weekend off

i could see that his lips were blue from across the pool.

surely not. i always think bad things are going to happen. they usually don't.

nonetheless i found myself already halfway there, going as fast as i could, powerwalking so i wouldn't slip and hit my head on the wet surface.

"is he breathing?"

"no."

foam covered his mouth and nose. his eyes were partly open. GCS = 6 for that would have been deceptively high. he wasn't that alive. she was terrified.

"put him on his back."

he really wasn't breathing. sternal rub. nothing.

"okay, fine. wipe his face. two rescue breaths. do it. right now."

i was nervous because his chest didn't rise. after entirely too long, it moved, and his stomach did too. she lifted her head, and more foam bubbled out of his nose. i saw more belly movement.

"good. turn him on his side. recovery position. wipe off his face again."

he breathed deeply and rapidly, in and out really hard. his pulse was thready and rapid, but present. so that's a, b, and c. now what?

does he have any medical problems? seizures? did he hit his head? no one knew. just wait, then. wait. wait.

he was hyperpneic. good, but still unconscious. it seemed a long time before his eyes started moving, flitting about. his arms and hands twitched. he never did cough like they do on tv. pupils were about 5 and 5.

"what's his name?"

wait. wait. WAIT.

i was shouting. "listen to me! squeeze my hand! come on!"

squeeze.

relief. GCS = 10. unclenching of my stomach. wait. wait. wait. wait.

he tried to sit up, flung out an arm, and hollered something in french, staring at nothing in particular. GCS = 13. he trembled. i was still shouting.

"listen to me. you're fine. lay down. we're taking care of you."

stare.

"it's a dream?"

relief. did he just say it was a dream? of course it's all dreamy. your brain just took an anoxic hit and it's waking up.

"no, you're not dreaming. you had trouble in the pool. now squeeze my hand. good. stick out your tongue. good. just wait. wait."

wait. wait. wait. i felt all over his skull, just to be sure.

"you mean this isn't a dream?" GCS = 15.

"no. follow my finger with your eyeballs. good. very good."

"i feel tired."

"that's okay. we're taking care of you. don't be scared. you'll be okay."

it's fine. he's fine. he'll be fine. give him time. call someone, let's get him to a hospital.

she saved his life. i did all the talking, but she pulled him out of the pool and breathed air into his lungs.

she saved his life.

i was just there.