bystander cpr

[BigRed]

We took a mini family vacation with us leaving Friday and coming home Sunday. Something told both my wife and I that we should stay another night and call off on Monday even though the trip was pretty sucky up to that point.

We managed to get another cabin right next to the one we had previously stayed in. So later Sunday night we hear yelling and both my wife and I thought it was the neighbors in the cabin we had previously stayed in fighting. After a couple minutes we hear a woman yelling help and my wife rushes inside and tells me the neighbor is dead.

I grab my light and run over and sure enough the male is on the floor with no breathing or pulse. I start compressions and send my wife and the guys wife to find help because we had no signal and only a couple cabins were occupied.

My wife while still managing the wife and our kids found a guy and told (more like ordered) him to drive down to the park hq to get help (he refused to physically help). My wife then managed to find a spot that had signal and reached 911 and relayed information.

My wife wanted to relieve me but I told her to stay out of the room in an attempt to protect her. My wife found someone to help but not before I spent 20 minutes alone doing cpr. With an additional 5 minutes with help.

A dnr employee came with an aed and we zapped him. When I was alone with the guy it was the most alone I've ever felt.

Then the calvary came and honestly i almost cried tears of joy. My wife was a Rockstar the whole time. I fell in love with her all over again watching her calmly and clearly direct first responders where to go and again relaying information and ,despite my protest, coming into the room and helping where she could.

Then she started comforting the wife and did so for 3 hours until she got a ride to the hospital.

The feeling is nothing like I expected. I've never done cpr alone and I've sure as hell never done it that long and I've never done it for someone that I had no responsibility to. The guy made it through the night but passed that morning.

I worked harder to save that man than I have ever worked in my life. I've never tried so hard to do something and only to have it fail hit me so hard.

I've never really been bothered by doing cpr regardless of the out come because the way I always seen it was I'm not a Dr so if it works great if not welp I ain't no doctor. But this time was different.

I've seen locomotive vs. POV accidents but for some reason this is probably the most traumatic scene I've seen.

I'm so worried about my wife I didn't want her to see it but she has a such good heart that she put herself in there to help. It breaks my heart that she saw what she saw and heard what she heard. I'm so proud of her and what she did.

She doesn't see it but she's the one that got him the advanced care he needed and because of her his family was able to say goodbye and then to sit and comfort the wife for so long, she's my hero.

Really just wanted to vent for a minute it's been a rough couple days

Well done, Sir. Good family of folks.

 

[BigRed]

Even in the best of circumstances, the "success rate of CPR" is much lower than is often thought.

Nonetheless it is a good skill to know along with knowing how to stay calm in A bad situation.

 

[actaeon277]

Found a reuters article that states 10 percent.

 

[BigRed]

Found a reuters article that states 10 percent.

Based on what I know from family working in icu, 10% is about right....

Nonetheless, to be able to act and keep calm in a bad situation is valuable.

 

[BigRed]

Now, on a sub it may be lower...but those guys are already nucking futs!

 

[actaeon277]

Now, on a sub it may be lower...but those guys are already nucking futs!

Most medical problems tend to end badly on a sub.
medical help is far away

 

[JettaKnight]

Have I ever mentioned I've never been too fond of a lot of dispatchers?

TBF, they probably deal with a lot of idiots and are going in cold with no idea whom they are dealing with, but yeah, I get it.

 

[shibumiseeker]

I’ve done it a bunch of times. Most of them while working, but a couple of times on people I knew, and a couple more times on strangers out in public. I’ve only had a few saves, but many people would take a one and 10 chance over zero. Take some time for yourself, and let yourself feel what you feel. This is not the time to “man up.”

 

[KittySlayer]

First off good on you for being a good human being performing CPR.

My take away from this is you and your wife are a team. A crisis reveals the true character of people. The two of you worked seamlessly to try to save a man’s life. You two are a TEAM. Like riding a tandem bicycle or piloting a canoe, a couple needs to be in synch. You both worked together and reinforced why you are together.

Hug your wife. Help each other decompress from this event. Recognize how you two worked together to try and save a man’s life.

 

[freekforge]

Found a reuters article that states 10 percent.

Cool I was right when I was pulling numbers out of my *** at 2 in the morning lol. I think even in hospital cpr success is only like 20%. I remember my first time I was completely shocked that the patient didn't jump up and shake my hand when I was done.

 

[freekforge]

TBF, they probably deal with a lot of idiots and are going in cold with no idea whom they are dealing with, but yeah, I get it.

I butted heads with the dispatchers on the job too I had a couple really good ones though but really it's probably just neither of us had been in the other's shoes.

 

[Tactically Fat]

FF: Good on you, man. Shibumi (who is a solid solid dude) said that now isn't the time to "man up". I'll take a different tack. It IS time to man up and take care of yourself. Finding someone to talk to: chaplain, pastor, counselor of some kind, etc. You've started the mental work through process with your posts in this thread. This can be the start of the catharsis. There is ZERO shame in seeking help for an illness or injury, right? A traumatic event, which you (And your wife) have just been through definitely qualifies as an injury. May not be physical, but an injury none-the-less. And PTSD is normal and natural for all manner of events, too, while I'm at it. Again - ZERO shame in seeking out someone to help you both to work through this.

To others who haven't ever done CPR (like me): CPR is violent. If done correctly, you WILL break ribs. Especially on smaller and/or elderly. Here's the thing: if they truly need CPR, they're basically literally already dead. I don't mean this flippantly, either. No pulse and no breathing = dead. So, in essence, you can't "hurt" a dead person. Violent rib-breaking CPR may bring them back to life. But, as discussed, it really isn't likely.

FF: Was this compressions-only CPR? Just curious - it sounds like it was.

 

[freekforge]

FF: Good on you, man. Shibumi (who is a solid solid dude) said that now isn't the time to "man up". I'll take a different tack. It IS time to man up and take care of yourself. Finding someone to talk to: chaplain, pastor, counselor of some kind, etc. You've started the mental work through process with your posts in this thread. This can be the start of the catharsis. There is ZERO shame in seeking help for an illness or injury, right? A traumatic event, which you (And your wife) have just been through definitely qualifies as an injury. May not be physical, but an injury none-the-less. And PTSD is normal and natural for all manner of events, too, while I'm at it. Again - ZERO shame in seeking out someone to help you both to work through this.

To others who haven't ever done CPR (like me): CPR is violent. If done correctly, you WILL break ribs. Especially on smaller and/or elderly. Here's the thing: if they truly need CPR, they're basically literally already dead. I don't mean this flippantly, either. No pulse and no breathing = dead. So, in essence, you can't "hurt" a dead person. Violent rib-breaking CPR may bring them back to life. But, as discussed, it really isn't likely.

FF: Was this compressions-only CPR? Just curious - it sounds like it was.

Thankfully I decided to talk about some of the more gnarly stuff I've been a part of a couple years ago and it gave me the tools I needed to do some self work and made me a better man. I feel like I am better equipped now than ever before. I'm so thankful for being able to serve in the capacities I have previously because it gave me the skills needed to act and indirectly the skills needed to feel better after the fact. I've explained this to my wife and told her that if there's any residual effects to not bottle them up and ignore them. She is so strong and self aware and I think I she will make the right choices for her and I'll be there supporting her no matter what.

Yep I broke some ribs I'm glad the wife wasn't present for that. It's extremely violent but totally worth it. I'm one of the first responders at work and the only one with real world experience. At training I tell everyone to stay calm in the moment, if you have to do it they're already dead. It's similar to trying to fix a part that's been scrapped if you fix it great you saved the day if not it was scrap before and it's still. Same thing if you save them you're a hero if not well they were dead and they still are dead. Just stay calm in the moment you can get emotional later.

This was compressions only cpr until ems arrived. I will only do mouth to mouth on family and small children. It sucks because as we were pulling away from the house I stopped to go get my trauma kit and od kit from my truck but decided to just leave them and get going. I would have had a mask with one way valve and gloves had I grabbed them and I imagine a couple breaths could have helped given the length of time he was down. But can't change the past just need to learn from it. I have a bag valve mask but I don't drag it around because I feel like that could be kinda iffy as far as good Samaritan laws go. It's within my scope of training but I'm not sure if I should risk it. Maybe someone more knowledgeable can chime in on that.