The Importance of Learning CPR

 

It doesn’t seem to be essential in school or in general, but there is a skill that I think is very important to learn and that skill is CPR.

Life can be scary, sometimes unexpected things can happen like car crashes, surprise attacks and assaults, murderous people and sometimes, one could pass out due to a fainting spell or heart issues like a cardiac arrest or a heart attack. For the last one I mentioned, it can be really scary and stressful, if someone like your friend or family member is on the ground unexpectedly, it’s even worse when you don’t know what to do. That’s why it’s important to learn CPR, and first aid skills, because it could save a life, you could help if someone got hurt and more. A couple of things that happened to a friend and one of my childhood crushes, are why I feel so strongly about it.

 

Friend

About a decade ago, I was told that some friends of my mom’s were playing golf but then one of them had a heart attack. Everyone was horrified but thankfully one of the friends knew just what to do, he and another did CPR on him and was able to help him until he was taken to the hospital, after a few days he was good to go home. Looking back at it now, I’m so thankful that my friend is still alive and healthy and I praise the ones who saved him, if he hadn’t learnt CPR, he wouldn’t have been able to help and my friend wouldn’t be here today.

 

There was another thing that happened in early 2020 that really opened my eyes to learning CPR.

 

Greg Page

In early 2020, the original wiggles had gotten together to perform 2 reunion shows to raise money for the bushfires in Australia, oh and it was also an over 18 show, for those that grew up with the original wiggles, if I was in Australia, I would’ve loved to come, since the other over 18 shows they did, I was only 17, and now I was at the age. I also believe that this proves you’re never too old for the wiggles, especially the original group. Anyway, I’m getting off topic.

On the night of the first show, I went to bed hoping to wake up to see footage from the show on Instagram, it would take me back to my childhood. However, when I woke up the first thing I saw was from an online friend, who said that Greg Page, the yellow wiggle, had a medical incident and was at the hospital. Pretty soon, Instagram had spread posts about Greg, they said he had suffered a cardiac arrest, I was so worried. I did a lot of things that day to keep my mind off the situation, I took a walk, I made brownies and when I went out to dinner with my family, I spoke about happy things so I wouldn’t have a meltdown at dinner and because I don’t like to talk about kid shows with my family, thankfully they didn’t notice. After dinner, on the way home, I saw a picture of Greg in a hospital bed, he was smiling and giving a thumbs up, showing that he was okay. He even encouraged the other wiggles to do the second reunion show without him, this resulted in a really emotional show (with Anthony briefly breaking down at the beginning with Jeff and Murray to comfort him), that raised money for the bushfires and had fans show their love and support. You have no idea what a relief it was when I heard he was alive, once I saw it. I came home and cried a bit, cuddled my soft buddies, so I could let everything I was feeling throughout the whole day and because I was so relieved. Had he not survived, I probably would’ve stuffed my face with a whole tub of ice cream, crying for hours, because Greg was and still is not only my favourite Wiggle since I was little, but he was also one of my first crushes and one of my idols. I looked up to him, I loved singing along with him, watching him do magic, and I would smile and/or giggle every time he laughed, so the idea of him dying worried me to no end. A few days later, I learnt that one of the people that saved his life was an off-duty nurse, and used the defibrillator (which sadly meant she had to cut his shirt off) to revive him before he was taken to the hospital. That fact, along with a few Instagram posts, made me realize the importance of learning CPR. After a few weeks, I was able to convince my dad to get me into a CPR and First Aid Training emergency course.  I secretly did it for Greg, he gave me a happy childhood and I owe it all to him, and also because if I was going to be out in the world, I had to know what to do if something should happen.

Ever since his life was saved, Greg had shown his gratitude by encouraging others to learn CPR and taught courses and took part in causes to support heart health and CPR and AED. He even wrote a song about CPR, called, “Keep The Beat Going,” it’s a great song, you see him and his kids demonstrate pumping the chest, and the lyrics reminded me of everything I learnt when I took the course, like when you see someone on the ground, the first thing you do is check the area to make sure it’s safe, then if you can’t get their attention, call for help and then do your best to revive them, until the ambulance comes. Even if you don’t have kids, this song can appeal to your inner child, especially if you grew up with the wiggles, and if you do have kids, it can encourage them to learn about CPR, I think it’s important to learn about that at a young age.

I had read about those things before I took the course, so I did know a few things, but it felt good to learn about it. I learnt how to pump the chest, do mouth to mouth, tending wounds, helping people who are choking, injecting allergy shots and rules about what to do before performing CPR or using an AED. I wouldn’t say I’m an expert but it was nice to learn it anyway.

I’m so thankful I learnt it before the pandemic, I think it’s better to learn it in person rather than online, because you’ll have all the props you need, you’ll have some classmates and peers to help you and you’ll have an instructor to make sure you’re doing it right.

Sadly, sometimes it might not work, but don’t let that stop you. I was asleep when this happened, so I’m going to tell it from what I was told.

The morning my mom died, she wasn’t feeling well when she woke up, my dad tried to take her to the hospital, she rested on the couch, my brother noticed she had fallen asleep, but soon saw she wasn’t breathing. My dad and the paramedics or doctors tried to perform CPR on her but no matter how hard they tried, it didn’t work, it was too late, my mom was dead. Sometimes I felt guilty about it, because if I wasn’t asleep, or such a night owl, I could’ve used my CPR skills earlier and Mom would still be here. I have been reassured that I shouldn’t feel guilty about it because even if I did, it probably still wouldn’t have worked, since the people who came were professionals, did the best they could, even that wasn’t enough but they tried and that’s the important thing. Now, I’m not trying to discourage you from learning CPR, because while it might not always work, you still tried to help, and that’s what counts.

I hope these stories I told will help you see the importance of learning CPR and first aid skills. If you do, you can be ready in case of any emergency. When you learn first aid skills, you will be prepared if someone gets cut or severely injured, (it helps if you have a first aid kit), you’ll know what to do if someone chokes, and best of all, you’ll know what to do if someone is unconscious, you could end up saving someone’s life. Whenever you find the time, please sign up for a CPR and/or First Aid course because it’s a great skill to have and helpful. If you can, go to your nearest drugstore, buy a first aid kit for home and travelling, so you can be ready for possible injuries and if you can, install an AED, so you can revive someone, just remember to follow the instructions carefully.