Damn!

[Auxin]

I was only away two days and there was like 50 active topics when I came back.

Anyways, my dad damn near died a day and a half ago so if anybody asks questions aimed at me they might not be answered as swiftly as usual- I dont exactly know what the next few days hold.

But heres my newly aquired bit of wisdom to share. I learned CPR in college and I wasnt to sure I would ever need the thing, but then my dad collapsed, stopped breathing, and had no detectable pulse. I pounded on his chest and blew in his lungs according to the CPR rules and his pulse returned, he started breathing, and he got a little color back. It was at this point I realized that EVERYONE SHOULD LEARN CPR. The docs say that if I dindnt do chest compressions and mouth to mouth my dad could have easily died before the medics arrived.

His vitals were very unstable and he was delerious for the first 18 hrs but hes stabilizing pretty good now, talking, eating, and demanding real coffee. They still dont know what caused it but he may be facing 1-3 operations in the next month (one was already pending for a prostate thing). The doctors were pretty optimistic today as opposed to them pretending to be optimistic yesterday.

Enough ranting for now. If you only remember one thing from this post let it be:

LEARN CPR it IS important.

[waterdragon]

hope he gets better soon, no chance he got stuck into your stash? (humour).

i learned cpr some time ago as part of a course i did, it's the sort of skill that should be refreshed every year because most people tend to forget stuff like that over time.

[Auxin]

Yeah, CPR knowledge should be refreshed every year if possible but even if your memory is a little foggy the emergency operator can really help you through it provided you took the course in the last 5 years or so.

[spiraleyes]

well done!

hope he heals well.

its gota be a good feeling.

[Guest electro]

i wish your father the best through this trialing time

[deaders]

Wow well done, i hope he pulls through. Im curious though, did the CPR crack his ribs or do any damage? When i did a first aid certificate earlier in the year the instructor said its actually very common.

[nabraxas]

yep-well done

i've heard it said if you haven't cracked at least 1 rib, you weren't doing it right.

the cpr must be updated because within the last 5 years they've changed the basic breaths & pushes ratio,the method for two people & introduced the 3 quick breaths straight off - supposedly the whole world now shares the same standard.

[Darklight]

Best of luck with yer dad cob and goodonya for remembering the process amidst the panic

[planthelper]

i read in a fossiking magazine:

if you are on your own an fell a heartattack

coming on you got a few second before passing out. start coughing strongly like clearing your throut. self cpr.

hope your dad makes a full recovery and please avoid the medical centre where the stuffed up mr. biggs from the be gees.

[Auxin]

Thanks for your support everybody.

I dindnt break any ribs and apparently there are no major cracks, they havent had time yet to look for minor cracks. But I do know I would have broken something if he (and the ambulance) didnt respond so fast. He did say his chest hurts like hell and the docs confirmed that one portion of his heart is still inactive and other parts are clogged up from 60 years of southern food but hes up and walking around and he was even allowed to come home to get some real coffee (the mark of a true coffee addict) but the docs are making him come back to the hospital in the morning for more work.