In 2017 I attended a Basic Life Support session run by CPR Counts and little did I know that 5 years later I would be doing CPR on my wife, Jan.
It was early morning, 1.00am, I was woken by Jan making noises like she could not breathe1. I dialled 999 and was instructed by the operator to open the front door2 and to get back to my wife.
With the operator’s instructions I put one hand on her chest and that is when I said “CPR!” – it all came back to me. I started CPR and by the time the first paramedic came running up the stairs Jan had come round3. He was talking to her as he walked into the bedroom, looked at me, and said “Well done mate”.
I have to say without Malcolm, Mike and the CPR COUNTS Team taking their own time and effort to put their courses together I could not have done CPR on Jan.
She is now doing well with pacemaker and internal defibrillator fitted.
A big thank you to the CPR COUNTS team, what you have put together is brilliant.
George
1. This is known as agonal breathing, or last gasps, and must be distinguished from normal, regular, breathing.
2. It’s very important to allow access for the paramedics while you keep up with the CPR. At night also turn on plenty of lights to make distinguishing your house more easy.
3. It’s rare for the victim of cardiac arrest to begin breathing normally, or regain consciousness, whilst receiving CPR but if it happens that’s great news, for both receiver and giver. In such a case make sure that the patient is breathing normally then put them into the recovery position, all the time monitoring their breathing. If it stops or becomes just gasping again then re-start CPR.
Do you remember why, when and how to put someone in the recovery position? Click here for a reminder:
watch-the-recovery-position-for-the-unconscious-patient-who-is-breathing-normally/
CPR Counts 