Watching a Heart Attack

I watched a man have a heart attack in September. I was at physical therapy and a new patient was getting ready to use the stationery bike, when he turned very white and strange looking. The physical therapist asked his assistant to stay with him and make sure he didn't fall off the bike - he wasn't responding enough to even get off - while he ran next door to the doctor's office to get help. With the help of the other doctor, they got the man to the floor on a mat. 911 was called and, since the office is very near the hospital, the paramedics arrived very quickly. They were able to determine the man had a history of heart problems, so assumed it was in fact a heart attack. I stood in the doorway of my little stretching room watching it all, completely fascinated. Needless to say, it was an interesting morning.

The man ended up being fine, from what I hear. I had never before seen something like that. Well, actually, I have seen something similar once before. I was teaching a class of sixth graders about fractions, when a very shy, red-headed boy raised a shaky hand. I asked him what was wrong, and he pointed to his lap. The girl who sat next to him was no longer sitting up next to him -- she was passed out on top of him! She came to enough to sit up again, but was totally out of it. A few moments later, she was flopped over on top of the boy again. When we finally got her to wake up enough, we wheeled her down to the office in a rolling chair. Because she was okay, it was actually quite comical. That poor boy will never be the same. :)