CPR: An Object Lesson

Twenty-two years ago, my sister was ill and I took her family dinner.  She lived several miles away and I would be gone more than an hour, so I took my two older sons with me.  Since he was ill and was at last sleeping (albeit on the sofa), I left my 18-month-old baby home in my husband's care.


The trip to my sister's house was uneventful.  However, as I turned into our apartment complex, I fell in behind a police car who was scanning the addresses with the probe light in the dark.  Not so much to my astonishment, the car stopped in front of my unit and were going to my front porch.  (We shared a porch with neighbors who had had visits from the police before).  My arms were full of dishes, so I told the boys to just go straight into the house and don't bother the police.  


As I approached our apartment from the parking lot, I realized that an ambulance was parked directly in front of our door, and that the police were not rushing into my neighbor's apartment but into my own.  That the incident happened while I was gone was a blessing for which I will always be grateful.  To see my baby lying lifeless on the floor would have knocked my feet from beneath me.


While I was gone, Paul had a febrile seizure and then stopped breathing.  However, my husband had been taught CPR while in the Air Force.  Despite how frightened he was, he immediately called 911 and began cardiorespiratory resuscitation.  By the time the ambulance arrived, he had restored Paul's breathing.  He was taken to the hospital, and we truly felt watched over that Paul had come to no serious harm.  More than 20 years later, he still mentions from time to time how frightened he had been and how grateful he is that he knew what to do and how to do it.

Without that knowledge, we would have never had this . . . 

. . . or this . . . 

                                         . . . or this . . . 

. . . . or this.

What I put to you is this:  of what worth is the safety—and quite possibly the future—of any member of your family and friends?  Hopefully, at least $30 and four hours of your time.


Yes, I am laying it on thick because I love to share pictures of my family a CPR class is scheduled for: 

Saturday, October 16, 2010, 

9am to 1 pm

for a cost of $30

Pre-register and pay by October 13th

Don't miss this opportunity to do something you have been meaning to do for years.  This is a fantastic price, particularly as you will certify for adults, children, and infants.  You can't beat it anywhere.  For location or other questions, please contact myself or Lucy Stern.  Contact information is available through our Google group.  Log-in is required.  Payment is to be made to Lucy Stern.  Anyone is welcome, so share with your friends.


Please, feel free to share your own experiences by commenting below.

Recipe of the Week: The Six O'Clock Scramble

Healthy Meals, 30 Minute Meals, Quick Easy Dinner Recipes, Family Meal Planning

The Six O’Clock Scramble® is an online dinner planning service.

AS A SUBSCRIBER YOU’LL RECEIVE EACH WEEK:

• Five family-tested, healthy and delicious and quick DINNER RECIPES THAT TAKE 30 MINUTES OR LESS TO PREPARE
• An ORGANIZED GROCERY LIST so you can grocery shop just once per week
• A SEARCHABLE DATABASE where you can customize your weekly dinner plan
• Your own personal RECIPE BOX where you can save your family's favorites 30 minute meals
• A newsletter with USEFUL TIPS for easier mealtimes, snacks and lunches
• NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION for each recipe to help you take charge of your health

For folks like me constantly casting about for something different to fix for dinner, especially if you're stuck in a rut of the same seven meals week after week, this service seems well-worth the price of $5 a month. They advertise themselves as 'family friendly', and a cursory glance shows them conservative in the budget department as well.

Here is their mini meatloaf muffins recipe: (printable version)

MINI MEATLOAF MUFFINS

Servings & Prep Time Prep time: 15 minutes. Cook time: 30 minutes Servings: 6 · serving size: 2 muffins Special Features Dairy-free Kosher-style or Kosher Alternative Nut-free Low-Sodium Make ahead/Freezable

My friend, Kirsten Thistle, shared this fun recipe for mini meatloaves. Both of our families gobbled these little cuties right up. One advantage of making the meatloaf in muffin tins is that they cook in half the time of a big meatloaf. Serve it with baked potatoes and steamed green beans with mustard-lemon sauce. 1 tsp. olive oil 1/2 yellow or white onion, finely chopped (1 cup) 1-2 carrots, finely chopped (1/2 cup) 1 tsp. dried oregano 1 tsp. minced garlic, (1 - 2 cloves) 1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef, ground turkey or ground chicken 3/4 cup ketchup 1 cup Italian-style bread crumbs, or use crushed crackers 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 1 egg, lightly beaten (If you are making baked potatoes in the oven, start them first.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the onions, carrots, oregano and garlic for 3 - 5 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Remove them from the heat and let them cool for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, then add the onion and carrot mixture, and stir thoroughly. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon the meat mixture into the individual cups, dividing evenly (each mini meatloaf should completely fill a muffin cup). Bake the meatloaf muffins for 30 minutes. (Meanwhile, prepare the green beans, if you are serving them.) Remove them from the oven and let them sit for 5 minutes before serving, or refrigerate them for up to 2 days before reheating and serving. Scramble Flavor Booster: Serve the meatloaf with barbecue sauce. Tip: You can make the meatloaf mixture in advance and bake them just before dinner, or bake them up to 2 days in advance, as meatloaf gets even tastier after a day or two.

SERVE WITH BAKED POTATOES & GREEN BEANS WITH MUSTARD LEMON SAUCE To make baked potatoes, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Pierce 3 - 6 russet potatoes in several places. (If you don't have time to bake them, prepare the potatoes in the microwave: Cook them on high for about 10 minutes, flipping them once, until they are tender when pierced with a knife. If they are not done after 10 minutes, keep checking every 2 minutes.) For baking: For a crispier skin, rub the potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle them with salt before baking. Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack and bake them for 50-60 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork, turning them once. While the potatoes are cooking, make a sauce with 1 cup low fat or nonfat sour cream or yogurt, 1/4 cup salsa, 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions or chives. Slice the potatoes in half, and serve them topped with a thin layer of butter or margarine and with the sour cream sauce. To make the green beans, trim 1 lb. of green beans and cut them in half crosswise. Bring 1/2 inch of water to a boil. Add the green beans, cover, reduce the heat and steam them for 6 - 8 minutes until they reach desired tenderness. Drain them, return them to the pot, and stir in 2 tsp. butter or margarine, 2 tsp. Dijon mustard, and the juice of 1/4 lemon. Serve immediately.