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Original poster

Have you ever saved a life?

86 replies

WhereForArtThouBray · 09/06/2019 11:41

I have managed to save 3 lives, just wondering how common it is?

1st was on my way home from work and I have to cross over a high bridge, there was a young man contemplating jumping off. He was surprisingly calm. I called the police and stayed with him until help arrived. I still think of him and hope he is in a better place mentally.

Second my next door neighbour had a fall, I was knocking and he wouldn't answer, kept shouting that he was fine. Turns out he had been naked on the kitchen floor all night. I had to get the fire service to break in his door. He was on hospital for 5 months!

Third was a lady in the hairdressers being really aggressive and rude. When she left the girls were saying how unlike her it was and how lovely she is usually. I followed her out as she was getting into her car to drive home and asked if she was diabetic. Turns out she was and was hypo, 1.6 which is very low. If she had driven that car she would have likely crashed.

So have any of you saved a life?

OP posts:
YesQueen · 09/06/2019 14:55

Once in the street, CPR and defib
Many many times over the phone

ZigZagIntoTheBlue · 09/06/2019 14:59

I tried my best but it didn't work and he died

Basilneedswaterandsun · 09/06/2019 14:59

I was in a pub with dp eating a meal when I noticed a kind of coughing from the big table next to us - one of the women pushed her chair back and was holding her throat, clearly choking
I went up to her, grabbed her from behind and performed abdominal thrusts and the piece of steak that was lodged shot out.
Lots of tears from her table and I was pretty shaken up. Horrible to see panic like that. But glad my yearly mandatory training came into good use!

Doriana · 09/06/2019 15:44

Yes I have also Heimliched someone in a restaurant. The people h was with had not noticed he was turning blue!

maggienolia · 09/06/2019 15:57

Called 999 several times for a client who had chest pains (cardiac history )
He's still here thankfully.

BunnyJumps · 09/06/2019 16:28

Donated blood so I guess I might have helped!

cantfindname · 09/06/2019 17:06

I spent one NYE talking down a friend via chat. I knew things were bad after she had suffered a big loss but I didn't realise how bad until a few days later when she told me she had intended to kill herself that evening and only my chat had stopped her.

CigarsofthePharoahs · 09/06/2019 17:15

Indirectly.
Noticed smoke coming from neighbors back door. Couldn't climb into their garden, but did knock loudly on the front door. They didn't answer the door, but I heard someone stir upstairs.
A few moments later they clearly noticed they'd left something cooking and the smoke stopped. It really was a lot of smoke, I dread to think what would have happened if we hadn't seen it when we did.
Does that count?

dustarr73 · 09/06/2019 17:24

3 times
Once was my dad,he was choking done the heimlich.He was fine

2ND On my way too work found a man keeled over on the street,he had a heart attck.Gave him CPR and rang and ambulance.

3rd time going to work really early one morning,turned a corner and there was some fella hanging from a railings.There was already someone there but she couldnt hold him.So we stopped called an ambulance and found his phone so rang the last number.We couldnt cut him down so just held him so he didnt strangle himself.

Got a visit in work a few days later from his family.He was fine.Thank goodness.

jackparlabane · 09/06/2019 17:25

Organised various queer events, spent time chatting to attendees, assured people that coming out to family is not compulsory, being trans is OK, etc. Have had feedback every year that the event was the only thing stopping people killing themselves and three times people have told me or put in written feedback that I've saved their lives. A couple did take their lives later, sadly.

Dd was used in a flu vaccine trial as a baby, and ds's cord blood was taken for a trial - I got a letter a year later saying it was a match and would be used for a transplant for someone very ill, but no more than that.

slipperywhensparticus · 09/06/2019 18:24

I was reminded earlier I have actually probably saved a life my neighbour's son wandered out of the house and into the road at 11/12 months old pushing his push along I thought at first his mom was washing the car realised she wasn't and legged it out the house I grabbed him out the road just as a car came arsing around the corner I dont think he would have stood a chance if he hit him

PlatypusPie · 09/06/2019 18:38

Heard crash below to floor of common hallway - house converted into two flats. Went down and found previously well andf fit neighbour in 50s out cold. Checked , and long forgotten lifeguard training kicked in and performed CPR. Lucky that she had managed to open her flat when she started feeling odd door and that I was in and knew what to all. I’ve ensured that all our family have had basic first aid training.

OublietteBravo · 09/06/2019 18:49

When I was 4 I phoned my grandparents when I couldn’t wake my mum up. They sorted out an ambulance to take her to A&E (and came over to look after me and my little sister). She had meningitis, and was in hospital for quite a while.

awaynboilyurheid · 09/06/2019 18:50

Saved a child from drowning in a swimming pool on holiday.
I had gone in for a swim quite late in the day around 5 , I was the only one in the pooling was a long narrow type pool I turned at the end I was doing lengths and saw a child I thought was “swimming” As I got closer saw they were going round in circles barely keeping head above water doing a kind of panicked doggy paddle and swallowing water, she was aged about four and she was in fact
drowning, I I scooped her up and she collapsed on to me all her energy was gone. Turned out her parents had just arrived and she she had got out of apartment and either jumped or fell in the pool, we called doctors and she was fine her dad turned up few minutes later looking for her.

wontletmelogin · 09/06/2019 18:53

Directly no but as a team many, many times. I've worked in A+E, emergency and elective theatres for over 12 years now.

Doyouthinktheysaurus · 09/06/2019 18:57

I'm a mental health nurse so yes, I have saved many lives, both by my involvement in their treatment and recovery and intervening during suicide attempts. I've also had someone who successfully killed themselves whilst I was on shift. We did CPR and they made it to hospital but life support was turned off.

That was the darkest day of my career and if I could have left nursing after that I would have. I have a family though and needed to work. It is always with me and in some ways I am a better nurse for having been through it. Wouldn't wish it on anyone ever though. All nurses work so hard to keep their patients safe and it is incredible tough to know you didn't manage that.

Bagadverts · 09/06/2019 19:06

Never directly. Occasionally as an citizens advice volunteer I’ve felt I really made a difference. We only see snap shots.

Mantalini · 09/06/2019 19:36

I talked my now DP out of suicide when we were teenagers
Performed CPR on the friend of someone I used to share a flat with.
Saved a friend of mine from drowning.

Likethebattle · 09/06/2019 19:49

When I was young I suspect I saved a small child. I was on holiday and the pub had a ball swamp we were all about 7-8 and jumping in having a great time. I suddenly saw a tiny girl disappearing under the balls, she was too small to stand up and I just caught sight of her face disappearing under the balls. She was gone! I waded over and pulled her out from the ball pit and put her up on the side. Her parents were pissed and not watching their kids at all, she was shaking and crying really hard but I was just a kid as well.

Original poster
WhereForArtThouBray · 09/06/2019 20:12

So sad for the ones that didn't make it.

OP posts:
CoolCarrie · 09/06/2019 20:13

Saved ex , he was very drunk , was sick and began to choke on his vomit, so turned him on his side and cleared out his mouth. It certainly give me a fright, but not he as him he drank himself to death years later.

FrenchFancie · 09/06/2019 20:15

Yes. Have performed out of hospital cpr three times (2 lived til discharge, 1 did not). I was a volunteer with St. John ambulance in London so did quite a bit at big events, from the cpr above to diabetic issues to bleeding to 30% burns. I’d like to think I’ve made a difference.

I also regularly give blood (26 units and counting) and gave a stem cell
donation years ago in my late 20s although I didn’t get any feedback about the recipient so have no idea how that turned out. Think the initial op went well but don’t know after that.

user1494050295 · 09/06/2019 20:21

Suicidal woman at hammersmith station. I got the station staff who came to her aid. Last year in north Devon saw a family swept out to sea grabbed the lifeguards who were on it already but glad I didn't wait

marvellousnightforamooncup · 09/06/2019 20:44

I once noticed my friend was in difficulty when we were snorkeling from a boat on holiday. I doubt I actually saved her but I did jump in and haul her out. She did look quite shaken for a moment but probably a bit dramatic to say she was in mortal danger.

tierraJ · 09/06/2019 21:23

Yes I've saved lives as a trained Staff Nurse and as an HCA, usually as part of a team, although there have been times when I was first to notice there was a problem.

Also there's been times when people haven't made it & in a few instances it's been very traumatic.
One instance that especially upset me concerned an 83 yr old lady. It was several years ago but I still can't discuss it without crying. It was an event which just should not have happened to an otherwise healthy older woman. But mistakes were made by doctors and I couldn't save her.

Most people get upset over children or younger people but for me it's that lady.
I will never forget her & her husband.