Oh...damn

It had been such a good day at work today, if you discount the rain in the morning, and tyhe getting covered with flying moss and mud.
And then Trevor and I set off back to the yard.

As we were on Charter Avenue a young lad ran out into the road behind us, across the central reservation, hit a car coming the other way, bounced off the windscreen, smashed into a lamp post, and hit the deck. Clearly this was not his day...

Trevor did the directing traffic thing, and I did the first aid thing, and I am waiting now for news of him. From the "top to toe" I gave him, I think we're looking at scalp wound/possible slight skull fracture and twisted/broken ankle, but I am also concerned about the pain he was claiming in his abdomen. I hope that this will turn out to be no more than the bit thart struck the car, and not something like a bnleeding appendix.

My coat is ruined. Head injuries leak *a lot*, and most of it went either into he ear or my jacket, which I put underneath him. The intermittent pain in his leg caused him to jerk, and my face/upper body got a tad splattered when he did so, until I managed to get a sterile dressing on the wound...

I gave up ambulance work because I began to have problems dealing with kids. My workmate complimented me on how cool and in control I was. Well, now I ain't...

oh hun you shaken up?

it really can unnerve you seeing things like this let alone having to administer first aid...

was he concious?

Well done coming to the rescue, not everyone could cope. I hope the poor boy is ok.

What a horrible thing to have to deal with.
Becky

Oh yes, he was conscious, and yelling a bit about his leg. As I say, I used to do this on a daily basis in the ambulance service, so I am not unused to seeing it, and I was kinda pleased with the way even after 20 years things happened automagically.

But he was a 14 year old kid. 14 year old kids are indestructible. They know they are. Until suddenly they ain't. This lad was lucky. He'll get away with a few stitches in a nasty head wound, and maybe a support plaster for his ankle. I had to deal with some who weren't so lucky. And this kind of brought back memories. So I'm...yeah, a bit shaken up.

aw gaz, if i were there id make you a good brew and give you a hug!

He was a lucky boy you were there, I hope you are feeling less shaken now and that he makes a full recovery.

Awwwwww it must have been awful for you,my parents have a friend who does this marvelous job,he's been doing it for many,many years and he used to say the same thing to them.

Well done in keeping your composure in a crisis you no doubt went into automatic mode.This lad is soooo lucky you were there for him and like you said there are others who aren't so lucky which is very,very sad.I did a first aid course at college and boy am I glad I haven't had to use it so far,xxxxxxxx

Well done Gaz - As you say dealing with kids must have been the hardest part of the job when you were in it full time.

But, as in many proffessions, trainning stays with you long after you change direction.

Oh sweetie *hugs* - if it wasn't for you........

Well done for stepping in - I'm a lapsed first aider and would have helped too, but in a much less effective way (probably) as my memory's not what it was. I think it's just a knee-jerk reation

x0x