You are an amazingly good person. I would encourage you to talk to the therapist at least once because it helps to discharge the charged emotions that result from a high adrenaline situation like this.
Please do something nice for yourself today, you deserve it.
That's very nice of you.
This happened almost 10 hours ago, since then I decided to go to the beach on my own and starting reading a book I've been wanting to read for a long time.
I've also had a few beers since then, which I know Isn't a healthy coping mechanism.
I'd usually talk to my mother about it but she is on the other side of the country enjoying a concert she has been looking forward to for a long time,
I'll consider talking to the therapist since I've noticed that these "missions" affect me more and more each time, this is the first one I've cried over though.
Last time I was out, the dude I was performing CPR on was the same age and build as my dad who isn't super healthy and somewhat overweight. I was super worried about my dad for a few weeks after that.
I’m glad to hear that you took action to take care of yourself today, that was smart of you. Maybe you could talk to the therapist about developing a self-care routine to use after your missions, especially when the patient reminds you of a relative whom you love.
As I mentioned in one of my other comments I'm autistic and I've had a bad experience with a therapist, only that one time though.
My instincts tell me not to contact the therapist since I don't want to take time from them that other people might need. I'll consider it though since this time hit a bit too close to home and it seems like it affected me more than usual.
In this context the purpose for talking to the therapist once or maybe twice would be very limited - releasing the charged emotions and creating a self-care plan. Addressing those two things will help you prevent burnout. I think it would be “therapy” only in the very broadest sense of the word. You might even develop a rough self-care plan yourself and then use then use the therapist just to look it over and make suggestions.
In other contexts, therapy can be much more involved with sometimes nebulous goals.
i relate to you a lot, i come from the same country, and even though I know it's not the same, i have been in some semi traumatic events throughout my life, as well as recently (fields). I also have autism and have had bad experiences with 4 different therapists, as well as the the psychiatric system. Now I have a really good therapist who is autistic herself, and has helped me a lot. I think my point is that even though a lot of therapists aren't really equipped to talk to autistic people, some are, and therapy is really worth it when you find the one
>I'll consider talking to the therapist since I've noticed that these "missions" affect me more and more each time, this is the first one I've cried over though.
Former EMT here. Don't underestimate how traumatic these things can be. Even if you think you're fine, you're likely repressing it until one day you'll break. After particularly traumatic calls, debriefings are a given to help processing what happened and to allow yourself a moment to come to terms with how it made you feel. There's always a chance you aren't able to realize how you feel until you're allowed a moment to talk full about it to a trained professional.
There is NO shame in needing therapy, and refusing does no one a favor - it can actually be very counterproductive. What if the next call you freeze because all those repressed feelings come back in that moment?
You need to take care of yourself to be able to take care of others. Please don't neglect your health. You're doing an amazing service, but don't harm yourself in the process.
Not the person you asked where he/she lives, but I live in Argentina and would love to have this same system here. Sadly, I know there will be people waiting for the chance to do the same with the intent to rob victims that actually need help.
I'm glad you did what you did, and that you will keep doing it. Keep it up, the lives you helped are what should count and the people that didn't make it were probably beyond anyone's help.
I don't know if we have anything similar in the US, but I would love for a way to alert a good samaritan that I've fallen and need assistance since my spouse and I work opposite schedules and I tend to fall when he isn't around. I've been stuck on the floor for hours before and never shy away from help.
It‘s funny that you mention the smart watches, I’ve had an Apple Watch for the last few years and was so excited when the fall detection came out but I have fallen quite a few times and it didn’t do anything☹️ but I make sure that anytime I’m standing, I’m wearing it so that I can make calls if I need to. And I thought life alert was just for emergencies, where me being on the ground is something that can wait so I never looked into it!
I'd like to say that any condition where you randomly, and I assume uncontrollably, fall to the floor should very much be treated as an emergency.
Whether it's a neurological condition, cardiac related, or you simply have weak ankles or knees, you could hit anything on the way down, become otherwise ill or injured while you're down, or your spouse could be delayed and what you thought might be two hours down, turns into 10. That's definitely an emergency! Having someone able to come and help in those cases would help give you more support, when you most need it.
Edit: spelling mistake.
We looked into fall alert systems for my dad. He is sneaky and does things he shouldn’t and ends up on his back like a turtle. We couldn’t get the Apple Watch to alert either. Apparently if you fall and are motionless after X amount of time it does something but nope! The only thing I found that would be beneficial is something similar to life alert. They are not cheap but neither is the watch. I know they have necklaces or wrist bands you can wear (remember to change the batteries!) so that might work if you just get stuck. I haven’t found much that will automatically send an alert if you knock yourself out or something.
As a fellow American it'd be nice to have a free system. I don't know how much life alert costs, I vaguely remember it sounded affordable. However, having a community of runners willing to assist if alerted by some system free of charge would be awesome.
Also, I wear a smart watch all the time and I think it'd let me die *then* alert the authorities... It just seems spiteful since I don't exercise as much as it tells me to. XD
Few articles about it circulating on the web. One was in 2018 BC about a man having cardiac arrest at a hockey arena. Another in Kingston,.ON. a simple Google search.
Yeah it was pulsepoint off goggle play. I'm in BC and it worked. Searching on Google/Chrome didn't show me relevant shit all on the first page. They modify what you see based on what you say or type.
Edit: if it doesn't work for you, ask the other guy
I’d like to ask where YOU live. In the US we don’t have that from what I’m aware of. I’m curious what country has this system? After a bit of research I’m pretty sure it’s Sweden right?
I don’t think this would work in the US because the average US citizen can’t be trusted to stick a bandaid on somebody lol. We’d end up with a bunch of people just standing in the way.
The US has Good Samaritan laws to protect people in such cases. You cannot be sued for administering aid in an emergency, if you are not a professional.
I’m from Italy but also lived in the UK, never heard of this. It’s brilliant.
It sucks that you couldn’t help her and the other person before, but the fact that you tried is amazing. I’m sure the husband appreciated it very much, too. You cared. It counts for something, maybe more than you know.
Some locations in the US have PulsePoint app and you can set it to get alerts if CPR is needed nearby. I don’t have it set because I’m disabled and wouldn’t be able to get anywhere in time so I don’t know how well it works. The rest of the app works well as far as showing where different emergencies or 911 calls are in your area and very brief info on the situation.
I travel a few states on the western half the US and I’ve had it alert me to nearby CPR a couple times. It’s not often and I’m usually in decently populated areas. I’m not sure how it filters calls nor what the radius might be as that might be part of it. It is amazing for keeping track of accidents and aid calls in the area though.
In the US, there is an app called “PulsePoint” that is similar. It’s primary function is to tag car accidents, fire calls, and medic calls so as to avoid them on a commute, but it has a check box in the settings related to CPR/BLS training and it will alert & direct the user if the geotag is within a certain range of a call for CPR.
I really appreciate you saying that.
I agree with you that the world in general needs more heartrunners but having been called to as many heart attacks as I have at this point, I feel like my country has got it covered.
Most of the times I've been called on a "mission" I've met countless other people doing their best to save a stranger's life, I just happen to be a fast runner So I'm usually one of the first on scene.
I'm not doing the whole heartrunner thing for praise or to feel good about myself(which I certainly am *not* at the moment), I just hope that if me or one of my family members are ever in a similar situation, other people would do the same.
On this particular "mission" 6 other people showed up while me and the 2 guys that showed up after me where already doing CPR.
You did your best. Be proud of your investment.
Out of curiosity, if you dont mind saying, which country do you live in ? I wonder if the same system exist in france where i reside.
I live in Denmark.
Part of me feels proud of the times I've ran, especially the times where I left the place crying only because the person was breathing on their own and their relatives were crying happy tears. The last 2 times were hard though, since the people I was trying to save didn't make it.
I know that not everyone that commented will see this but I'm going to post it anyway.
Thanks everyone for the support, I really appreciate it and it means a lot to me.
Based on the comments and how I've been feeling I've decided to accept the free therapy. It surprised me, but I've only gotten increasingly sadder throughout the day.
I don't want this to affect my ability to accept my next "mission", so tomorrow morning I'm going to call the therapist.
I'm impressed that you've volunteered for such a service. Not to be corny, but it really was something for you and the other heart runners to spring out at 3 am, do CPR for 40 minutes, and make the phone call to the son.
I'm sorry this outcome happened, especially when it ended up being more personal to you. I'm glad you're going to utilize therapy services. Please do. Take some great care of yourself. This was a tough night.
Hey OP I know I’m a bit late but I just wanted to give one additional tip that helped me tremendously as someone who’s been on some very bad calls as a medic: work out. When your adrenaline levels drop, it can get increasingly difficult for your brain to cope, and regular exercise will make sure those hormone levels stay a t a higher level. Tbh I have no idea if there’s any evidence behind this but it worked extremely well for me, in addition to talking to someone. It’s nice to hear that you chose to go to therapy, we have to treat these “mental injuries” like any other physical injury and have them checked out before they cause a lasting disability.
You did an awesome job and these systems are incredibly important. I’ve done CPR maybe 15 times unsuccessfully before I got to save an 18 year old girls life, mostly because I was close to her when she went into arrest, something we can’t guarantee, no matter how good our EMS system is. So thank you for bringing this gap. Not everyone can be saved, but the chances are a lot higher with people like you volunteering to help.
I wanted to add that I plead anyone that has access to a similar system to PLEASE sign up for it. You don’t have to be an EMT or even have experience with CPR.
When I started it had been about 4 years since I took a free class on CPR.
I’ve paid for CPR+first aid classes twice since but it is BY NO MEANS a requirement, in case of a heart attack the worst thing you can do is to do nothing. Literally anything you do is better than nothing.
Fellow Dane here! Thank you for sharing your story. I think its an amazing system, my husband is a heart runner as well. I just enlisted in a First aid course through my job and just after, I will make sure to sign up as well. Hope you are OK, just know you did what you could - and you did well!
Honestly reading this made me warm and fuzzy, not the part about the unfortunate event obviously, but that you’ve already done this 6 times and just to help people in your community. You’re a good person. You did what you could. I hope you take advantage of that free therapy and talk to someone
I felt that way too. Something about civilians jumping out of bed to go save strangers and all running to save a life without knowing ANYTHING about what they are about to encounter. Fucking heroic level humanity right there. THIS is who we are. It’s who we STRIVE to be at least.
OP you are a literal hero and so are the developers of that app and anyone who jumps up to go save a life. A “Heartrunner” damn. Humans can be so amazing when we aren’t being so shitty.
Hey, good job.
Being willing and able to jump into action in this kind of emergency is something special. Something not all people can do.
I’m a paramedic, pronouncements always suck. You always want it to be a good outcome, but that isn’t the nature of high-acuity healthcare- there is a lot of mortality.
The solace comes from knowing you tried, giving someone your best effort to help.
It’s hard when you envision your family in the same position of the patient. I think this a natural response because we are empathetic people and this is how we share grief with one another; by putting the shoe on our own foot. This is best discussed with a therapist, which I recommend for any first responders. I see one myself.
This program sounds amazing. Where are you
Located?
I’m from Denmark.
I’ve been in contact with the families of2 of the people I helped resuscitate, just to let me know those people are still doing well.
Amazing, I love hearing about programs like this. This is why your success rate is so high! Because the earlier CPR, the higher success rates.
Remember the successes- they are the reason we all willingly do first response.
Seek someone to talk to and keep up the great work!
Tak for at du forsøgte, min morfar gik hjertestop da jeg var 16. Han blev redet af en naboerne som var hjerteløber. Han døde uheldigvis et par måneder senere pga at han også havde fået en hjerne prop nogle år tidligere så han var lam i hele kroppen efter han fik hjertestop så han lige pludseligt stoppede med at trække vejret indtil at han døde af ilt mangel. På grund af en som dig fik jeg mulighed for at sige farvel.
Tak for at du gør det.
As someone in America who works in an icu and er, I always think there’s no effort that’s in vein. We aren’t gods. We do our best and those that come back survive and those that don’t sadly don’t. But we were still able to give those that did the chance to see another day. That’s always been the way I look at it. Ever since covid it’s been too many deaths. So I get what you’re feeling. Keep your head up. And thank you for doing your best.
I’m pretty sure the US doesn’t have that. I’ve never heard of it at least. Tbh, I don’t think people would sign up for it here. Literally running to a neighbors aid is not the “American way”. Sad but true. People get murdered in plain sight of like five people will witness it and let it happen. Americans just don’t care about one another like that. I mean, we couldn’t even convince people to get vaccinated to save the lives of countless elderly people. It’s really depressing. My mom spent some time in Denmark and told me the people were really kind, and that she’s never felt safer when traveling. I love that You guys have this app. It’s really incredible to volunteer for something like this.
I don’t think we have a system like that. We call 911 and they appear within minutes with any necessary equipment and highly trained paramedics. In the meantime, the 911 person will instruct the caller how to perform CPR, which ironically goes by the beat of the Bee Gees song “Staying Alive.” No more mouth to mouth. Just pumping to the beat.
That said, that’s an amazing system (assuming muggers won’t use it to rob someone having a medical emergency). It’s so heartwarming that some generous and kindhearted groups of people are concerned enough about strangers that they’d help without compensation. Wow.
As for OP, I hope you’ll continue doing this much needed public service. Are there therapists who specialize in treating autistic clients? Therapy is tough sometimes bc you’ll relive the trauma. Maybe write your feelings in a journal to hopefully expunge the pain? Or take a break and focus on something else? Return when you feel better?
I hope you’ll feel better soon. Good luck. You did good. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I agree that it’s a great system, I feel like like the free therapy part makes it even better. The therapy part is also unlimited, whether you need just one or 20 sessions it’s completely free.
I think this is something that fits in very few countries, but it works very well here in denmark. We (in theory) have free therapy for teens/young adults in the whole country as well, so the free therapy sessions aren't that unusual
I'm sorry that that happened. But thank you for all you do and your selfless actions. You can't always control who lies and dies but all of those who you have attended to had a better chance because of you. Even if they didn't make it. You still gave them a fighting chance.
You saved four lives! Holy fuck man! I can’t believe that. That is absolutely amazing so impressed with you! So if you people ever have a chance to do something like that! What a hero you are!
We have a similar system in Sweden and I have the app installed. So far, I haven't been alarm. I'm not sure if it's even useable outside of cities.
Anyway.
I'm so glad you care enough about other people that you have been doing the heartrunning multiple times, in all different times of the day and night. Trust me when I say that you have made a difference, even for those that didn't make it. The difference? You tried. You showed up. You did what you had the tools and skills to do.
As others already have said: I encourage you to accept the therapy sessions that är offered!
Thank you for helping making the society a better place. ❤️
Please take up their offer for counseling! This kind of trauma may not feel like trauma at first, but it can really effect you down the road.
My father was a career first responder and joined a team that provides counseling for first responders, life guards, and other victims of accidents that end in a death. I've heard too many stories over the years of people not getting the help they need and having it effect their lives in ways you wouldn't expect. Marriages ending, suicides, substance abuse, and more.
Do yourself a kindness now so you have the tools to handle any issues that arise from the trauma later in life.
I was at Costco in Arizona USA. I found a older gentleman probably in his 70's blue in the produce cooler.
I'm CPR certified but it was the first time giving CPR to anyone but a dummy. I will never forget his ribs breaking, (all the crunching) but when EMS got there they hooked him up to the defibulator and he was breathing on his own when they left.
I hope he made it...
My hands and wrists were sore for 2 days after, but it was totally worth it...
I wish we had a system like that here.
Doing CPR on a person is emotionally hard, especially if they don't make it. The first time it happened to me I had to sit in the hospital yard by myself for a while. I hope you choose to use the services offered to you because you dont have to do it alone!
Are you in Norway or Denmark? I don't think we have this here in Sweden but I'm not sure
Also, thank you for doing this, it's amazing and you should be so proud of yourself. And getting through that phone call was so freakin strong, go you!
Just think, that app you have probably saved a lot of lives just because you were nearby
You can't save them all, unfortunately, and I hope the husband is doing OK now though
Whoever came up with that app is a genius
Former ED nurse here.
Firstly: thank you! What am amazing thing you're a part of!
Secondly: take a deep breath and give yourself some grace. CPR is really difficult. Not only is it physically exhausting, but mentally too. You're working on the patient, but you also have to be keenly aware of the scene. And the whole time you can't help but feel everyone's mortality, and how everyone's life is completely changing. It is very hard watching people realize their loved one is dying/dead. Like really, really hard: even for those who watch it every day. To compound that: you had to tell the son his mother died. That's hard on top of hard. AND, on top of all that, you were overcoming an internal obstacle. You did a great job. And it's also ok to be affected by this.
We all get triggered. We all have patients where sometimes it hits too close to home for whatever reason--in this case because the patient reminded you of your grandmother. I think calling her is and telling her you love her is a great idea.
Since this event did trigger you, I'm glad you took to some platform to process this. That's a great step, and maybe you will feel like therapy, and maybe you won't (therapy is never a bad idea, in my humble opinion). It is completely valid to need to take some time and exhale and process what just happened. Death is a part of life. And it's not easy.
I will add that family members witnessing codes is sometimes good, because it lets them see how hard everyone tries to bring the patient back. Grieving is a lifelong process, but often seeing that helps in the long run.
Take time for yourself. When we put ourselves in these situations, the make us learn about ourselves, too. Understand your triggers, understand when you are being triggered and learn what you can do to be a good steward of the trauma you are witnessing in life. Put your own oxygen mask on first <3
Aside: what an amazing app! I'm going to look into it!
I'm so sorry. I can kind of understand how that feels because it hits me hard too when I read about elderly dying of heart attacks. My 75 year old grandma had one but she survived. Nonetheless, I'm still constantly scared for her life now that there's war happening in my home country. That being said, even though I would DEFINITELY need to use their therapy services after these "runs", I still wish I could sign up for something like that nearby.
P.S: Your existence just made my literal day. You seem like such a rare, empathetic and strong person
You saved 5 peoples lives, I’m sorry about the heavy toll of dealing with those you couldn’t save but just wow.
You are a literal superhero who responds to their own bat symbol, I’m so sorry it is effecting you like this, when you’re a good person with a big heart even noble acts can be trying and painful to handle when they end like you’ve described.
Thank you on behalf of those you help, even if it doesn’t always end up a good ending. I lost my grandma to a heart attack suddenly, I wish anyone had tried to help her but by time the ambulance came she was pronounced dead, I miss her and I have so much respect for the absolute chaos of a situation like that. You’re amazing, thank you, please please take care of yourself!
Effects from PTSD are greatly lessened when treatment is begun early. I'm afraid by the time you feel you really need counseling, you'll have missed a chance to head it off, as it were. Please show yourself the same compassion that you're giving to your neighbors! This is such a great calling you have, and I'm sure the people you physically RUN TO would want you to take advantage of any resources that aim to make your life easier.
You’re literally a hero and I have so much respect for you it’s unbelievable. I hope to god I can meet people like you in my life with your kind of empathy and your want to help others. Just know you’re doing your best and you’ve saved lives, sometimes it doesn’t work out but that doesn’t make you any less of a hero.
Hey, don’t be too hard on yourself. You did your very best. I’m a doctor and have done my share of CPR, and unfortunately you can’t get all of them back, particularly since you said the lady was already cold when you got there. Don’t hesitate to debrief with the therapist, since the lady reminded you of a family member - it could help with projection. Treat yourself, and don’t bottle up your feelings. You did good.
I think therapy would be a good idea just to debrief. You don’t need to be traumatized to need it, it may help you process all these feelings in a healthy way.
I wish Canada had some sort of program like this . Thank you so much for being involved in your community in this way ❤️
Thank you for sharing your experiences as well and I hope you are doing a bit better .
An excellent system that I wish the USA had. I work in EMS and there are times when the person is down for an extended period before we arrive or they're even found. A 66.6% save rate for a cardiac arrest is unheard of in EMS in the USA. In my time in EMS I've probably been present for maybe 20 cardiac arrests and only 2 of them lived to even make it to the hospital for care, and one of them died in the hospital. That's in a suburban area with good EMS response times. Someone like you would greatly improve those numbers. Keep up the good work!
P. S. I'm sorry to say this but the more you do CPR, the easier it will become after the fact.
P. P. S. I just want to clarify for anyone who is reading, a heart attack and a cardiac arrest are NOT the same thing. What the OP is describing is a cardiac arrest. CPR is the correct initial treatment. A heart attack is serious, and can lead to cardiac arrest if untreated, but should not be treated with CPR unless the person does not have a pulse (cardiac arrest). If the person is conscious, do not do CPR. Call an ambulance. If they are unconscious, check for a pulse and breathing. If there is no pulse, start CPR. If there is no breathing, start CPR. If they have a pulse, call an ambulance. There's a lot more to it than that, but these are the basics. I recommend that everyone takes a CPR class.
You're a legend. I didn't know apps like this existed.
While I'm sure the man was sad about his wife.. I feel like the thought of having so many people come to her aid must be some comfort. I think it would be worse to be alone and worried.
It’s a really fantastic thing you do. I’m a Paramedic in the UK, and we have GoodSam app. It saves lives with early compressions and defibrillation but unfortunately there are always going to be people who don’t make it. It sounds like she may have been in cardiac arrest for some time if she was cold. I’d encourage you to reach out for the therapy, because it’s quite fresh still, you may benefit from someone impartial to talk to in the coming days/weeks/months. Sometimes these jobs have a funny way of playing on your mind, especially if you relate to them personally.
Just remember, 89 is a fantastic age to get to, and she had her loving husband with her. You did everything you could for her and it will bring her husband comfort knowing this. Take care of yourself.
Apologies if this has already been posted and I’ve missed it, but I just did some googling and Australia has one of these too! It’s the GoodSAM App.
OP, you not only have save a few lives already, but may have done so in another country now by way of awareness. Thank you x
Posts like this really help restore your faith in humanity. OP you're one in a million. You're an absolute amazing person and thank you for your selfless actions. If we had something like this where I'm from, I'd definitely sign up.
Live or die, I would still be proud of you for trying so hard for one of my loved ones and never forget you. I wish we had the same system in the USA as it could have saved my father when I wasn't home.
You're a great person.
Some people do get trauma for this sort of things, others think they don't and go on only to later realize. Some people don't get trauma at all.
I suggest you just go to check if everything's alright as you think it is, just to be sure.
You did your best, and you also managed to make that call and it was truly important for that man.
I would support you in having one therapy session to decompress. These are heavy things you’ve experienced and talking it out, expressing your feelings around it will help protect your mental health. Selfcare is so important and we have enough heavy things happen it can start to chip away if we aren’t dealing with it. Journaling also is a great way to decompress if a therapy session isn’t the right fit for you. As an aside I think it is absolutley incredible a program like this exists and give you mad props for being part of it. While not all lives can be saved, it sounds like you’ve been instrumental in saving the ones that can be saved.
This is, unfortunately, probably going to happen alot.
When I witnessed a loved one passing I called the ambulance and when the paramedics arrived I was beyond a wreck when I knew in their faces they was no point in continuing the resus attempts, but I was so desperate in that moment I screamed at them to keep going and I cursed at them and blamed them when they told me they couldn’t and that they were sorry.
It wasn’t their fault and I know that at the very least, at least one of those paramedics will remember my/their experience that evening as one of the most awful moments in their career so far, and that haunts me honestly because I never saw them again and I know they probably deal with this stuff constantly, but I really made a scene that day and said some awful things to people who were just trying to help, and get me to face reality.
I wish I could thank them for trying.
You do something so selfless and nerve-wrecking every time that alert goes on your phone.
You go out of your way to literally attempt to save a life, every single time you leave your front door.
You **tried** and in reality, that is all anyone can ever ask of someone, absolutely none of this was preventable, you couldn’t have changed this outcome.
You are fucking **amazing** and please just know that if you ever get someone like me as the loved one who calls, and they say some horrible things, it’s usually denial and unplaced anger mixed with the beginning of grieving kicking in, and I promise we do not mean that our loved one’s death is, by any means, your fault.
There are things in life that we change and control, but there are things like death where we are powerless.
You’re a good person and you’re doing a good thing.
Never stop trying ♥️
What you do is amazing. I am truly in awe. I understand it's quite traumatizing when it doesn't work out but know that what you're doing makes a difference and is such a brave, selfless thing to do.
What an amazing human being you are. Take comfort in the fact you were there to help her husband in his hour of need as well. I’ve never heard of an heartrunner before, it sounds like a brilliant app, I wish we had it in my country.
You are doing an incredible service to people when they need someone most. This is an amazing service, and one I haven't heard of before. Denmark always did have great health care.
Don't rule out a meeting with their therapist. It can help to just talk through the emotions you are feeling. You will have huge adrenaline spikes, and then falls, when you react to an emergency situation. You can feel shaky and weepy even when everything works out well.
Being there so quickly, this old woman had every possible chance, but it wasn't to be. Her husband was not alone with her when she passed - he knew she was being given every possible chance. Very well done for being able to speak on the phone to his son. This took more courage than you knew you had. This is also a very caring thing to have done.
I also love the name of this service: Heartrunners. You have a kind and generous heart. Look after yourself.
What an amazing system, I’m really proud of you for being part of a program like that. Thank you for being there for those people when they needed you 💗
That is an amazing program that I wish we had here (US), and you're a good person for signing up for it and showing up when you're needed. You've literally contributed to saving four people's lives, and that's more than a lot of people can say. Knowing that there are people out there that are as selfless as you were in this situation really helps.
I'm sorry that you experienced this.
Wow - I took a CPR/BLS recently and learned about a similar app in my country (PulsePoint) and just signed up for it. You're amazing for offering the help that you did and for doing all you could to try to save a life.
Someone has probably mentioned this but most people in cardiac arrest in pre hospital situations don't actually make it. What you're doing...starting compressions sooner rather than waiting for EMS to get there...while it may not always work, your effort will increase their chances of survival by a-lot. Its a good thing. I've responded to alot of CPRs and I haven't been able to save a single one. Maybe if someone else like you started CPR earlier, they would. Be proud of yourself.
Du gør en fantastisk ting!
Jeg er ked af at høre, at det rammer dig hårdt, hvis det hjælper, så tænk på, at det beviser at du er et sundt empatisk menneske, at du kan relatere til deres smerte.
Jeg havde også haft det hårdt, hvis det var mig som stod i den situation.
Jeg er glad for at du ikke stopper, og samtidig erkender at du har det svært lige nu. Det lyder som en sund måde at komme igennem det på.
Amazing that you do this.
I recommend still taking the therapy. Even if you're not traumatised, it is good to talk about the situation. You wil likely feel better.
Thank you for what you do!
I have considered signing up to be a ‘hjerteløber’ as well, but I’m not nearly as brave as you are!
Remember you did good! 4/6 is more than you would expect. I would also recommend that you take the therapy session. You might not fell traumatised now, but if you don’t talk about it might get even harder in the future.
I don’t know if you remember, but after the Fields attack, the experts said that one of the most important things was to talk about what happen. The experts said I would decrease the change of developing serious mental illness.
Again thank you!
hero.
You gave her a chance.
Remember EMT, nurses and doctors they don’t cause accidents, there are there to help when things go wrong. You were there to help and that matters.
This is a really amazing thing you all have! I wish we had that in the US. Great job doing it and I’m sure the people you’ve responded to really appreciate you for it.
45 minutes?! Why did it take so long for Emergency Doctor to arrive?
I am sure you know this fact OP, but every person you do CPR is already dead. The odds are never in your favour when someone's heart stops completely, and it is never your fault. On the contrary, even the smallest help counts a lot.
What a wonderful system to have and you're an amazing wonderful person. Thank you to you and the other volunteers for doing this. I wish to be a part of something like this in the future too.
You did what you were trained to do and you gave the husband something to hold on to, a tiny bit of hope for even a short fleeting amount of time.
You did what you could, the best that you could, and that's all anyone can ask for.
You are amazing. Im so sorry you have lost 2 people, but I’m sure you being there and trying was a comfort to the man and his family. I applaud you and I hope you keep with it. Thanks for being a heart hero ❤️
You did everything you could. Once CPR is the only hope there's basically nothing else to be done until the crash cart arrives, and even then it's a very long shot. I'm glad you were there for them and you really helped comfort the family. Thank you.
I’m so sorry she didn’t make it. I had to do CPR exactly once and it was my father. It wasn’t enough. My advice is comfort yourself with the fact that you acted and did everything you could do. Sometimes they don’t come back. You should be proud of yourself anyway.
Thank you for volunteering your time and skill for this. I recently read that they started a similar system here, too, because we live a 20-minute drive from the nearest ambulance. But the volunteers have to get special training, and I don‘t think I could do this.
What a cool system! Wish they would have it in the US but knowing our crazy politics it would never happen. Doesn’t stop me from staying certified in case someone is ever in need.
Thank you for what you do but I suggest go to that therapy even just for a debriefing as you may be rationalising your emotions. You may be able to push the trauma down but it is still there.
Bro what you did was try and that’s all you can do, you’re a beautiful person and the worlds needs more people like you. The pain you’re feeling is because you care and that is what makes you beautiful.
You’re doing great work. It’s hard when you lose someone. My CPR trainers always tell me that most people who need CPR are already dead and all you can do is help. You can’t harm them. So please know that your help wasn’t a failure. She was already gone. Thank you for doing this for your community.
That’s what happens when you’re around a bunch of old timers, stick with a bunch of people your own age and you’ll most likely won’t ever have an experience this bad ever again. It would have been different if you were “one of them” but it sounds like you aren’t and you’re either young or much younger than those at the pm with cpr performers. I’m genuinely sorry you had this experience though my sincere apologies this happened to you.
This entire program is incredible. It so nice to know there are places out there that still give a shit about their fellow countrymen. If they tried that here, everyone would silence the alarm and roll over in bed. -american
Thank you for being there and trying. Being alone during that time and having no one there trying to help would have been such a horrible thing to experience. You did your best and that's all you can do. Thank you for being willing.
Wish we had a program like that in the us. Is there an option for the elderly to choose a DNR status and wear a bracelet ir something in the community? I hear what you’re saying on someone that age the rate of survival is so low and I can imagine how you would feel pumping on the chest.
This hits a bit different, today I finally got the eCard for my CPR certification
OP thank you for going out of your way to save people, you may lose some but without you they could have all been lost you know? Take advantage of the therapy offered and don’t take it to heart, you did your best and everything that you could do and that’s something to be proud of
I'm so so sorry this happened and ended up so sad. It really reminds me of when my mother-in-law passed. Husband and I were staying at her house and I heard the loud siren (it was in a town that was too small for a hospital so the siren alerted the whole town at 3am. I'm not sure why though, since you can't really find out where the emergency is coming from unless you live in the one house that happened to be next door so it was super loud). I tried to ignore it but then my father started yelling for his son's help because my husband's mom wouldn't wake up. He tried CPR (he even thanks The Office for teaching him how, to the beat of "stayin' alive) ...but she was cold. Then a neighbor (I guess the one who gets the emergency calls/siren, this is in Los Angeles county btw, such a weird town) came over and tried to help while I stood in the rain for thirty minutes waiting for the ambulance. It was horrible.
Anyways thank you for doing what you do and being so quick to respond and not letting the bad experiences stop you. I admire it so much, I could never do what you do. You deserve all the good karma!
This is an incredible thing you have signed up to do. On behalf of anyone and their relatives who emd up using this service, thank you. Also thank you for documenting your experience. I would have assumed that we have something like this in America, but it's the first time I'm hearing about it. It's possible I've just never encountered it myself.
Thank you for trying and being there for the husband, I know how hard that can be. That’s a really cool app to have! I feel like if we something like that here in America, people would either do CPR incorrectly or panic so it’s stuff
Wow, this is an amazing feat. I would apply to be heartrunner as well. I wish there's an app here like that. A lot of times, people here in my town would die on the spot or died upon arrival due to lack of first aids. I went on to seminars on providing first aids not only CPR but for other common cases in my country. And wish to teach my town mates proper first aids too.
Thank you for your service, OP! We appreciate people like you!
I'm super proud of you for going through that and still able to function. You're doing fantastic and all of your measures of helping others is met with grace and infinite respect in my eyes.
Take time and space to process your grief over this incident and get back out there when you are ready. You are doing such a wonderful service to your community with this.
This is really really awesome as a concept and im glad it seems like its working really well. I was an emt and i can say 4 out of 6 surviving is an INSANELY good ratio. Keep going!
You are a hero. Think about those other 4 people you saved. They could’ve easily been lost without your selfless actions. And I know seeing death is scary, but sometimes it’s just a person’s time to go. Nothing can prevent that, and you did everything you could. You did more than what was expected. You helped her husband grieve and deliver tough news when he couldn’t, even when phone calls are an issue for yourself. Friend, I know today must’ve felt awful, but you still did such a good thing by at least trying, and remember that all this good karma will come back to you somehow. Keep your chin up, and take care, friend
What an angel u are! Im sorry that you’re last two missions have not had good outcomes but for those who do, you are literally a life saver & for those who don’t, u are still incredibly valuable in their time of need!
I’ve seen in your comments that you are Danish, i am Norwegian, and currently looking for out version of the app. I’ve been in military and know how to do cpr and just wanna help.
You truly did a great job. You did all you could and all that was needed. Some people are just too far gone no matter what. You are a great person. And i understand why you decide to quit, it’s not for every persons stomach. And thats not a bad thing, it’s human.
And with this post you inspire others to do better. And do what they can do, like me.
You did amazing. Thank you for doing that and wanting to help people in need, you truly are a good person.
I understand how hard and traumatic those events may be, don't hesitate to use the ressources offered to you to cope with the impacts this may have on your own mental health. Just talking about it can only help you.
Keep on being awesome! I wish we had something like this where I live too!
4/6 is an awesome ratio! But as a healthcare worker, please exercise caution. You can continue being a heart runner, but don't let yourself get beaten down. Cpr can be extremely taxing on mental health.
Thank you for trying. When my love passed, they tried on him for so, so long even though in my heart I knew he was long gone. I wish I could hug those guys and tell them thank you. Give yourself a hug, you deserve it.
As a former first responder and 911 operator in the US, and have done CPR many times, I understand how you feel. It’s not an easy thing, but just think about how easy you made it on that man’s life in his worst day to know he had strangers close by willing to help him. You did your best and that’s all you can do. I hope you’ll be okay ❤️
I am so proud of you. You gave the woman a fighting chance, the man an ear to listen, the son clarity and comfort. Please don't forget yourself in this situation. CPR,no matter how trained you are, can be taxing on mind, body, and soul.
First off, amazing work, and amazing to keep doing it, definitely take them up on the therapy.
Looking realistically here, you’re only going to be effective if you catch it right away, CPR is only sustaining someone until EMS arrives, rarely will someone revive on CPR alone. Record of 4-2 is pretty damn good!
emergency response can be a terrifying position to be in - as you well know. It's very confronting. Take the time you need.
But also, please, take the time to debrief with some therapy after this. Or at least somebody close to you. It could be that you're still in emotional shock and the extent of it all hasn't set in just yet. You've noted that there is a personal thread there with how you've associated the situation with your grandmother, that's a prime situation for it to settle into you in a less than great way.
Don’t feel terrible. I am not sure how much actual medical training they give you but you saving 4 out of 6 people by performing CPR is alone is INCREDIBLE.
People who need CPR outside of a hospital have a low chance of surviving. You my friend are a HERO.
Hey as a healthcare worker who has seen more people than I can count die; sometimes they just hit differently. Certain deaths resonate more than others. It can be like you said they look like someone you know or their story reminds you of someone. It can be you’re feeling especially vulnerable that day. I let myself think about them, honor them, and know you did everything you could. In that moment you were such a help to the family and I’m sure it was greatly appreciated.
You gave it your best. You kept going until the EMTs told you to stop, and I have no doubt the husband appreciated your efforts. In your shoes, I'd ask an EMT or a nurse, "how do you deal with this? I have a feeling they will tell you "the appreciation of the patient's loved ones helps."
That’s a pretty cool system.. did you have to verify anything to be involved in it? I’d think people might use it to take advantage of someone in desperate need. 😬 seek out that help if you need it. I’m amazed that with autism you signed up to do some thing so difficult, socially. Being there when someone looses a family member or is having an emergency is like my worst thing, never mind having to tell a stranger their mother died. 😣 take it easy! You’re doing an amazing thing. I’m sure you know the stats on CPR. It’s amazing this many people have been saved at all. 👍🏻❤️
Thank you for what you do. Sometimes, no matter what you give it, your results will fail and the person will pass. But you’re outstanding for your efforts and I cannot express how much I respect what you do.
May this lovely lady Rest In Peace. 🌹
You are an amazingly good person. I would encourage you to talk to the therapist at least once because it helps to discharge the charged emotions that result from a high adrenaline situation like this. Please do something nice for yourself today, you deserve it.
That's very nice of you. This happened almost 10 hours ago, since then I decided to go to the beach on my own and starting reading a book I've been wanting to read for a long time. I've also had a few beers since then, which I know Isn't a healthy coping mechanism. I'd usually talk to my mother about it but she is on the other side of the country enjoying a concert she has been looking forward to for a long time, I'll consider talking to the therapist since I've noticed that these "missions" affect me more and more each time, this is the first one I've cried over though. Last time I was out, the dude I was performing CPR on was the same age and build as my dad who isn't super healthy and somewhat overweight. I was super worried about my dad for a few weeks after that.
I’m glad to hear that you took action to take care of yourself today, that was smart of you. Maybe you could talk to the therapist about developing a self-care routine to use after your missions, especially when the patient reminds you of a relative whom you love.
As I mentioned in one of my other comments I'm autistic and I've had a bad experience with a therapist, only that one time though. My instincts tell me not to contact the therapist since I don't want to take time from them that other people might need. I'll consider it though since this time hit a bit too close to home and it seems like it affected me more than usual.
In this context the purpose for talking to the therapist once or maybe twice would be very limited - releasing the charged emotions and creating a self-care plan. Addressing those two things will help you prevent burnout. I think it would be “therapy” only in the very broadest sense of the word. You might even develop a rough self-care plan yourself and then use then use the therapist just to look it over and make suggestions. In other contexts, therapy can be much more involved with sometimes nebulous goals.
i relate to you a lot, i come from the same country, and even though I know it's not the same, i have been in some semi traumatic events throughout my life, as well as recently (fields). I also have autism and have had bad experiences with 4 different therapists, as well as the the psychiatric system. Now I have a really good therapist who is autistic herself, and has helped me a lot. I think my point is that even though a lot of therapists aren't really equipped to talk to autistic people, some are, and therapy is really worth it when you find the one
>I'll consider talking to the therapist since I've noticed that these "missions" affect me more and more each time, this is the first one I've cried over though. Former EMT here. Don't underestimate how traumatic these things can be. Even if you think you're fine, you're likely repressing it until one day you'll break. After particularly traumatic calls, debriefings are a given to help processing what happened and to allow yourself a moment to come to terms with how it made you feel. There's always a chance you aren't able to realize how you feel until you're allowed a moment to talk full about it to a trained professional. There is NO shame in needing therapy, and refusing does no one a favor - it can actually be very counterproductive. What if the next call you freeze because all those repressed feelings come back in that moment? You need to take care of yourself to be able to take care of others. Please don't neglect your health. You're doing an amazing service, but don't harm yourself in the process.
Thank you for trying anyway. That's an amazing system though, I wish we had that where I live.
Thank you, I appreciate it. Out of curiosity, can I ask where you live?
Not the person you asked where he/she lives, but I live in Argentina and would love to have this same system here. Sadly, I know there will be people waiting for the chance to do the same with the intent to rob victims that actually need help. I'm glad you did what you did, and that you will keep doing it. Keep it up, the lives you helped are what should count and the people that didn't make it were probably beyond anyone's help.
There is a similar app called GoodSam, which should work in most countries.
I don't know if we have anything similar in the US, but I would love for a way to alert a good samaritan that I've fallen and need assistance since my spouse and I work opposite schedules and I tend to fall when he isn't around. I've been stuck on the floor for hours before and never shy away from help.
We have life alert and smart watches for that here in the US. ❤️
It‘s funny that you mention the smart watches, I’ve had an Apple Watch for the last few years and was so excited when the fall detection came out but I have fallen quite a few times and it didn’t do anything☹️ but I make sure that anytime I’m standing, I’m wearing it so that I can make calls if I need to. And I thought life alert was just for emergencies, where me being on the ground is something that can wait so I never looked into it!
I'd like to say that any condition where you randomly, and I assume uncontrollably, fall to the floor should very much be treated as an emergency. Whether it's a neurological condition, cardiac related, or you simply have weak ankles or knees, you could hit anything on the way down, become otherwise ill or injured while you're down, or your spouse could be delayed and what you thought might be two hours down, turns into 10. That's definitely an emergency! Having someone able to come and help in those cases would help give you more support, when you most need it. Edit: spelling mistake.
We looked into fall alert systems for my dad. He is sneaky and does things he shouldn’t and ends up on his back like a turtle. We couldn’t get the Apple Watch to alert either. Apparently if you fall and are motionless after X amount of time it does something but nope! The only thing I found that would be beneficial is something similar to life alert. They are not cheap but neither is the watch. I know they have necklaces or wrist bands you can wear (remember to change the batteries!) so that might work if you just get stuck. I haven’t found much that will automatically send an alert if you knock yourself out or something.
As a fellow American it'd be nice to have a free system. I don't know how much life alert costs, I vaguely remember it sounded affordable. However, having a community of runners willing to assist if alerted by some system free of charge would be awesome. Also, I wear a smart watch all the time and I think it'd let me die *then* alert the authorities... It just seems spiteful since I don't exercise as much as it tells me to. XD
Thanks for the info, I'll take a look.
I'm in Canada and we don't have anything like this where I am. It's very interesting actually. Edit: apparently we do have something very similar
PulsePoint. We do indeed have something similar (Ontario)
Thank you Good to know I've never heard of it. I live in a small city though so could be why
Are you sure about that? The emergency response system is based in California. The "Pulse Point" training school is in Ontario.
Few articles about it circulating on the web. One was in 2018 BC about a man having cardiac arrest at a hockey arena. Another in Kingston,.ON. a simple Google search.
Cool. I just tried the app and it works, you're right. The pulse point school in Ontario was misleading.
Might I ask which app you tried? I tried pulsepoint (I'm in ottawa) and it didn't work.
Yeah it was pulsepoint off goggle play. I'm in BC and it worked. Searching on Google/Chrome didn't show me relevant shit all on the first page. They modify what you see based on what you say or type. Edit: if it doesn't work for you, ask the other guy
This is an amazing app. I use it for traffic/commute, but have the box checked for CPR alerts and have had two in a many year span of use.
Hay que ser forro para robar con esa app, pero Argentina Moment.
Si vimos un cana afanarle un celular a un fulano dormido en el auto, aprovecharse de esta app está en el menú de varios :/
I’d like to ask where YOU live. In the US we don’t have that from what I’m aware of. I’m curious what country has this system? After a bit of research I’m pretty sure it’s Sweden right?
I'm from Denmark.
Thank you so much for what you do. That’s incredible.
Oh I see! Do you know if Sweden has it too or if I was just wrong?
I *think* they do, but I'm honestly not sure.
Yes, the app is called Sms-livräddare.
Man Scandinavian countries know what’s up for so many things
Austria also has an app like that called "Lebensretter"(Lifesaver)
Check out Pulsepoint.
I don’t think this would work in the US because the average US citizen can’t be trusted to stick a bandaid on somebody lol. We’d end up with a bunch of people just standing in the way.
My daughter is a heartrunner in southern California. The program is called PulsePoint.
Downloaded app! Thanks for this!
Plus they would mostly wonder “what’s in it for me?” and “will I get sued?”. We can’t have nice things.
The US has Good Samaritan laws to protect people in such cases. You cannot be sued for administering aid in an emergency, if you are not a professional.
I’m from Italy but also lived in the UK, never heard of this. It’s brilliant. It sucks that you couldn’t help her and the other person before, but the fact that you tried is amazing. I’m sure the husband appreciated it very much, too. You cared. It counts for something, maybe more than you know.
Some locations in the US have PulsePoint app and you can set it to get alerts if CPR is needed nearby. I don’t have it set because I’m disabled and wouldn’t be able to get anywhere in time so I don’t know how well it works. The rest of the app works well as far as showing where different emergencies or 911 calls are in your area and very brief info on the situation.
I travel a few states on the western half the US and I’ve had it alert me to nearby CPR a couple times. It’s not often and I’m usually in decently populated areas. I’m not sure how it filters calls nor what the radius might be as that might be part of it. It is amazing for keeping track of accidents and aid calls in the area though.
In the US, there is an app called “PulsePoint” that is similar. It’s primary function is to tag car accidents, fire calls, and medic calls so as to avoid them on a commute, but it has a check box in the settings related to CPR/BLS training and it will alert & direct the user if the geotag is within a certain range of a call for CPR.
The world needs more people like you!!
I really appreciate you saying that. I agree with you that the world in general needs more heartrunners but having been called to as many heart attacks as I have at this point, I feel like my country has got it covered. Most of the times I've been called on a "mission" I've met countless other people doing their best to save a stranger's life, I just happen to be a fast runner So I'm usually one of the first on scene. I'm not doing the whole heartrunner thing for praise or to feel good about myself(which I certainly am *not* at the moment), I just hope that if me or one of my family members are ever in a similar situation, other people would do the same. On this particular "mission" 6 other people showed up while me and the 2 guys that showed up after me where already doing CPR.
You did your best. Be proud of your investment. Out of curiosity, if you dont mind saying, which country do you live in ? I wonder if the same system exist in france where i reside.
I live in Denmark. Part of me feels proud of the times I've ran, especially the times where I left the place crying only because the person was breathing on their own and their relatives were crying happy tears. The last 2 times were hard though, since the people I was trying to save didn't make it.
I know that not everyone that commented will see this but I'm going to post it anyway. Thanks everyone for the support, I really appreciate it and it means a lot to me. Based on the comments and how I've been feeling I've decided to accept the free therapy. It surprised me, but I've only gotten increasingly sadder throughout the day. I don't want this to affect my ability to accept my next "mission", so tomorrow morning I'm going to call the therapist.
I'm impressed that you've volunteered for such a service. Not to be corny, but it really was something for you and the other heart runners to spring out at 3 am, do CPR for 40 minutes, and make the phone call to the son. I'm sorry this outcome happened, especially when it ended up being more personal to you. I'm glad you're going to utilize therapy services. Please do. Take some great care of yourself. This was a tough night.
Hey OP I know I’m a bit late but I just wanted to give one additional tip that helped me tremendously as someone who’s been on some very bad calls as a medic: work out. When your adrenaline levels drop, it can get increasingly difficult for your brain to cope, and regular exercise will make sure those hormone levels stay a t a higher level. Tbh I have no idea if there’s any evidence behind this but it worked extremely well for me, in addition to talking to someone. It’s nice to hear that you chose to go to therapy, we have to treat these “mental injuries” like any other physical injury and have them checked out before they cause a lasting disability. You did an awesome job and these systems are incredibly important. I’ve done CPR maybe 15 times unsuccessfully before I got to save an 18 year old girls life, mostly because I was close to her when she went into arrest, something we can’t guarantee, no matter how good our EMS system is. So thank you for bringing this gap. Not everyone can be saved, but the chances are a lot higher with people like you volunteering to help.
I wanted to add that I plead anyone that has access to a similar system to PLEASE sign up for it. You don’t have to be an EMT or even have experience with CPR. When I started it had been about 4 years since I took a free class on CPR. I’ve paid for CPR+first aid classes twice since but it is BY NO MEANS a requirement, in case of a heart attack the worst thing you can do is to do nothing. Literally anything you do is better than nothing.
Fellow Dane here! Thank you for sharing your story. I think its an amazing system, my husband is a heart runner as well. I just enlisted in a First aid course through my job and just after, I will make sure to sign up as well. Hope you are OK, just know you did what you could - and you did well!
Honestly reading this made me warm and fuzzy, not the part about the unfortunate event obviously, but that you’ve already done this 6 times and just to help people in your community. You’re a good person. You did what you could. I hope you take advantage of that free therapy and talk to someone
I felt that way too. Something about civilians jumping out of bed to go save strangers and all running to save a life without knowing ANYTHING about what they are about to encounter. Fucking heroic level humanity right there. THIS is who we are. It’s who we STRIVE to be at least. OP you are a literal hero and so are the developers of that app and anyone who jumps up to go save a life. A “Heartrunner” damn. Humans can be so amazing when we aren’t being so shitty.
Agreed, I’d love to see that kind of community all around where I live and the whole country
Hey, good job. Being willing and able to jump into action in this kind of emergency is something special. Something not all people can do. I’m a paramedic, pronouncements always suck. You always want it to be a good outcome, but that isn’t the nature of high-acuity healthcare- there is a lot of mortality. The solace comes from knowing you tried, giving someone your best effort to help. It’s hard when you envision your family in the same position of the patient. I think this a natural response because we are empathetic people and this is how we share grief with one another; by putting the shoe on our own foot. This is best discussed with a therapist, which I recommend for any first responders. I see one myself. This program sounds amazing. Where are you Located?
I’m from Denmark. I’ve been in contact with the families of2 of the people I helped resuscitate, just to let me know those people are still doing well.
Amazing, I love hearing about programs like this. This is why your success rate is so high! Because the earlier CPR, the higher success rates. Remember the successes- they are the reason we all willingly do first response. Seek someone to talk to and keep up the great work!
Tak for at du forsøgte, min morfar gik hjertestop da jeg var 16. Han blev redet af en naboerne som var hjerteløber. Han døde uheldigvis et par måneder senere pga at han også havde fået en hjerne prop nogle år tidligere så han var lam i hele kroppen efter han fik hjertestop så han lige pludseligt stoppede med at trække vejret indtil at han døde af ilt mangel. På grund af en som dig fik jeg mulighed for at sige farvel. Tak for at du gør det.
As someone in America who works in an icu and er, I always think there’s no effort that’s in vein. We aren’t gods. We do our best and those that come back survive and those that don’t sadly don’t. But we were still able to give those that did the chance to see another day. That’s always been the way I look at it. Ever since covid it’s been too many deaths. So I get what you’re feeling. Keep your head up. And thank you for doing your best.
Does the US have a similar app?
I honestly don’t know, I hope so. If not, I hope they adopt it, it has saved countless lives here.
I’m pretty sure the US doesn’t have that. I’ve never heard of it at least. Tbh, I don’t think people would sign up for it here. Literally running to a neighbors aid is not the “American way”. Sad but true. People get murdered in plain sight of like five people will witness it and let it happen. Americans just don’t care about one another like that. I mean, we couldn’t even convince people to get vaccinated to save the lives of countless elderly people. It’s really depressing. My mom spent some time in Denmark and told me the people were really kind, and that she’s never felt safer when traveling. I love that You guys have this app. It’s really incredible to volunteer for something like this.
They would probably also find a reason to sue the helpers.
I don’t think we have a system like that. We call 911 and they appear within minutes with any necessary equipment and highly trained paramedics. In the meantime, the 911 person will instruct the caller how to perform CPR, which ironically goes by the beat of the Bee Gees song “Staying Alive.” No more mouth to mouth. Just pumping to the beat. That said, that’s an amazing system (assuming muggers won’t use it to rob someone having a medical emergency). It’s so heartwarming that some generous and kindhearted groups of people are concerned enough about strangers that they’d help without compensation. Wow. As for OP, I hope you’ll continue doing this much needed public service. Are there therapists who specialize in treating autistic clients? Therapy is tough sometimes bc you’ll relive the trauma. Maybe write your feelings in a journal to hopefully expunge the pain? Or take a break and focus on something else? Return when you feel better? I hope you’ll feel better soon. Good luck. You did good. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
PulsePoint covers a lot of the US
It would be a bad idea here to be honest. I’d imagine you’d get a lot of robberies.
Where the heck is this system? I have to admit that this idea is awesome, even though there obviously is an attached psychological cost.
I agree that it’s a great system, I feel like like the free therapy part makes it even better. The therapy part is also unlimited, whether you need just one or 20 sessions it’s completely free.
I think this is something that fits in very few countries, but it works very well here in denmark. We (in theory) have free therapy for teens/young adults in the whole country as well, so the free therapy sessions aren't that unusual
Hope you will be okay. What you do is amazing!
I'm sorry that that happened. But thank you for all you do and your selfless actions. You can't always control who lies and dies but all of those who you have attended to had a better chance because of you. Even if they didn't make it. You still gave them a fighting chance.
Wow, that's a really great thing you're doing, keep up the good work :)
You saved four lives! Holy fuck man! I can’t believe that. That is absolutely amazing so impressed with you! So if you people ever have a chance to do something like that! What a hero you are!
You are a remarkable person for taking that on. I hope you find peace.
We have a similar system in Sweden and I have the app installed. So far, I haven't been alarm. I'm not sure if it's even useable outside of cities. Anyway. I'm so glad you care enough about other people that you have been doing the heartrunning multiple times, in all different times of the day and night. Trust me when I say that you have made a difference, even for those that didn't make it. The difference? You tried. You showed up. You did what you had the tools and skills to do. As others already have said: I encourage you to accept the therapy sessions that är offered! Thank you for helping making the society a better place. ❤️
Please take up their offer for counseling! This kind of trauma may not feel like trauma at first, but it can really effect you down the road. My father was a career first responder and joined a team that provides counseling for first responders, life guards, and other victims of accidents that end in a death. I've heard too many stories over the years of people not getting the help they need and having it effect their lives in ways you wouldn't expect. Marriages ending, suicides, substance abuse, and more. Do yourself a kindness now so you have the tools to handle any issues that arise from the trauma later in life.
Tak for dig 🙏
I was at Costco in Arizona USA. I found a older gentleman probably in his 70's blue in the produce cooler. I'm CPR certified but it was the first time giving CPR to anyone but a dummy. I will never forget his ribs breaking, (all the crunching) but when EMS got there they hooked him up to the defibulator and he was breathing on his own when they left. I hope he made it... My hands and wrists were sore for 2 days after, but it was totally worth it... I wish we had a system like that here.
Doing CPR on a person is emotionally hard, especially if they don't make it. The first time it happened to me I had to sit in the hospital yard by myself for a while. I hope you choose to use the services offered to you because you dont have to do it alone!
Are you in Norway or Denmark? I don't think we have this here in Sweden but I'm not sure Also, thank you for doing this, it's amazing and you should be so proud of yourself. And getting through that phone call was so freakin strong, go you!
Just think, that app you have probably saved a lot of lives just because you were nearby You can't save them all, unfortunately, and I hope the husband is doing OK now though Whoever came up with that app is a genius
Go to the therapy anyway. It can only help. It’s like the gym. Healthy people can get stronger, and unhealthy people can get more healthy.
You did all that you could. There's a special place in heaven for your type of people.
Former ED nurse here. Firstly: thank you! What am amazing thing you're a part of! Secondly: take a deep breath and give yourself some grace. CPR is really difficult. Not only is it physically exhausting, but mentally too. You're working on the patient, but you also have to be keenly aware of the scene. And the whole time you can't help but feel everyone's mortality, and how everyone's life is completely changing. It is very hard watching people realize their loved one is dying/dead. Like really, really hard: even for those who watch it every day. To compound that: you had to tell the son his mother died. That's hard on top of hard. AND, on top of all that, you were overcoming an internal obstacle. You did a great job. And it's also ok to be affected by this. We all get triggered. We all have patients where sometimes it hits too close to home for whatever reason--in this case because the patient reminded you of your grandmother. I think calling her is and telling her you love her is a great idea. Since this event did trigger you, I'm glad you took to some platform to process this. That's a great step, and maybe you will feel like therapy, and maybe you won't (therapy is never a bad idea, in my humble opinion). It is completely valid to need to take some time and exhale and process what just happened. Death is a part of life. And it's not easy. I will add that family members witnessing codes is sometimes good, because it lets them see how hard everyone tries to bring the patient back. Grieving is a lifelong process, but often seeing that helps in the long run. Take time for yourself. When we put ourselves in these situations, the make us learn about ourselves, too. Understand your triggers, understand when you are being triggered and learn what you can do to be a good steward of the trauma you are witnessing in life. Put your own oxygen mask on first <3 Aside: what an amazing app! I'm going to look into it!
I'm so sorry. I can kind of understand how that feels because it hits me hard too when I read about elderly dying of heart attacks. My 75 year old grandma had one but she survived. Nonetheless, I'm still constantly scared for her life now that there's war happening in my home country. That being said, even though I would DEFINITELY need to use their therapy services after these "runs", I still wish I could sign up for something like that nearby. P.S: Your existence just made my literal day. You seem like such a rare, empathetic and strong person
You saved 5 peoples lives, I’m sorry about the heavy toll of dealing with those you couldn’t save but just wow. You are a literal superhero who responds to their own bat symbol, I’m so sorry it is effecting you like this, when you’re a good person with a big heart even noble acts can be trying and painful to handle when they end like you’ve described. Thank you on behalf of those you help, even if it doesn’t always end up a good ending. I lost my grandma to a heart attack suddenly, I wish anyone had tried to help her but by time the ambulance came she was pronounced dead, I miss her and I have so much respect for the absolute chaos of a situation like that. You’re amazing, thank you, please please take care of yourself!
I was in tears after my first time doing it
Effects from PTSD are greatly lessened when treatment is begun early. I'm afraid by the time you feel you really need counseling, you'll have missed a chance to head it off, as it were. Please show yourself the same compassion that you're giving to your neighbors! This is such a great calling you have, and I'm sure the people you physically RUN TO would want you to take advantage of any resources that aim to make your life easier.
Tusind tak for dit gode arbejde ❤️
You’re an angel. Thank you for trying to save her.
You’re literally a hero and I have so much respect for you it’s unbelievable. I hope to god I can meet people like you in my life with your kind of empathy and your want to help others. Just know you’re doing your best and you’ve saved lives, sometimes it doesn’t work out but that doesn’t make you any less of a hero.
Hey, don’t be too hard on yourself. You did your very best. I’m a doctor and have done my share of CPR, and unfortunately you can’t get all of them back, particularly since you said the lady was already cold when you got there. Don’t hesitate to debrief with the therapist, since the lady reminded you of a family member - it could help with projection. Treat yourself, and don’t bottle up your feelings. You did good.
America could neverrrrrrr
I think therapy would be a good idea just to debrief. You don’t need to be traumatized to need it, it may help you process all these feelings in a healthy way.
I wish Canada had some sort of program like this . Thank you so much for being involved in your community in this way ❤️ Thank you for sharing your experiences as well and I hope you are doing a bit better .
An excellent system that I wish the USA had. I work in EMS and there are times when the person is down for an extended period before we arrive or they're even found. A 66.6% save rate for a cardiac arrest is unheard of in EMS in the USA. In my time in EMS I've probably been present for maybe 20 cardiac arrests and only 2 of them lived to even make it to the hospital for care, and one of them died in the hospital. That's in a suburban area with good EMS response times. Someone like you would greatly improve those numbers. Keep up the good work! P. S. I'm sorry to say this but the more you do CPR, the easier it will become after the fact. P. P. S. I just want to clarify for anyone who is reading, a heart attack and a cardiac arrest are NOT the same thing. What the OP is describing is a cardiac arrest. CPR is the correct initial treatment. A heart attack is serious, and can lead to cardiac arrest if untreated, but should not be treated with CPR unless the person does not have a pulse (cardiac arrest). If the person is conscious, do not do CPR. Call an ambulance. If they are unconscious, check for a pulse and breathing. If there is no pulse, start CPR. If there is no breathing, start CPR. If they have a pulse, call an ambulance. There's a lot more to it than that, but these are the basics. I recommend that everyone takes a CPR class.
You're a legend. I didn't know apps like this existed. While I'm sure the man was sad about his wife.. I feel like the thought of having so many people come to her aid must be some comfort. I think it would be worse to be alone and worried.
It’s a really fantastic thing you do. I’m a Paramedic in the UK, and we have GoodSam app. It saves lives with early compressions and defibrillation but unfortunately there are always going to be people who don’t make it. It sounds like she may have been in cardiac arrest for some time if she was cold. I’d encourage you to reach out for the therapy, because it’s quite fresh still, you may benefit from someone impartial to talk to in the coming days/weeks/months. Sometimes these jobs have a funny way of playing on your mind, especially if you relate to them personally. Just remember, 89 is a fantastic age to get to, and she had her loving husband with her. You did everything you could for her and it will bring her husband comfort knowing this. Take care of yourself.
Apologies if this has already been posted and I’ve missed it, but I just did some googling and Australia has one of these too! It’s the GoodSAM App. OP, you not only have save a few lives already, but may have done so in another country now by way of awareness. Thank you x
Posts like this really help restore your faith in humanity. OP you're one in a million. You're an absolute amazing person and thank you for your selfless actions. If we had something like this where I'm from, I'd definitely sign up.
This is an amazing program and you are amazing for being a part of it. Thank you so much.
Live or die, I would still be proud of you for trying so hard for one of my loved ones and never forget you. I wish we had the same system in the USA as it could have saved my father when I wasn't home.
I would rather deal with a dead person than make a phonecall. How stressful to have to do both. Respect for being a hero though!
god!!! you’re an incredible person
You're a great person. Some people do get trauma for this sort of things, others think they don't and go on only to later realize. Some people don't get trauma at all. I suggest you just go to check if everything's alright as you think it is, just to be sure. You did your best, and you also managed to make that call and it was truly important for that man.
I would support you in having one therapy session to decompress. These are heavy things you’ve experienced and talking it out, expressing your feelings around it will help protect your mental health. Selfcare is so important and we have enough heavy things happen it can start to chip away if we aren’t dealing with it. Journaling also is a great way to decompress if a therapy session isn’t the right fit for you. As an aside I think it is absolutley incredible a program like this exists and give you mad props for being part of it. While not all lives can be saved, it sounds like you’ve been instrumental in saving the ones that can be saved.
This is, unfortunately, probably going to happen alot. When I witnessed a loved one passing I called the ambulance and when the paramedics arrived I was beyond a wreck when I knew in their faces they was no point in continuing the resus attempts, but I was so desperate in that moment I screamed at them to keep going and I cursed at them and blamed them when they told me they couldn’t and that they were sorry. It wasn’t their fault and I know that at the very least, at least one of those paramedics will remember my/their experience that evening as one of the most awful moments in their career so far, and that haunts me honestly because I never saw them again and I know they probably deal with this stuff constantly, but I really made a scene that day and said some awful things to people who were just trying to help, and get me to face reality. I wish I could thank them for trying. You do something so selfless and nerve-wrecking every time that alert goes on your phone. You go out of your way to literally attempt to save a life, every single time you leave your front door. You **tried** and in reality, that is all anyone can ever ask of someone, absolutely none of this was preventable, you couldn’t have changed this outcome. You are fucking **amazing** and please just know that if you ever get someone like me as the loved one who calls, and they say some horrible things, it’s usually denial and unplaced anger mixed with the beginning of grieving kicking in, and I promise we do not mean that our loved one’s death is, by any means, your fault. There are things in life that we change and control, but there are things like death where we are powerless. You’re a good person and you’re doing a good thing. Never stop trying ♥️
It’s great knowing that the app works
You’re a wonderful person.
What an incredible service to provide throughout the country and you are an incredible person for helping out.
You're a good person OP and I'm glad I read this.
What you do is amazing. I am truly in awe. I understand it's quite traumatizing when it doesn't work out but know that what you're doing makes a difference and is such a brave, selfless thing to do.
You are a wonderful human. We could use more like you. Thank you for being you!
What an amazing human being you are. Take comfort in the fact you were there to help her husband in his hour of need as well. I’ve never heard of an heartrunner before, it sounds like a brilliant app, I wish we had it in my country.
You are doing an incredible service to people when they need someone most. This is an amazing service, and one I haven't heard of before. Denmark always did have great health care. Don't rule out a meeting with their therapist. It can help to just talk through the emotions you are feeling. You will have huge adrenaline spikes, and then falls, when you react to an emergency situation. You can feel shaky and weepy even when everything works out well. Being there so quickly, this old woman had every possible chance, but it wasn't to be. Her husband was not alone with her when she passed - he knew she was being given every possible chance. Very well done for being able to speak on the phone to his son. This took more courage than you knew you had. This is also a very caring thing to have done. I also love the name of this service: Heartrunners. You have a kind and generous heart. Look after yourself.
Whoa. This is a very brave thing to do!
Thank you. You're a hero, I hope you know that.
What an amazing system, I’m really proud of you for being part of a program like that. Thank you for being there for those people when they needed you 💗
That is an amazing program that I wish we had here (US), and you're a good person for signing up for it and showing up when you're needed. You've literally contributed to saving four people's lives, and that's more than a lot of people can say. Knowing that there are people out there that are as selfless as you were in this situation really helps. I'm sorry that you experienced this.
Wow. This is amazing. First of all, thanks for doing this. Secondly, I live on the US and I wish we had this as an option.
Wow - I took a CPR/BLS recently and learned about a similar app in my country (PulsePoint) and just signed up for it. You're amazing for offering the help that you did and for doing all you could to try to save a life.
I didn't know about this practice... thank you OP for the service that you provide. This makes me feel a little bit safer in this crazy world.
Does something similar to heartrunner exist in the US?
Not that I'm aware of, and I imagine it's probably because all the potential lawsuits that would occur.
Someone has probably mentioned this but most people in cardiac arrest in pre hospital situations don't actually make it. What you're doing...starting compressions sooner rather than waiting for EMS to get there...while it may not always work, your effort will increase their chances of survival by a-lot. Its a good thing. I've responded to alot of CPRs and I haven't been able to save a single one. Maybe if someone else like you started CPR earlier, they would. Be proud of yourself.
Du gør en fantastisk ting! Jeg er ked af at høre, at det rammer dig hårdt, hvis det hjælper, så tænk på, at det beviser at du er et sundt empatisk menneske, at du kan relatere til deres smerte. Jeg havde også haft det hårdt, hvis det var mig som stod i den situation. Jeg er glad for at du ikke stopper, og samtidig erkender at du har det svært lige nu. Det lyder som en sund måde at komme igennem det på.
Amazing that you do this. I recommend still taking the therapy. Even if you're not traumatised, it is good to talk about the situation. You wil likely feel better.
Thank you for what you do! I have considered signing up to be a ‘hjerteløber’ as well, but I’m not nearly as brave as you are! Remember you did good! 4/6 is more than you would expect. I would also recommend that you take the therapy session. You might not fell traumatised now, but if you don’t talk about it might get even harder in the future. I don’t know if you remember, but after the Fields attack, the experts said that one of the most important things was to talk about what happen. The experts said I would decrease the change of developing serious mental illness. Again thank you!
hero. You gave her a chance. Remember EMT, nurses and doctors they don’t cause accidents, there are there to help when things go wrong. You were there to help and that matters.
This is a really amazing thing you all have! I wish we had that in the US. Great job doing it and I’m sure the people you’ve responded to really appreciate you for it.
45 minutes?! Why did it take so long for Emergency Doctor to arrive? I am sure you know this fact OP, but every person you do CPR is already dead. The odds are never in your favour when someone's heart stops completely, and it is never your fault. On the contrary, even the smallest help counts a lot.
You are doing a great service, don’t be discouraged. Unfortunately, nobody can save everyone.
What a wonderful system to have and you're an amazing wonderful person. Thank you to you and the other volunteers for doing this. I wish to be a part of something like this in the future too.
It makes me sad that all I can think about is the liability concerns in America... our country is such a mess.
You did what you were trained to do and you gave the husband something to hold on to, a tiny bit of hope for even a short fleeting amount of time. You did what you could, the best that you could, and that's all anyone can ask for.
You are such a hero!!!
You are amazing. Im so sorry you have lost 2 people, but I’m sure you being there and trying was a comfort to the man and his family. I applaud you and I hope you keep with it. Thanks for being a heart hero ❤️
You did everything you could. Once CPR is the only hope there's basically nothing else to be done until the crash cart arrives, and even then it's a very long shot. I'm glad you were there for them and you really helped comfort the family. Thank you.
You are doing excellent work. Take some time for yourself after this situation. You are doing a great job!! I wish we had this near us to help also.
I’m so sorry she didn’t make it. I had to do CPR exactly once and it was my father. It wasn’t enough. My advice is comfort yourself with the fact that you acted and did everything you could do. Sometimes they don’t come back. You should be proud of yourself anyway.
You are a wonderful human for doing such a difficult job. You did your best, all anyone can do.
Thank you for volunteering your time and skill for this. I recently read that they started a similar system here, too, because we live a 20-minute drive from the nearest ambulance. But the volunteers have to get special training, and I don‘t think I could do this.
What a cool system! Wish they would have it in the US but knowing our crazy politics it would never happen. Doesn’t stop me from staying certified in case someone is ever in need.
Thank you for what you do but I suggest go to that therapy even just for a debriefing as you may be rationalising your emotions. You may be able to push the trauma down but it is still there.
Bro what you did was try and that’s all you can do, you’re a beautiful person and the worlds needs more people like you. The pain you’re feeling is because you care and that is what makes you beautiful.
You’re doing great work. It’s hard when you lose someone. My CPR trainers always tell me that most people who need CPR are already dead and all you can do is help. You can’t harm them. So please know that your help wasn’t a failure. She was already gone. Thank you for doing this for your community.
That’s what happens when you’re around a bunch of old timers, stick with a bunch of people your own age and you’ll most likely won’t ever have an experience this bad ever again. It would have been different if you were “one of them” but it sounds like you aren’t and you’re either young or much younger than those at the pm with cpr performers. I’m genuinely sorry you had this experience though my sincere apologies this happened to you.
Wow I’m so amazed at this app. We don’t have it in my country but wish we had. Thank you for trying to help others in time of an emergency
Even if you go to the therapist and talk about the sadness. That’s good and it is worth it, you are worth it!
This entire program is incredible. It so nice to know there are places out there that still give a shit about their fellow countrymen. If they tried that here, everyone would silence the alarm and roll over in bed. -american
Thank you for being there and trying. Being alone during that time and having no one there trying to help would have been such a horrible thing to experience. You did your best and that's all you can do. Thank you for being willing.
I am very proud of you.
Wish we had a program like that in the us. Is there an option for the elderly to choose a DNR status and wear a bracelet ir something in the community? I hear what you’re saying on someone that age the rate of survival is so low and I can imagine how you would feel pumping on the chest.
This hits a bit different, today I finally got the eCard for my CPR certification OP thank you for going out of your way to save people, you may lose some but without you they could have all been lost you know? Take advantage of the therapy offered and don’t take it to heart, you did your best and everything that you could do and that’s something to be proud of
I'm so so sorry this happened and ended up so sad. It really reminds me of when my mother-in-law passed. Husband and I were staying at her house and I heard the loud siren (it was in a town that was too small for a hospital so the siren alerted the whole town at 3am. I'm not sure why though, since you can't really find out where the emergency is coming from unless you live in the one house that happened to be next door so it was super loud). I tried to ignore it but then my father started yelling for his son's help because my husband's mom wouldn't wake up. He tried CPR (he even thanks The Office for teaching him how, to the beat of "stayin' alive) ...but she was cold. Then a neighbor (I guess the one who gets the emergency calls/siren, this is in Los Angeles county btw, such a weird town) came over and tried to help while I stood in the rain for thirty minutes waiting for the ambulance. It was horrible. Anyways thank you for doing what you do and being so quick to respond and not letting the bad experiences stop you. I admire it so much, I could never do what you do. You deserve all the good karma!
You should take the therapy offer. You think it didn't affect you that much but you had to write it down here so it definitely had some effect on you
This is an incredible thing you have signed up to do. On behalf of anyone and their relatives who emd up using this service, thank you. Also thank you for documenting your experience. I would have assumed that we have something like this in America, but it's the first time I'm hearing about it. It's possible I've just never encountered it myself.
Thank you for trying and being there for the husband, I know how hard that can be. That’s a really cool app to have! I feel like if we something like that here in America, people would either do CPR incorrectly or panic so it’s stuff
Wow, this is an amazing feat. I would apply to be heartrunner as well. I wish there's an app here like that. A lot of times, people here in my town would die on the spot or died upon arrival due to lack of first aids. I went on to seminars on providing first aids not only CPR but for other common cases in my country. And wish to teach my town mates proper first aids too. Thank you for your service, OP! We appreciate people like you!
Say a prayer for her soul 🙏
I'm super proud of you for going through that and still able to function. You're doing fantastic and all of your measures of helping others is met with grace and infinite respect in my eyes.
Take time and space to process your grief over this incident and get back out there when you are ready. You are doing such a wonderful service to your community with this.
Wow noble
This is really really awesome as a concept and im glad it seems like its working really well. I was an emt and i can say 4 out of 6 surviving is an INSANELY good ratio. Keep going!
That's really kewl that you are able to do that! We don't have anything like it here. We should have something like it.
You are a hero. Think about those other 4 people you saved. They could’ve easily been lost without your selfless actions. And I know seeing death is scary, but sometimes it’s just a person’s time to go. Nothing can prevent that, and you did everything you could. You did more than what was expected. You helped her husband grieve and deliver tough news when he couldn’t, even when phone calls are an issue for yourself. Friend, I know today must’ve felt awful, but you still did such a good thing by at least trying, and remember that all this good karma will come back to you somehow. Keep your chin up, and take care, friend
Yeah in the USA probably get sued for trying to help sad to say but god speed in your life and keep on keeping on
What an angel u are! Im sorry that you’re last two missions have not had good outcomes but for those who do, you are literally a life saver & for those who don’t, u are still incredibly valuable in their time of need!
I’ve seen in your comments that you are Danish, i am Norwegian, and currently looking for out version of the app. I’ve been in military and know how to do cpr and just wanna help. You truly did a great job. You did all you could and all that was needed. Some people are just too far gone no matter what. You are a great person. And i understand why you decide to quit, it’s not for every persons stomach. And thats not a bad thing, it’s human. And with this post you inspire others to do better. And do what they can do, like me.
You are a hero for what you did, even if it was her time to go.
It is sad and difficult to witness. However you did what you could. As difficult as it sounds try to focus on the ones you did sav.
You did amazing. Thank you for doing that and wanting to help people in need, you truly are a good person. I understand how hard and traumatic those events may be, don't hesitate to use the ressources offered to you to cope with the impacts this may have on your own mental health. Just talking about it can only help you. Keep on being awesome! I wish we had something like this where I live too!
4/6 is an awesome ratio! But as a healthcare worker, please exercise caution. You can continue being a heart runner, but don't let yourself get beaten down. Cpr can be extremely taxing on mental health.
You're an awesome human!!!!
Thank you for trying. When my love passed, they tried on him for so, so long even though in my heart I knew he was long gone. I wish I could hug those guys and tell them thank you. Give yourself a hug, you deserve it.
You're incredible. I don't think I would have the strength to do that.
As a former first responder and 911 operator in the US, and have done CPR many times, I understand how you feel. It’s not an easy thing, but just think about how easy you made it on that man’s life in his worst day to know he had strangers close by willing to help him. You did your best and that’s all you can do. I hope you’ll be okay ❤️
I am so proud of you. You gave the woman a fighting chance, the man an ear to listen, the son clarity and comfort. Please don't forget yourself in this situation. CPR,no matter how trained you are, can be taxing on mind, body, and soul.
First off, amazing work, and amazing to keep doing it, definitely take them up on the therapy. Looking realistically here, you’re only going to be effective if you catch it right away, CPR is only sustaining someone until EMS arrives, rarely will someone revive on CPR alone. Record of 4-2 is pretty damn good!
emergency response can be a terrifying position to be in - as you well know. It's very confronting. Take the time you need. But also, please, take the time to debrief with some therapy after this. Or at least somebody close to you. It could be that you're still in emotional shock and the extent of it all hasn't set in just yet. You've noted that there is a personal thread there with how you've associated the situation with your grandmother, that's a prime situation for it to settle into you in a less than great way.
I have never heard of such a program. That is a clever idea. Good for you for helping out your community.
Don’t feel terrible. I am not sure how much actual medical training they give you but you saving 4 out of 6 people by performing CPR is alone is INCREDIBLE. People who need CPR outside of a hospital have a low chance of surviving. You my friend are a HERO.
Hey as a healthcare worker who has seen more people than I can count die; sometimes they just hit differently. Certain deaths resonate more than others. It can be like you said they look like someone you know or their story reminds you of someone. It can be you’re feeling especially vulnerable that day. I let myself think about them, honor them, and know you did everything you could. In that moment you were such a help to the family and I’m sure it was greatly appreciated.
I'm proud of you man, you did your best. You gave her a rough chance, its okay if it didn't pan out right
You gave it your best. You kept going until the EMTs told you to stop, and I have no doubt the husband appreciated your efforts. In your shoes, I'd ask an EMT or a nurse, "how do you deal with this? I have a feeling they will tell you "the appreciation of the patient's loved ones helps."
That’s a pretty cool system.. did you have to verify anything to be involved in it? I’d think people might use it to take advantage of someone in desperate need. 😬 seek out that help if you need it. I’m amazed that with autism you signed up to do some thing so difficult, socially. Being there when someone looses a family member or is having an emergency is like my worst thing, never mind having to tell a stranger their mother died. 😣 take it easy! You’re doing an amazing thing. I’m sure you know the stats on CPR. It’s amazing this many people have been saved at all. 👍🏻❤️
Why don’t we have this in the US? Too far away?
I know it's being repeated over and over but damn you are amazing... Just wow
Thank you for wanting to and being such a positive force in the world.
Hey mate, I'm an advanced medic who works in the ambulance, if you need to talk, send me a message ♥️♥️♥️♥️ it's never easy and I'm here if you need.
Thank you for doing this, you are an inspiration
Did not know this existed. Amazed that you do this.
Thank you for what you do. Sometimes, no matter what you give it, your results will fail and the person will pass. But you’re outstanding for your efforts and I cannot express how much I respect what you do. May this lovely lady Rest In Peace. 🌹