Weird day today, after a weird couple of months.
My dizziness and foot pain (neuropathy) and loud sounds in my ears have been oddly ramped up. Fatigue and general pain too, along with the disorientation. I have been trying to work a bit more, so maybe that's why.
As a result, not much running.
Today I was teaching a First Aid / CPR class. I was right at the part where I was explaining & demonstrating how to handle a situation where the person appears unresponsive and may need CPR. At that moment, a guy in the back of the class went limp in his chair and crashed to the floor -- I was the only one who saw it since he was all the way in the back. Midsentence, I leapt to the back of the classroom and went into the emergency procedure. Dizzy AF.
"ARE YOU OK?!? ARE YOU OK?!?" I yell, whacking on his shoulder. No response. No breathing. F.
I turn to the class, who all look shocked. I point to someone and order "CALL 911!!" I turn to someone else and order them "GET AN AED!!"
Everybody stands and stares. Eyes wide with surprise and fear.
The guy's mom, who had been sitting at the desk in front of him, is on her feet but frozen. She hadn't seen him fall. Had I somehow spoken to her son before class and planned this skit? But no, she had heard his head *thunk* into the wood shelf by his desk. This was no act.
Something tells me to check his pulse, to re-verify that he is definitely in cardiac arrest before I begin chest compressions. Maybe his breathing is shallow. With the spinning undulating walls and floor of my world, maybe I missed it. Maybe he is breathing. Had I missed it? F F F
The adrenalin flooding my system makes the dizziness worse. I can't get to his carotid -- his head is awkwardly propped up in the corner. The room careens crazily around me as I pull him down to the floor in an effort to get his chin off his chest.
This adjustment in position opens up his airway. He lurches and gasps. Breathing!! Holy crap ok ok ok
I turn to the room. Feels like 10 damn minutes (probably 3 seconds irl) since I gave the orders- everybody still staring motionless- WHAT THE EFF ARE YOU KIDDING ME
"CALL 911!!" I am screaming "NOW!! CALL 911!!" I look to the guy closest to the door. "Go there" *pointing* "to the dentist office and get their AED" and I look at another lady "Go up to the 2nd floor to their lobby. There is a box on the wall IN THEIR LOBBY and it has an AED. Go now!"
Eff I am blind from the room spinning so hard. I can't hear right. I don't know if anybody has done anything. I scream at the top of my lungs "SOMEBODY CALL 911!! HAS ANYBODY CALLED 911??!!!" The class says yes and they point to somebody.
That was maybe 10 or 12 seconds. I turn back to the guy who is now somewhat conscious and attempting to get up. His eyes look wild. I get down close to him and gently but with strength hold him down to the floor. I speak calmly to him -
"Hey it's ok, welcome back. You just had a little adventure ok?. No, don't get up. Stay here. Stay right down here with me ok?"
He isn't fully hearing or understanding. His body tenses and for a few moments he has a mild seizure. The shaking ends as abruptly as it started, he regains partial consciousness, he tenses against me and struggles to rise- I hold him down-
"Stay down here, it's ok, it's ok, we're not getting up. Here let's go on your side" *lifting and shoving him as he halfway fights me to get up* "No no we're not getting up, here lift up your arm, that's good now put your head on your arm come on roll to your side here no we're not getting up."
I hold him down, partially on his side for a minute. Finally he comes to and looks up at me "What happened?"
I talk to him and keep him calm. Somebody helps me get him fully onto his side, into the recovery position. I stay knelt down by him, hand reassuringly and yet firmly on his ribs. I can't let him up.
He wants to get up but I convince him - not that I am giving him an option - to stay down.
EMT/Paramedics arrive and take over. The guy goes unconscious and starts seizing. We take the mom to the front of the classroom. The guy regains consciousness. He doesn't look good.
They load him onto the ambulance and take off. Mom declines my offer to drive her car to the hospital and uber back. She goes to her car and drives away. Everybody who was not in the class leaves. The class stays.
They all get back in their chairs and stare at me.
They opt to continue. So I finish the class.
Later in the day, mom and son call to say he is ok.
Whew.