Stayin’ alive!
My first-aid classes were not all in vain...
There’s nothing better than knowing you’ve helped someone.
Maybe even saved a life. I should know... I trained as a psychiatric and general nurse in my student days, back in the 1960s.
My wife Nova, 75, was also a nurse, and worked in the profession for 40 years.
Then, in 2002, I started to volunteer for St John Ambulance, teaching people emergency first aid. What to do in a crisis. ‘The first step is not to panic,’ I’d say at the start of every class.
People still giggle when the pink doll has to come out!
In February this year, I was giving a talk to my local church group. I’d taught them before. They knew the basics of CPR, the recovery position. We’d be going through it again.
But before the class started, I suddenly felt sick.
My skin grew clammy and hot. But I felt very, very cold.
I started to check my pulse.
Sitting in a chair, I felt the urge to lie down.
‘Are you all right, David?’ church member Karol, 47, said.
Shaking my head I said, ‘No, I’m not feeling good.’ She started laughing. ‘I need to know if this is role play or you’re serious!’
We usually acted out scenarios in class, you see. She thought I was faking!
‘I think I’m going to have a heart attack,’ I groaned. Her face went white. She felt for my pulse… Nothing! Trying my neck, she found it. It was erratic – a sign leading up to a cardiac arrest. ‘Put my legs up,’ I managed to croak. ‘And don’t panic!’ She propped them on a chair to keep the blood flowing. ‘Be ready to put me in the recovery position,’ I said as someone rushed to call an ambulance. I knew I’d soon pass out. I reminded Karol of how to do CPR, as it went from her memory!
Meanwhile, someone said an ambulance was on the way.
‘Nova’s coming, too,’ another person cried.
I got passed over to speak to ambulance control on someone’s mobile.
I told them how I felt, and about my pulse disappearing in my wrist.
‘I think I’ll have a cardiac arrest in the next few minutes,’ I said. Then everything went black. Next thing I knew, I was waking up in bed in a bright, white room.
‘What the..?’ I said, rubbing my eyes. I was in hospital. But why? Then it slowly trickled back. I’d a heart attack! Soon, doctors came in. Nova had been with me the whole time. It turned out after I was rushed to Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Wonford, I’d suffered a cardiac arrest and pulmonary embolism. Doctors had
Her face went white. She felt for my pulse... Nothing!
shocked me back to life...even after the paramedics had initially.
‘I was told to prepare for the worst from the start,’ Nova whispered to me.
On the first night, my life had hung in the balance. Doctors thought I’d die or have irreparable brain damage.
Thankfully, I’d pulled through after over two weeks in Intensive Care.
‘I’ve been out for over a fortnight?’ I gasped.
In that time, I had three stents fitted to widen arteries to my heart – as well as a defibrillator fitted in my chest wall.
If I had another attack, it’d automatically give my heart a shock.
Doctors were puzzled over why I’d had a cardiac arrest. I was fit and healthy. ‘You were saved by CPR, given by a church member,’ doctors said.
Karol. She’d saved me because of my life-saving talks! Well, they do say the student becomes the master.
After five weeks in total in hospital, I was allowed home.
But told to stay off work.
Otherwise, I’m fit and improving.
Sadly, I missed celebrating my 77th birthday on 3 March.
But Nova took me out for a lovely cream tea when I came out of hospital. I’ve seen Karol since, too. ‘Thank you for saving my life,’ I said, giving her a hug.
‘We’d been praying for you,’ Karol replied.
I’m back to teaching first aid, too.
Whenever I start roleplaying, people are hesitant.
But I’ve made a good recovery and have no plans of stopping.
These classes I give are lifesaving.
I’m living proof of that!
Doctors thought I’d die or have brain damage