Defibrillators

I would never notice these before but they seem to be everywhere. I guess they may only seem special to people who have used them or have had used on them. When I had my cardiac arrest the paramedics used one on me to get my heart started and the get it beating properly again. I was told right from the start that they had to ‘shock’ me eight times. It sounds terrifying, but not for the person who are on the ground, it is terrifying for the family, friends and people watching. I like to watch medical dramas and they would always be a patient that who needed a ‘defib’ or we are in code red. I have recently received some more information from the night I was ill and it said it was a ‘red call’. In the dramas it is always happens in the hospital and it look very dramatic with the patient in shock rising off the bed. I don’t think this happens when you are ‘shocked’ at home, well I hope not as once is scary to watch and eight must be terrifying. The knowledge of how to do CPR is invaluable but it is also essential to try and find a defibrillator to use. When one is located it is a very scary thing to use but I am told if you call 999 the operator will tell you want to do. I think it is really easy and the machine also tells you what to do. I have already mentioned that there now seems to be defibrillators everywhere now. In the village that I live there are two and all the schools have them as well, I have checked! In the building that I work there is one and there are several located throughout the site as well. I don’t have any worries about one not being found in the places I frequent. There is even one on the wall at Headway. A lady that I know who reads this blog told me about some fundraising done recently for a defibrillator. This is a great thing to do and it is something that can save a life. Like I said already, I don’t think that there is a need for any where I live as there is an abundance of them. I have harping on over the last few years of the importance of CPR and it is important. The use of defibrillators is doubly important, where CPR gives bystanders time to find a defibrillator to be found and administered. It is very important – even when it has to be used 8 times to bring someone back to life. 😁