My Crazy Life: Part 2

This seems like forever ago, but I wanted to share this story with you to A) prove that when I tell stories about my school day that even though they sound like a made-for-tv movie, they are not and B) encourage everyone to learn CPR.

My first day back to school after the holidays and my accident was actually a Wednesday since I was sick that Monday and had my first ortho appt Tuesday. I wasn't feeling great but convinced myself to go to school and just "take it easy". Words I would eat later.

At 10:35am, 3 kids knocked, no banged, on my door screaming that the sub next door had passed out. I ran next door to find her face down, moaning, with her eyes in the back of her head. While other teachers were calling the school nurse or 911, another teacher and I were asking the lady questions trying to get her to talk. All of a sudden, she stopped breathing! My heart sank. The only thing that I could think to do was roll her over. I had first decided against this b/c when the kids said she fell I didn't know if she had a neck injury but that all changed when she stopped breathing. Not even remembering about my broken, casted arm, I rolled her over and she then took a big gasp but then stopped breathing again. The worst part was as this woman lay there basically dying, all the teachers that were now in the room looked at each other and realized that NONE of us knew CPR. 4 or 5 minutes later (but what seemed like an eternity), the school nurse ran down and immediately gave the woman CPR and got her breathing again. About 20 minutes after the paramedics took her away, all of the adrenaline wore off and my arm was in so much pain! Not exactly what the doctor meant by "taking it easy". Thank the good Lord, the woman survived and we later found out she had a heart attack due to a leaky valve.

I only tell this story because that was my wake up call. In this season of a new year and new beginnings, people set resolutions. I always struggle with resolutions (who doesn't) and never seem to come up with anything creative or able to stick with. (My 2008 resolution was to start recycling and when people come over and ask if we recycle I always have to say "No, but that was my 2008 new year's resolution. Does that count?") What I realized that day, was that God encouraged me to be at school so that I, along with my amazing co-workers, could save this woman's life. But also, a wake-up call that my 2011 New Year's Resolution is to learn CPR and learn it well. I never want to feel that helpless and scared again.

I WILL be successful at this! I honestly can't believe that as a public school teacher I don't already know CPR. The funny part of this is that when I called the hospital about taking classes and told them that I currently have a broken arm and asked if that would be a problem, the lady responded in the sweetest southern accent ever, "Well dear, since you are disabled you are probably not going to be successful in the class at this time because you will fail your compression tests. Call us in a few months." HA! Awesome. Thanks for the confidence.

If anyone wants to take CPR with me, give me a shout!