Not My Day to Die - Part I
April 17, 1999 was not my day to die.
Here is a little background information to set the scene. At the time I worked for an ag related company and this company had a booth at the big farm show in the big City. Being a loyal employee, I wanted to go by the farm show and see some of the people we did business with. I was a buyer's assistant and our suppliers were going to be there. Some of them I had only talked to on the phone and I was anxious to put a face to their names. This was also the day that my family had decided to have our big "celebrate all the April birthdays" party. Mine just happens to be in April.
McD and I get ready and head to the City. I don't remember much about this day. I remember having an argument with McD on the way to the city but I don't remember what about. I remember what I was wearing that day, but only because it hung shredded in my closet for years. The rest of this story are details I have obtained from McD and the rest of my family and friends.
We stopped at the farm show and then we were headed to my Grandparents house (another hour and a half drive) for the big party. We (McD and I) had looked at my office's booth and we decided to look around. We were in the Kitchen's of America building and were headed to look at some of the other buildings. As we were walking away from the booth I squeezed McD's arm really tight (he later said he didn't know I was that strong) and told him that I was dizzy and started falling forward. He thought I was playing around but realized I wasn't when he had to catch me before I hit the cement floor. A co-worker of mine, Frank, was approximately 10 steps behind us and he rushed to my side as well!
Frank immediately began giving me CPR and McD was feeling for a pulse. Frank had already felt for a pulse and did not find one. So when McD told him he found it and that it was really fast. Frank didn't have tell him that he was feeling his own pulse. Someone called 911 and the ambulance came, but they didn't have a defibrillator so they continued CPR until another ambulance came.
With this being a farm show there were lots and lots of farmers there. Just my luck. The paramedics cut my shirt and bra off and got to work. Yep, me in all my glory, or almost all my glory. Then they stuck the paddles to me and shocked me. Not just once, but three times. They were able to get a rhythm. Put me on a gurney and off to the hospital we went. Another of my co-workers thought he should drive McD because he was pretty shaken up. But he wasn't having that. He told Ken he could just ride with him. So he did. And they beat the ambulance to the hospital. Later Ken told me that they were flying low and running stop lights. He was praying for them to get there safely as well as for me to be okay.
This all happened before everyone in my family purchased cell phones. There was no way to get in contact with my parents because they were also on the road to my Grandparents house. I am not sure who called my Grandparents but they had to stay there at their house until my parents arrived. Then they all headed to the hospital.
For fear of this being too long of a post, I will continue it a bit later! That and McD just came in and asked me to go horseback riding with him. How could I say no?
Here is a little background information to set the scene. At the time I worked for an ag related company and this company had a booth at the big farm show in the big City. Being a loyal employee, I wanted to go by the farm show and see some of the people we did business with. I was a buyer's assistant and our suppliers were going to be there. Some of them I had only talked to on the phone and I was anxious to put a face to their names. This was also the day that my family had decided to have our big "celebrate all the April birthdays" party. Mine just happens to be in April.
McD and I get ready and head to the City. I don't remember much about this day. I remember having an argument with McD on the way to the city but I don't remember what about. I remember what I was wearing that day, but only because it hung shredded in my closet for years. The rest of this story are details I have obtained from McD and the rest of my family and friends.
We stopped at the farm show and then we were headed to my Grandparents house (another hour and a half drive) for the big party. We (McD and I) had looked at my office's booth and we decided to look around. We were in the Kitchen's of America building and were headed to look at some of the other buildings. As we were walking away from the booth I squeezed McD's arm really tight (he later said he didn't know I was that strong) and told him that I was dizzy and started falling forward. He thought I was playing around but realized I wasn't when he had to catch me before I hit the cement floor. A co-worker of mine, Frank, was approximately 10 steps behind us and he rushed to my side as well!
Frank immediately began giving me CPR and McD was feeling for a pulse. Frank had already felt for a pulse and did not find one. So when McD told him he found it and that it was really fast. Frank didn't have tell him that he was feeling his own pulse. Someone called 911 and the ambulance came, but they didn't have a defibrillator so they continued CPR until another ambulance came.
With this being a farm show there were lots and lots of farmers there. Just my luck. The paramedics cut my shirt and bra off and got to work. Yep, me in all my glory, or almost all my glory. Then they stuck the paddles to me and shocked me. Not just once, but three times. They were able to get a rhythm. Put me on a gurney and off to the hospital we went. Another of my co-workers thought he should drive McD because he was pretty shaken up. But he wasn't having that. He told Ken he could just ride with him. So he did. And they beat the ambulance to the hospital. Later Ken told me that they were flying low and running stop lights. He was praying for them to get there safely as well as for me to be okay.
This all happened before everyone in my family purchased cell phones. There was no way to get in contact with my parents because they were also on the road to my Grandparents house. I am not sure who called my Grandparents but they had to stay there at their house until my parents arrived. Then they all headed to the hospital.
For fear of this being too long of a post, I will continue it a bit later! That and McD just came in and asked me to go horseback riding with him. How could I say no?
posted by Another Chance Ranch at 8/13/2006 09:35:00 AM
6 Comments:
Oh my gosh!! How frightening. So very glad you are still with us!
Okay...now I feel like I did when I was a kid, growing up in front of the television, and at the end of a 30 minute program I'd see the message, "To Be Continued."
THE SUSPENSE! But I'm soooo glad you're okay - these many years later!
You start reading these things wondering if its going to be a real brush with death or not.
I haven't decided yet, but CPR, cutting your clothes off and using a defibrilator has me leaning in the direction of 'it may be serious'
Holy Crap!!!!
Oh my word! I want to hear the rest! Get off the horse and come back!
(Now my verifications have gone down from 8 letters to 5).
What a cliffhanger! Sheesh--I have no stories like this...and the only reason it's a "good" one is because you're here to tell it, even if it had to be told to YOU in order for you to tell your adoring readers now.
You're just keeping us hanging--giraffe pictures? Very cute, loved that you got to pet him...NOW FINISH THE STORY :)!
Wowza! Glad I finished the story when I did. :)
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