Friday, March 08, 2013

How much is a heart worth (2)

Age? Perish the thought. If Rupert Murdoch's mum could reach a chirpy 103 - anything' s possible (though guess that she had considerable finance to help her along .. heh -  but Rupert Murdoch reaching 103 is a scary thought).

Me? Quiet?  Mmm, never have been particularly garrulous, and there hasn't been very much of interest  or excitement around here to actually write about - EXCEPT -
Monday 4th March 2013 at about 4pm.

So, the story. As you know, have been pottering in to Bathurst to get my teeth (or what's left of them) removed.  Am on the lower end of the socio-economic scale, so is being done as freebies through the equivalent of the NHS (probably by trainee dentists from various far flung parts of Asia- Pacific - but have to say that the lovely lady who is tackling my dental challenge is extremely gentle).   Two teeth per visit, in/out in 20 minutes every ten days or so. All's been going well, so far; except yesterday.

Had been getting my friend Larry to drive me in and back, as am generally a bit woozy from the injections but generally recover in an hour or so. The extractions were a bit harsher than usual. One of my remaining eyeteeth had fused to the bone, so ended up with a slightly mangled jaw and gum.   Larry seems to think it a huge joke, as have to spend the drive home with my jaws clamped together over the gauze pad to stop the bleeding - so he gives me schtick, and knows that i can't answer back (except by hand gestures).

Anyway, all in good humour. We arrived back at my place at about 3.30pm, made a cuppa tea (for him, me with glum face and jaws clamped sitting listening to Larry chortle).

Sometime between 3.30 and 4pm, he gets up from the table and wanders outside mumbling something about "bloody sausage roll". Left him out there for a minute or two, then wandered out to see where he'd gone. Found him rolling around on the lawn at the back door.
"What's up with you?"
"Feel like spewing".
He dry retched a few times, so i suggested the olde 'two fingers at back of throat’ trick. He did, but nothing much happened except a lot of dribble and, in retrospect, seemed a bit 'un-coordinated'. Tried to get him to drink a glass of water, but he didn't seem interested.  Am, of course, at this time assuming that it was just a "tummy bug".

Brought him inside, sat him on the bed.  By this time he didn't seem very well at all. He flopped back on the bed and it was really only then that i noticed that he was extremely pale; cold, and clammy.  It was, actually, himself, who sat up and mumbled "ambulance".

Have to admit that it took a few seconds to digest that info. Bear in mind that the nearest ambulance is 35 kilometres away, and probably as many minutes. Not something that one does lightly.  "Ambulance", he mumbles, "pain". "Where?" He points to his breastbone.

So yep, dial 000.  Three brrings, voice answers "Police. Fire. Ambulance.". "Ambulance, thanks", say i. Three more brrings, "Ambulance service, what is your emergency?"
"um" say i, "I have a friend here who asked me to call. He's not well". (yer, i know, always the understatement, suspicious of histrionics - and covering my arse).
"What are his symptoms?" asks the very nice sounding female.
"Um, he's very pale, cold, clammy, and tells me he has a pain in his chest."
"OK, where are you?"
[give them my address] Slight pause.
 “How is he now?"
[ I have a landline handset that is detachable from the 'base station' and can be switched to 'speakerphone', which i used throughout.  "mobile" or "cellphone" access in this area is patchy , unreliable - ]
Me; “Larry how are you?"
Larry; (mumbling) “pain”.
Me; “Where?"
Larry; (barely conscious) “Arm”.
Operator; “Which arm?” [Larry indicates left arm].
Me; “Left Arm”.
"OK, am dispatching two units; one from Bathurst and one from Lithgow”.

Then ensued a longish conversation between me and the operator about estimated times of arrival, my exact location, and whether there was a defibrillator nearby.  I told her yes, but it was in the bushfire shed across the road, but didn't know who had the key.

'000' Operator; “OK, I'll stay on the line with you until the ambulance arrives”.

Cutting a longish story short - for 40 minutes there was continual dialogue between me and the operator on the other end of the phoneline; explaining what was happening, my exact location; punctuated by grunts and groans from Larry.. The scary moments were when Larry 'became still and silent' for 30 seconds or so - probably the longest half minutes of my experience. Have never tackled the problem of CPR in a ‘real life or death’ situation.

Lithgow unit arrived first, with Bathurst a few minutes later.

For half an hour my little kitchen was filled with three extra blokes and one female; and a whole heap of electronics that had never seen -  Larry was duly placed on a gurney and transported - first to Lithgow for stabilisation, and then, apparently, to Sydney.

Shortly after the ambulances departed at about 6pm, I drove to Portland to notify his family .  - and give them his mobile phone.

Received a text message next morning at 2am. " ONLY YOU AND MY BROTHER CAN DRIVE MY CAR DONT DRINK AND DRIVE". (he left me the key).

So, guessed that he was still alive as of 2am that morning, and was being well cared for in one of Sydney's  hospitals.

Post script - yes, have been in contact with his family. Am informed that there was a “blood clot” - apparently repaired with ‘non invasive’ surgery (a tube shoved up an artery in the groin) and a “stint”. Is probably back home in his own bed by now.

As Larry is only age 45, and me? somewhat older; found the whole episode (and concept) somewhat fascinating. Would there be anyone nearby who would - or could - do the same for me?   Would anyone even “notice”. Would anyone else really ‘care’ whether i ‘fell orf the twig’? Some might feel a bit “sad", perhaps; but would have to admit that my ‘passing’ would have no serious effect on their own lives. And some that would be more than happy to see me "gone".

Such is life.

13 comments:

BBC said...

Stuff happens, yes?

Davoh said...

Wot? BBC - explain "stuff" - nah don't bother - self might have an inkling - and it's nice that you didn't throw a "fuck" in there somewhere.

Vest said...

There are many lonely and frisky middle aged females who would qualify to your needs. You need someone with whom to share your remaining years with, a carer who also has funds for her support, someone to confide in - share the chores and provide comfort and emergency assistance. I am sure your life would change for the better. my blog has a host of these adorable females to choose from, check them out, 'Now'.

Vest said...

Flirty Women

www.BeNaughty.com

If you're looking for fun, you've come to the right place.

Vest said...

There are other adverts too which appear on my blog which portray beautiful ladies searching for love and friendship, have a quick squiz occasionally.
There is a dilicious damsel awaiting your call.

Davoh said...

Vestie, am not silly - NO, there aren't. If there were, would have found them by now.

The last one who might have had a chance - drank her self t death in 2008.

Anne Johnson said...

You saved someone's life. Add that to your list of accomplishments. Too bad they don't hand out medals for such things.

BBC said...

We know that there's too many people on this rock yet we keep trying to save them, what is with that?

Davoh said...

BBC - you do realise that that sort of attitude has been around fer a long time. It's called, among other names "ethnic cleansing" or "the final solution".

OK, as an interesting philosophical problem - how whould you feel if i said that i didn't like your attitude (or beliefs) - organised a few "tribals" who believed the same as me (carefully coordinated by misinformation and relying on the fact that education and information is - and will be - restriced within "those of my belief" ....


Come and shoot the life out of you and ... just fer kicks ... kill every person in your vicinity.

Is that a valid concept????

Vest said...

BBC: Collect your 'Right to bear arms' redneccks and have a go at the yellow hordes just for starters.

Davoh said...

VESTIE!!!! Am not 'on your side' - either!!

Am well aware that any "serious" armaments that the little patch of territory between Mexico and Canada has ...

Am AUSTRALIAN .. hopefully, we'll survive any serious stoush that the northern hemisphere nutcases can conceive. ... heh.

BBC said...

You sure read a lot in what I said.

neena maiya (guyana gyal) said...

My brother almost died because of a shower of clots. Every time I read about it, I feel scared. My brother's special to lots of people, he's a good guy. You saved someone who's also special to others.