CPR Classes / CHRISTI NELSON, OHIO

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CPR Classes / CHRISTI NELSON, OHIO
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I was 29 years old and completely healthy.
October 18, 2006, was just like any other day at
Akron Childrens Hospital where I was completing
my internship to be a Child Life Specialist. I
went out to a bridge that connects the hospital
to a parking garage to make a phone call, and
that is when my life changed. I collapsed and my
heart stopped - I died on that bridge. Security
caught my collapse on camera and called a code
blue. I went five minutes before my first
responder arrived and began administering CPR and
AED shocks. Staff from the E.R. at Akron
Childrens arrived at the scene and took over my
treatment and after approximately 20 minutes of
working on me, they decided to transport me to
Akron General Medical Center.
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I was without a heartbeat for 62 minutes and
received 13 shocks with an AED before doctors at
Akron General were able to revive my heart but I
was not out of the woods yet. I was put in a
hypothermic coma in an attempt preserve any
possible remaining brain function and my family
was given a less than 5 percent chance that I
would ever wake from my coma. However, after
almost a week, I did wake up. I spent a month
recovering in the hospital where I had to relearn
to how walk, talk, and eat. I received a
defibrillator/pacemaker and underwent dialysis as
I also experienced kidney failure. I have since
been diagnosed with Primary Electrical System
Disease which means I have a severe arrhythmia in
my heart that tends to put me in Ventricular
Fibrillation (V-Fib), which is the most serious
type of cardiac rhythm disturbance.
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My defibrillator will save my life. I have also
received two heart ablations since my cardiac
arrest. Seventeen months after my cardiac
arrest I gave birth to an amazing little girl who
is the light of my life and I thank God each and
every day for my second chance at life and the
chance to fulfill my dream of being a mom. There
is something important to note about my story. In
the security footage, you can observe individuals
who passed me on the bridge and left me laying
there, not attempting to help me before my first
responder came on the scene. Once she did arrive
and started CPR, nobody attempted to help her
either. It is evident that people do not always
know what to do in an emergency situation
therefore, they do nothing. This is why passing
CPR in Schools legislation in every state is so
important.
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The more individuals we can train with bystander
CPR, the more lives we can save. While I am a
story of survival, there are too many stories
that are not. Lets work together to make a
difference. Learn more at https//www.healthforc
etrainingcenter.com/ Source yourethecure.org