he was pretty old. He was like 80. Also, they had about 6 nurses and 5 EMT's. They made a huge mess of meds, but you got to do what you got to do to save someones life. I now plan to learn CPR because you never know when you are going to need it.
Good for you tim562! You really don't know when your goin' 2 use it . I also recommend that EVERYONE learns it! In realty, learniing CPR also helps with the "panic factor" & adrenaline rush when he or she is envolve with a crisis or happen 2 come across one, especially when it envolves a love one! One must need 2b CALM 1st!!! (easier said then done). Always call 911 or tell someone to call 4 help. CPR classes r not expensive, check online where one is scheduled in ur area! Lastly, before U start CPR, take a couple of deep breaths 2 help make u calm.
Originally posted by RocketMan Tex Tomorrow isn't promised to you. Live each day like it's your last one on earth.
really makes you think... since I lost my father a year and a half ago, I've been forced to confront this whole life and death thing. He also had a severe heart attack, but at least it just happened rather quickly according to the witnesses (his students - he was teaching a class, can you imagine having that happen to your teacher...). He didn't have time to even say anything. We think he was unconscious and that was just pretty much it for him. It still makes me sick to think about it... like living in some kind of twilight zone where life is playing an evil joke on you. But just because we all try to put off our mortality in this society doesn't mean we won't have to confront it sooner or later. And you're right about learning CPR and other emergency medical treatment. Just the other day a girl here had a bad asthma attack; she's OK now, of course, but she was feeling bad enough that she asked for an ambulance. It was scary to watch her gasp for breath. At least there were a lot of other people around, but it made me think: what if the person doesn't have a whole lot of other options to help them? Would you know what to do or say?
