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Have you ever saved a human life?

160 replies

NewLifePending · 19/12/2021 22:31

I did on Friday. Two in fact.

I’m still a little traumatised by the events but after debriefs, writing a long reflection and my first counselling session tomorrow, I’m starting to see the enormity of what I did in a more positive light.

Who else has saved a life and how did you feel about it at the time and then later on?

OP posts:
Ifonlyidknownthen · 19/12/2021 23:21

Carried out back slaps on a choking 5 year old at work a few years ago, child was blue, silent and drooling, almost certain to have died had I not dislodged the food with forceful slaps. Certainly shook me up at the time but I'm so grateful I was able to remain calm and act swiftly and the child lived to tell the tale.

Kleptronic · 19/12/2021 23:22

I stopped 4 teenagers who were throwing half bricks at an elderly drunk homeless man.

Mother87 · 19/12/2021 23:22

Did heimlich manoeuvre on DH once in our kitchen. He was 'genuinely' choking on some food. Thought the fuss afterwards would have been much bigger tbhGrin Also helped, if not 'save' a toddler in a cafe once - or at least make it much safer. It was slipping under the front bar of a high chair and was 'stuck' by it's neck (can't remember if 'it' was a boy or girl) the mum was panicking & not able to actually 'do' anything. I lifted it's body up to remove the pressure off the neck, and slid him/her out of that postition. All was well...

Happymum12345 · 19/12/2021 23:24

I stopped a tourist from being hit by a bus in London, not looking the right way to cross the road. She was so grateful & I was very relieved.

Justkeeppedaling · 19/12/2021 23:25

I think so.

I'm an ex Brown Owl, and we took the Brownies swimming at our local pool. I was hanging about in the middle of the pool when I saw one of the girls in trouble. She was way out of her depth and really struggling. I grabbed her and dragged her back to the shallow end.
No-one told us before hand that she couldn't swim.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 19/12/2021 23:25

Pretty sure I did.

I was waiting for the pedestrian lights to change on a main road on the way to meet my mates in the pub when I saw an elderly couple with a very small toddler approaching the other side.

As I've had one that was a definite flight risk (I lost count of the number of times I'd carried her somewhere by the back straps of her reins like a rather irate handbag), I could tell she was already out of reach and was very near the kerb. The car approaching on my side had obviously seen what was developing/I was doing, so slowed and stopped as I stepped out onto the crossing.

The driver that came screaming up the road on their side, however, didn't have a chance to see all of about 28 inches of toddler due to speed, the size of the car and because of cars parked slightly further down. He couldn't help but notice me going from purposeful walk to warp speed straight in front him, though, and slammed on the brakes, screeching to a stop about ten foot past the crossing and getting out to have a go at me because the lights were still green. I think he was quite possibly angry because he missed me by about an inch, if that, as I felt the wheelarch brush against the back of my leg.

However, he stopped at the 'What the fuck do y-' stage as he could then see me handing this child to the Grandparents/Great Grandparents, changed to 'Oh, fucking hell' and sighed.

With the size of the kid, the speed he was going and the height of his bumper, there's no way the toddler would have survived being hit. Not entirely convinced I would have either. But small child lived to run off another day - and the G/GPs only had a minor near death experience of their own.

Had the absolute piss ripped out of me later by my mates after I told them why exactly I was drinking a goldfish bowl sized gin instead of my usual lemonade.

The buggers sang the Superman theme every time I walked into the pub for about a month afterwards.

TheChosenTwo · 19/12/2021 23:28

Yes, a child choking on a coin in the playground.
Haven’t thought about it for a long time and it’s just transported me right back to the fear!

becausemymumsaidso · 19/12/2021 23:28

Yes many a time in a working capacity, and now more frequently as I work for 111 part time too. I must speak to at least 1 suicidal patient every shift, most frequently though, I spoke to a mother who had waited all day and evening for a call back. On returning her call she said the baby was asleep and she would call the g.p but for some reason I insisted she continue the assessment with me. I made her wake the baby which angered her so much- long story short, the baby was septic and had meningitus and an ambulance came within 9 minutes. The scream that came out of her mouth when she realised what I was diagnosing over the phone will never leave me. She was so close to going to sleep and waiting til morning. Sad

justasking111 · 19/12/2021 23:30

Twice. First a friend choking on a grape her back to me noticed her shoulders heaving realized and did the Heimlich maneuver. Second again a friend not as dramatic she had been breathless for a few weeks I said get checked for asthma. GP gave her inhalers. She then went on holiday to a desert country. When she returned I said your breathing must have been easier. No she said it wasn't she was just tired. I said you haven't got asthma. She went back to doctor and I was right it was cardio myopathy she was very sick indeed.

My OH had the dramatic rescue, a hot day on the fishing quay a child fell off the slipway went under high tide parents screaming, husband jumped in diving again and again he had to feel for the child in zero visibility finally found him pulled him out a nurse there performed CPR the ambulance took him away. Everyone was badly shaken OH was very wet so we headed home

NotStayingIn · 19/12/2021 23:32

Yes once, saved a girl who had slit her throat in a freak accident. This was at uni, luckily nothing as gruesome has happened near me since. Took quite some time to get over. (Obviously worse for her, don't get me wrong!)

Tulips21 · 19/12/2021 23:33

I think I did , someone I cared for, she spat up blood but had hidden this from a family member she lived.
She had been coughing up blood for 3 days , she was taken to hospital with severe pneumonia and sadly died a week later- I dread to think how long she would've suffered before dying at home , had I not happened to see her that day.

WeyAyeMan · 19/12/2021 23:33

@PermanentTemporary

No. I'm pretty sure I've caused two deaths and been a significant factor in another though.
How?
LadyCluck · 19/12/2021 23:38

A few times with work (emergency services).

Scariest was when my stepdaughter who would have been about 6 at the time choked on a grape. A couple of sharp slaps to the back caused it to come flying out. I sat down and burst into tears afterwards.

Sideswiped · 19/12/2021 23:41

Wow, I've never saved anyone's life, but have stopped and helped out in a few situations.
Hats off to you, @NewLifePending, and all of the other people who have tried to keep their loved ones, or even strangers, here to continue with their life. Thanks

Heartofglass12345 · 19/12/2021 23:43

My son stopped breathing when he was around 4 weeks old. He was premature and hadn't been home from hospital for long. He just went floppy and I gave him CPR, he started screaming not long after.
First response arrived quickly but he stopped breathing another twice on the way to the hospital. It was bronchiolitis, after a few days in hospital he was fine but it was bloody terrifying

JPWG2450 · 19/12/2021 23:45

Yes
When I was 18. There was an alley at the top of our street which cut a good 20 mins off my journey. My mum always told me not to use it alone but I did anyway and found a woman unconscious half way down it. Called an ambulance and got her in the recovery position just before she started vomiting. The ambulance crew said if I hadn’t called them/moved her position she would’ve choked to death.

PermanentTemporary · 19/12/2021 23:47

@WeyAyeMan the mirror image of these stories. Two people who were very unwell and I underestimated their state and took actions which they were too frail to withstand. One who was in despair and again I underestimated how bad things were. I tried to get help but they thought he was OK and left us to it, and he took his own life that day.

imtiredandiwanttogotobed · 19/12/2021 23:53

I haven’t saved someone’s life but my life was saved by a mumsnetter on here 14yrs ago! I was pregnant and thought I had heartburn but got checked out cos a poster said I should and I actually had HELLP syndrome and was very poorly indeed.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/440848-omg-heartburn-from-hell-advice-please

stmw123 · 19/12/2021 23:55

Probably countless through work. I much prefer helping to bring new life into the world now though.

Also 2 choking toddlers back when I was a nursery nurse, one on a piece of apple and one on a fish finger. With the apple child, the dad picked up and was annoyed I'd left a red mark between the shoulder blades. That apple wasn't coming up and I was close to calling 999 as the child began to turn navy blue on me. It came up at my last ditch attempt. Child was checked out, no harm done. Dad was a bit of an arse though. Pardon my language.

BoudecaBains · 19/12/2021 23:57

On a regular basis. I work in ICU.

SingingWaffleDoggy · 20/12/2021 00:03

Many at work. One outside of work. Friend messaged to say where their will was, they loved me and that it was too late to help. I made a few phone calls and luckily it wasn’t too late.
Quite a few serious injuries outside of work too (I’m one of those people where trouble finds me) but nothing else life threatening.
As a mum of a toddler and a weaning baby I am a little bit worried about all these near choking accidents though Sad

Workyticket · 20/12/2021 00:04

@TheChosenTwo

Yes, a child choking on a coin in the playground. Haven’t thought about it for a long time and it’s just transported me right back to the fear!
This happened at my school. A girl was choking on a 20p piece. Early to mid 80's

She had a very similar name to me and people still ask if I'm the girl who nearly died in the yard.

TreborBore · 20/12/2021 00:14

Yes, found a suicidal person who had almost succeeded. They survived and are now ok.

Workyticket · 20/12/2021 00:14

2 choking ones here too.

First was a colleague who choked on her lunch - she was banging on her desk with her back to me. It came flying out with a few massive back whacks and a fumbled heimlic attempt

2nd was ds a year or so ago, aged 8. He got some beef stuck and couldn't dislodge it. Thank god he's as light as a feather - ended up with him face down over my knee to bang it out. We both sobbed after it came out

LadyCluck · 20/12/2021 00:14

[quote imtiredandiwanttogotobed]I haven’t saved someone’s life but my life was saved by a mumsnetter on here 14yrs ago! I was pregnant and thought I had heartburn but got checked out cos a poster said I should and I actually had HELLP syndrome and was very poorly indeed.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/440848-omg-heartburn-from-hell-advice-please[/quote]
Amazing Smile