Interesting Day, Had To Give CPR

Geico266

Geico266

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Geico
I drove by a local elementary school around noon today and noticed a little boy lying on the side walk with an adult standing over him. I pulled in as I dialed 911 and was ready to press send. I just completed a CPR class so I was current.

Shook him, no response. Checked his pulse, none. Breathing, nope. Eyes, fixed and dialated. By then the school nurse arrived on the scene and I told her what I had found. I said; "We need to begin CPR now". She checked for a pulse agreed and immediately began chest compressions as I opened his airway.

We continued for 10 mins, and she switched positions with a nurses aid as I tried to maintain an airway, but I was not able to. We could not get air into his lungs. His lips were turning blue and he was "going gray". We were losing him. We keep trying and I would announce when ever we seem to get air into his lungs. He was gasping for air in what appeared to be "death throws".

His mother showed up and said he has sever asthma. She went into shock and started to shake, and almost passed out. I grabbed her and laid her down and went back to the boy. There was a little improvement and by then the paramedics arrived.

They immediately relieved us and continued CPR, shocked him twice, installed an airway, administered O2 and other drugs trying to stabilize him for the ambulance ride.

The cops and the principle took my name and said what a great job I did.
I sit here now shaking, hoping I did all I could to save the boy. Should I have done a tracheotomy to help him breath? Were our chest compressions hard enough? Did we breath hard enough? I forgot to sweep his airway for debris. Did he choke on something the teacher didn't see? Did I do enough to save him?

I helped the medics clean up the site. There were a dozen syringes, tubes, trash, plastic bags. And his clothes as we had cut them off him so they could work on him. I have his clothes, but I can't bring myself to throw them away. They smell like the little boy I tired to save.

He was in very bad shape. I hope he makes it.

My PTSD didn't need this! Then again, the little boy didn't need this either. :rolleyes2:
 
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Thanks for trying,if all goes bad,you gave it your best!you can't save them all. Was at the gym one morning and did CPR on a heart attack victim,he didn't make it,know how you feel. Try and talk it out.
 
If you have not taken a CPR class in the last 5 years please sign up tomorrow. There are a lot of parents here, husbands, wives. Do you know what to do if someone stops breathing?

Don't be the one to "let someone else do it". It could be your kid, wife, girl friend, parent, or you might save the life of a complete stranger.
 
I commend you for being wiling to try. In this age of litigation, many won't. You did all you could. I too performed CPR on an unresponsive gentleman that didn't make it. I pray for a different outcome this time. Please let us know.
 
End result, you tried. How many peolple would just stand around. How many would break out the phone and start video. You did what you could. You can second guess yourself all you want, but you have to accept you tried, and you made the effort. Good job.
 
Geico, you are a hero, really, great job. You did everything you could to save his life and may have just done so. If the boy does succumb, it will give great comfort that someone worked hard to save him and nothing more could be done. Don't second guess, generally if someone requires CPR, the prognosis isn't good, but sometimes it works and hopefully it did in this case.

Your post reminded me I need to re certify. I haven't had to use it yet, but you never know.

Edit:

Bring the clothes to the principal.
 
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Good job, Sir. I applaud you, you may very well have saved this young man's life. You certainly gave him a better chance than had you not been there to take action.
 
Sometimes you do everything right and it just isn't meant to be.

I sure hope he makes it through OK, too.
 
The only reason the boy has any chance at all is because of your actions. We all like to think that in a stressful situation, we'll do the right thing. You don't have to wonder any longer, you now know you will.

It's horrible to think that the boy may not have a chance to live his life, but even the most skilled medical personnel in a hospital setting can't save every life. Sometimes things happen that, as Dr. G would say, are incompatible with life, and there's nothing anyone can do about it.
 
mikeinbama said:
I commend you for being wiling to try. In this age of litigation, many won't.
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Fortunately there are 'good samaritan' laws to protect people that are trying to help during emergency situations. It is good that you had the presence of mind to get involved and try to do the best you could. Many people freeze up during stressful situations. Sounds like it surely would have been a grim outcome otherwise. I hope the kid was able to pull through.
 
Oh yea? Well I had to sit in a 6 hour meeting today. :wink2:

You done good, Geico.

What caused you to renew your CPR? I haven't done that since college, but I'm going to sign up next week.

I heard something about current CPR stressing heart compressions only, and not breathing for the patient. I must be mistaken.

Anyway, BZ, Sir.
 
You acted, and you were trained and prepared to do so, which is more than roughly 80% of the population will do.

As far as the airway, take a peek at some of the modern studies on "compression only CPR".

In the case of severe asthma, it may not apply, but studies have found that over-oxygenation of some patients is actually detrimental to their condition, and CPR courses have lowered the number of breaths and how often they happen during CPR.

The movement of blood is far more important in the overall survival numbers. Especially in heart attacks, which is usually why folks find themselves crunching ribs.

Anyway, tough one with asthma. But you couldn't know. Kid needed a tube and O2.

And even when they have that, it's difficult to get O2 where it needs to go.

I hope the kiddo is doing ok. I had two cousins who suffered from insane asthma as kids. They scared the hell out of their parents more times than I can count. I don't think there was ever a CPR event but passing out definitely happened more than once. And lots of ambulance rides.

You did what you could. Good job.
 
You do what you can and hope for the best. That's all it comes down to in the end. That you tried is what sets apart those who care from those who don't. Thanks for caring.

I'm a former CPR Instructor Trainer, by the way... and no, I am not current even as a responder at the moment. I have to make it a point to get down there.

Rich
 
If u were Henning you would have performed a tracheotomy. Other than that you did great.
 
Second guessing is natural (did I do all I could have...?), but not especially productive. You did everything possible with what you had. You are exactly the kind of person I want as a neighbor and a member of my community.
 
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Is it even possible to open airways in a severe asthma attack with anything other than drugs?
 
You are an everyday hero, turned full on Hero!

Good job.
 
Well done. Usually people turn away when they see 'trouble' coming their way. I appreciate you taking action and stopped your car (!!) when help was needed.
 
FormerHangie said:
The only reason the boy has any chance at all is because of your actions. We all like to think that in a stressful situation, we'll do the right thing. You don't have to wonder any longer, you now know you will.
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This. It is normal to second guess yourself & have some guilt regardless of the outcome, but you did everything you could have done. And if he lives, it has a large part to do with your actions.

If it exacerbates your PTSD though, I would recommend getting a few sessions of counseling to process it all.
 
Matthew said:
Is it even possible to open airways in a severe asthma attack with anything other than drugs?
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With my cousins, they usually were breathing enough to shove various inhalers in their faces and squeeze. It didn't take much, but the recovery was still painfully slow. I suspect there are asthmatic episodes where they wouldn't be effective.
 
Geico266 said:
I sit here now shaking, hoping I did all I could to save the boy. Should I have done a tracheotomy to help him breath? Were our chest compressions hard enough? Did we breath hard enough? I forgot to sweep his airway for debris. Did he choke on something the teacher didn't see? Did I do enough to save him?
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Kudo's for stepping up and helping. Kids are resilient and typically very healthy, and even prolonged resuscitations in children can turn out ok.. more so than in adults.

Airway and breathing support can be difficult for the amateur. Do the best you can.

Regarding a surgical airway... if you haven't been trained to do so, nor have someone skilled guiding you through it.... you are asking for trouble. Stick to what you are trained to do, whatever that level is. If you succeed in rescuing, good. If your efforts fail, you know you did everything that was expected of you.

If he was having an asthma attack the problem was deep in the lungs and a surgical airway in and of itself would not benefit relieving lungs in spasm..

Contact me via PM if you want to discuss the medical end of this further.
 
Sorry you had to go through this.

If it was asthma, the obstruction to airflow is deep inside the lungs involving very small airways. An emergency puncture of the trachea would not have relieved that obstruction.

You did the right things, its out of your hands.
 
mikeinbama said:
I commend you for being wiling to try. In this age of litigation, many won't. You did all you could. I too performed CPR on an unresponsive gentleman that didn't make it. I pray for a different outcome this time. Please let us know.
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Many states have laws that protect a lay bystander who performs lifesaving measures to the best of his abilities from liability (whether they cover a healthcare professional rendering aid is not as clear).
 
Great job Larry.....:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

All you can do, Is all you can do.......

And you did it..:yes:
 
Sometimes I wonder why this forum isn't called lonely pilots with a need to talk about anything no matter how remotely related to aviation, .to other lonely pilots with nothing better to do but opine.....
 
flyingriki said:
Sometimes I wonder why this forum isn't called lonely pilots with a need to talk about anything no matter how remotely related to aviation, .to other lonely pilots with nothing better to do but opine.....
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Many of like to hear when someone has something extraordinary happen in their lives. Why dont you follow your own advice and go back to to whatever it is that is oh-so-important that you took time away from it to offer your better-left-silent opinion?
 
In my line of work, I'm often near folks in need. I have done CPR quite a few times and had a few saves. I'd say at least 2/3 were lost.

I can't eat raisin bread anymore.

Good job keeping the boy viable till higher care arrived.
 
Mrs. SixPapaCharlie said:
This. It is normal to second guess yourself & have some guilt regardless of the outcome, but you did everything you could have done. And if he lives, it has a large part to do with your actions.

If it exacerbates your PTSD though, I would recommend getting a few sessions of counseling to process it all.
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A few "sessions" with Captain Morgan and I'm good. Shrinks just like to talk, and I woundn't pass a medical. Only time heals for me...... and a good stiff drink. ;)



********

Thank you one and all for the comments. I feel much better today. I always go through a "session" of second guessing my self playing these events over and over in my head. I have held men in my arms as they gasped their last breaths and life left. I don't mind it, I was glad I was their to help and comfort them in their last minutes on earth, but it takes a toll on me for a while.

Thanks again. Geico is no hero, I just like to be prepared. **** happens.

Be prepared POA! Please grab a partner and sign up for first aid classes and a good CPR class.
 
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Good job, Geico. You da MAN.

Now - and echoing some others - asthma is not an obstruction in the throat area so you did right by not attempting a tracheotomy.
And on that topic, since you have no medical license cutting a hole in someone is called felony assault and mutilation and will result in some fat bellied sheriff putting handcuffs on you - really tight.
Boy will that spoil your day.

Anyway, if you ever have to help another person who goes down, do exactly what you did this time - and nothing more.
 
eman1200 said:
If u were Henning you would have performed a tracheotomy. Other than that you did great.
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But before that he would have fabricated a device hooked up to his truck engine that would provide the boy with pure oxygen, and would have generated sufficient water for everyone to have a refreshing drink after it was all over.
 
You did great!

The stats on CPR, even when done perfectly, are pretty grim. But at least the kid had better odds because you were there.

Thank you!
 
You did what you could to the extent of your abilities. You can't ask for more.

Enjoy the stiff drink. I know I would.
 
Bro-You-are-My-Hero.gif


The really nice thing is I am utterly unsurprised at your actions.
 
Good job. One thing I took from a CPR class years ago is to try to not let it get to you. If you are at the point of CPR, the person is already dead from no blood circulation or no oxygen intake. All you are trying to do is prevent brain damage until the professionals get there.
 
flyingriki said:
Sometimes I wonder why this forum isn't called lonely pilots with a need to talk about anything no matter how remotely related to aviation, .to other lonely pilots with nothing better to do but opine.....
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I like this forum much better than the Red Board where they are pretty strict about aviation related themes only. I think this forum gets much more action.

And at times I like to opine about all sorts of things!
 
Are we now going to see a kinder, gentler Geico?

BZ mon frère.
 
I'm not current on CPR, but you did exactly what your training called for. No more. Remember what one of my trainers said years ago - if you are doing CPR it is on a dead person. No pulse, no heartbeat. Don't worry about breaking ribs (you probably will break some), don't worry about anything else. Good job.

BTW, I should get current again. Every time I've taken the training they've changed something. The first time in the late 1970s they even taught us 2 man CPR. Now they won't admit to the great unwashed that such a thing exists. Last time I took it they were down to chest compressions only, no rescue breathing. What is it now?
 
Where I used to work (a big, spread out, factory with 8000 employees) we had a CPR training course to try to certify a certain number or percentage of employees so there would always be somebody nearby that could help long enough for our medical clinic to get someone on scene. At the time, Red Cross training was one and two-person CPR with compressions and rescue breathing. I used to get certified every year, but I've been gone from there for a long time, and things have changed since then. I'll have to check on a refresher.
 
You did everything you could do, and you are great person for stepping in.

Please, yes, everyone try to keep up with CPR/1st Aid training. I keep current for work, and now for Cub Scouts too. If you're around kids much, the course that covers pediatric CPR as well is worth it.
 
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