Emergencies Can Happen to Anyone
For one local man, a summer trip to the Windy City didn't turn out exactly the way he had planned. Randy Roberts made the short journey to Chicago with his wife, Carol, to visit their daughter, son-in-law, and two grandchildren. At about 4:00 a.m. one early morning during the visit, Carol awoke to find her husband unconscious, making unusual noises and struggling to breathe. When she turned the bedroom light on, Randy was gray and blue in color, his face contorted. Realizing that Randy was most likely suffering from a heart-related emergency, Carol began to perform CPR and rescue breaths on Randy on the couple's bed.
Moments later, she ran into her daughter's bedroom and awoke both her and her son-in-law, Sean, for additional help. Upon entering the bedroom where Randy was, Sean immediately moved him to the floor and began to perform CPR and rescue breaths while Carol and her daughter, Michelle, called 9-1-1. Sean had recently taken a CPR course in Chicago. He had been performing CPR for seven minutes by the time advanced medical care arrived. Suffering from cardiac arrest and still unconscious, paramedics attempted to reset the rhythm of Randy's heart by using an AED (automated external defibrillator) as they rushed him to a nearby hospital.
Ten hours after the incident began, Randy became conscious. Two days later, doctors inserted an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) in his heart. Today, Randy considers himself extremely fortunate to be alive and well with no lasting debilitating effects. He was told that the odds of surviving cardiac arrest are less than 5%, with most of those that do survive experiencing some form of permanent brain damage. At 66 years old, Randy exercises regularly and maintains a healthy lifestyle, having run over 43,000 miles in his lifetime, proof that a heart-related emergency can truly happen to anyone. Having taken CPR himself, he encourages everyone to be trained in the skill that he credits with saving his life that frightening day. His family is already taking notice and getting trained.
"Earthbound Angels" Assist Family After Fire
Saturday morning started out like any other weekend for the Jefferson family. On an early summer morning, Shawntae left home with her youngest daughter to watch her older daughter's softball game at a nearby diamond. Shawntae's fiancé at the time, Sam, had also left home to play in a flag football game.
It was not long after Sam arrived at his game that he received an urgent and unexpected call from the family's neighbor that the Jefferson's home was on fire. Sam called Shawntae immediately, who left her daughter's softball game quietly and rushed to the family's home. By the time she arrived, the fire department had already extinguished the flames, but not before they wreaked destruction throughout the laundry room, kitchen, and family room, as well as smoke damage throughout the rest of the home. As firefighters walked Shawntae through the family's burnt-out home, she recalls that "it was hell.".
Left without basic necessities and in despair, the Jefferson's were homeless. At the fire department's suggestion, Shawntae contacted the American Red Cross for assistance. Two Red Cross volunteers met the family at a local restaurant just hours after the fire occurred. While the family had already arranged for temporary housing, Red Cross volunteers were able to assist the family with money to provide for their basic needs, including socks, underwear, toothbrushes, soap, blankets, and some toys for the two young girls. While the Jefferson's experienced one of the most awful moments in their lives, Shawntae says that she is extremely grateful for the support she received from the Red Cross. She later wrote in a mailed note, "we are all safe and back home and we know it's because of earthbound angels like you guys."
"The Best Training I've Ever Had"
An American Red Cross instructor not only teaches lifesaving skills 
in the classroom, but is also called upon at times to utilize those skills in a real life situation. Sandra Newson, a Red Cross instructor, is all too familiar with this reality. Her cousin was babysitting a twelve-month old infant on an otherwise uneventful afternoon. As they were relaxing, Sandra’s cousin fed the infant peanut M&M’s.
As Sandra questioned feeding the infant M&M’s, the infant began to cough. It was apparent that an M&M had become lodged in the infant’s throat. Sandra’s cousin attempted to dislodge the M&M, but was unsuccessful in doing so. Sandra quickly took action with the skills she so often teaches. The infant was stricken with fear, struggling to breathe, eyes ‘bugged out’. Sandra placed the infant on her arm and began to perform gentle back blows on the infant as instructed in first aid training. Moments later Sandra was able to dislodge the peanut M&M as it went shooting across the living room. The infant, though traumatized, was okay.
Sandra has taught these lifesaving skills in the workplace since 2000. Unsatisfied with the training received with other organizations, she is now an authorized provider with the American Red Cross, empowered to teach lifesaving skills in her workplace. Sandra states that “it’s the best training I’ve ever had.” She believes that it is more thorough and complete than any other training she has received. When it’s a matter of life and death, both the victim and the one providing care cannot afford to have anything but the best training.
Serviceman Brought Home Before Father Passes Away
Perhaps one of the lesser known components of the American Red Cross, the Service to the Armed Forces program provides emergency communication between military personnel and their loved ones around the world 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Gary Dager had been battling cancer for three years as his son, Kyle, served in the United States Army. As Gary's condition deteriorated, his mother, Eileen "Penny" Dager, having learned of the Service to Armed Forces program, contacted the Red Cross on a Saturday to request the presence of her grandson at home. Kyle was in the process of being transferred to a military base in California when he received notification of his father's worsening condition. He was granted a two-week leave to be with his father in his final days, arriving home within three days. Shortly after his son's visit, Gary passed away at the age of 47-years old.
Penny called the Red Cross again on a weekend day and spoke with the same volunteer caseworker who had assisted her with getting Kyle home before Gary passed away. Kyle was once again granted a short leave to come home for his father's funeral, arriving within one week. Recounting her experience with the Red Cross, Penny believes that "there is no one else that can do what they do." She is especially thankful that her grandson was able to be at home by Gary's side before he passed away. In a short note thanking the Red Cross after the event occurred, Penny wrote that it "meant more than you know to all our family."
CPR Saves Man's Best Friend
For many, Sunday is a day to relax, regroup, and prepare for the week ahead. For Tim and Hope Daubenmire, the 'typical Sunday' will never be the same. When Hope arrived home one Sunday from work, she noticed their sixteen-month old, two pound puppy, Gigi, wasn't walking quite right. When Gigi began to cry and shake uncontrollably, Hope realized Gigi was having a seizure and needed immediate attention.
In a matter of seconds, Gigi had gone completely limp. Because it was Sunday, Gigi's regular veterinarian's office was closed. Hope frantically searched through the phonebook to find the closest 24-hour emergency veterinary clinic. In the meantime, Tim began to perform chest compressions and shallow rescue breaths on Gigi.
During the taxing, twenty-five minute drive to the emergency clinic, Tim and Hope worked together to keep Gigi's blood and oxygen flowing, performing CPR all the while. By the time they arrived at the emergency clinic, the veterinarian was able to give Gigi the professional care she so desperately needed. Hope recalls Tim saying, "I didn't think I was going to get her back." The outcome could have been much more tragic had Tim and Hope not known the CPR techniques that ultimately saved Gigi's life that unforgettable Sunday.
Today, Gigi is a happy-go-lucky puppy who finds herself getting into the trouble in which most puppies find themselves. Tim is a certified American Red Cross instructor in CPR, First Aid, and AED (automated external defibrillator). Both Tim and Hope are advocates of getting trained in the CPR and first aid techniques that made all the difference for Gigi that day.
Providing Care for a Loved One Made Easier
For those providing care for a loved one who is no longer able to care for himself or herself, the Family Caregiving Program of the American Red Cross can be a source of tremendous assistance. Jim Cheviron knows firsthand how much the program is able to help. Jim joined the American Red Cross of Northeast Indiana as an AmeriCorps member (part of the national volunteer service program), already providing care for his aging parents. With a background in social work and having done volunteer work in hospice, Jim was naturally interested in teaching Family Caregiving classes as part of his service term when arriving at the American Red Cross.
The Family Caregiving Program consists of eight one-hour modules designed to provide insight and practical information for those providing care for loved ones, including topics such as Caring for the Caregiver, Legal and Financial Issues, and Caring for a Loved One with Alzheimer's Disease or Dementia. Having taught several of these classes, Jim believes that the program offers valuable knowledge that the participants may not otherwise receive. Speaking about a session held at a local church, he recalls one woman saying, "Had the American Red Cross not come to my parish, I would not have received the training and feel as prepared as I do now." Because of his own experience, Jim finds it easy to connect with those who take part in the classes. He observes that the sessions become like a support group for all those involved.
Of all the programs the American Red Cross offers, Jim acknowledges that the Family Caregiving Program is his favorite, stating that "it offers good, practical information for those who need it." He is able to gain knowledge from the program for his own experience as well as share it with others in the same situation. Jim knows that there are many caregivers who could benefit from the program and hopes that they will eventually take advantage of it, stating simply, "I think it's a great program."
Do you have a Red Cross story of your own? Please share it with us! Contact Nick Spoltman at (260) 484-9336 x236 or spoltmann@usa.redcross.org.
