My Evening

[TomR]

I read through that bloody quickly considering the length of it.

Not alot more to say, big thumbs up, i know i couldnt have done that.

[Wet Banana]

Bloody hell mate what a night.

I'm a first aider also, you never think your going to need to use what you learnt and you wish that you won't have to.

That's quite a lot of responsibilty you took apon yourself that night, all I can say is big respect mate. You did EVERYTHING you could, just try forget about it, go for a ride!

[Sam F]

I didn't have a good night last night either.. i got hit by a car.. i was on my bike just stand still with my right foot on the curb, and the way the bend work its like this.. ill make a pic and show you all.. as she hit my rear wheel i flew onto the bonnet, then hit the floor all i done was grazzed my hand and hit my head.. so i got away lucky but it wasent nice feeling. This is what happened : The Red Lines is what happened and as u can see is where i was.. that is what the road was like. :

[Dr Dig]

Well done mate. Took balls to stand up and do that, and to continue through her being sik on you. Hats off to you.

[Simpson]

So well done man ive seen a lifeless body get dragged out of the sea before and all i did was stand there and watch her. She was about 20 and in her underwear, just the way her body moved, like you could tell she was dead, the way her skin didnt have the same life.... i dunno.... i just stood there, to be fair there were a lot of people who took control of it...

i thought id forgotten about it... i mean ive never been a deep thinker....

But more recently saw a woman on a mobility scooter get hit by a car... the first thing i thought about was the woman in the sea. I took more control phoned police, helped support her back etc.

But you know when someone asks you something stupid like, "if you saw someone in a car crash what would you do?" most people would say, "well id go and help her do CPR" etc. but how many people really would? few... but you did and for me that makes you such a hero

Edited November 11, 2007 by Simpson

[Dan6061]

The other day at college we went to this 'Safe Drive' thing. Was all about the dangers of drink driving etc. They had individuals coming up to tell us their stories about different things that had happened to them. One example was these two parents lost their son in a bad car accident. They had written letters to their son to clear their heads a bit.

There was also a video about these teens that got in a car crash after losing control on an over-take, and crashed.

It was all hard-hitting stuff, but your story really brought it to life for me. Watching the video at Safe-Drive put the picture in my head, but it was just like what you see on TV, it was acted out, so didn't seem believable?

I know to never drink-drive, but now i'm really thinking twice about speeding. Is the rush really worth it?

So well done to you for what you did, I'm sure it will mean so much to the woman's family and friends. It must've taken great courage to stand up and take over the CPR. I can't even imagine what i'd do in that situation. It's heroic that all you could think about was keeping that woman alive.

True hero.

[anzo]

Well done

I did my first aid course around a year ago now; I'm the first aider at work and its a bit of a strange thing, everytime someone comes up to you and says 'we need a first aider' and you just imagine the worst...though luckily its nothing more than a minor cut or graze.

I remember the first aid course; the intructor said that when you are at a scene where CPR is needed, you will just go into auto-pilot and it'll all come naturally...I like to think if I were in the this situation I'd help out.

I think its important not to shy away from things; this experience is haunting you as you said, you need to see your doctor and sort it out...usually its a good talk that will sort everything out; even go to your First Aid training centre and ask to talk to an instructor. They'll help you out a lot

[MadManMike]

Yeah that's not a bad idea. Go and have a chat if it's really getting to you mate - I can't imagine how horrible it must have been!

You did good though pal, be proud that you tried

[Greetings]

Very good read. Thanks for that!

Hope you get over this and well done

Edited November 11, 2007 by Inur

[george_seamons]

Thankyou all for you're comments.

A few of them really bought a tear to my eye. I honestly don't see myself as a hero, I just did what I thought was right at the time. Like Anzo said, you kinda go into auto-pilot...everything else was blanked out from my mind; I couldn't hear anything going on around me, and all I could see was this woman laying infront of me, in an almost tunnel like vision.

I have to go to the police station this evening to give an official statement. Will be very weird to relive it all again, just when I was trying to forget it. On the phone, he said that they could arrange for a visit to a psychiatrist, which, although possibly a bit over the top, might be quite useful.

I was getting along ok with it yesterday, until it came to the evening and I went to have a drink of wine. As I opened the bottle, and poured a glass, I thought I recognised the smell. As I drank it, I knew the taste straight away...it was exactly what the woman tasted and smelt like. This made me freeze, and I felt so sick I had to stop drinking.

A very strange situation to be in!

[Willy]

Hats off to you. Truely you are a hero.

Respect.

Will.

[anzo]

Arrange a visit; thing is any mental conditions you will not recognise because it will seem the norm over time. They've offered you support and it'll do no harm in taking it

Hope things work out ok. Have you had any contact with her family or anything?

[Walleee]

I think you might have been one of eh first to reply when I posted about helping the boy who fell off the rocks, I know EXACTLEY what you mean about how you feel now. It might be the first time you've felt it, I very much doubt it'll be the last, i've noticed it get's easier to understand/deal with/forget about each time.

Well done man, that's what seperates the men from the boy's in my eyes.

[george_seamons]

Have you had any contact with her family or anything?

Just got back from giving the statement. Took nearly 2 and a half hours!

Apparently her family want to meet me...but police need to finalise the case and stuff first. Will be very strange, but I guess it'll be good for them, kinda like closure on her life.

[Rich Pearson]

People like you give me faith in the human race.

I'm also a first aider (CPR and Heartstart) and as you said (even though I've never had to recussitate someone) it must be a whole world different from doing it in a classroom to doing it in a field in the dark.

I don't know you but from what you've written here I would say you are (and rightly so) fairly traumatized by the ordeal and I would certainly endorse psychiatiric help if its offered. You did more in ten minutes for a person you never knew than most people will do in their entire lives for someone they're related to. You did everything humanly possible to keep someone alive. But mortaility is a fragile thing and being confronted by it full on like that will always make you think, was there not something else you could have done. Having someone to help talk to about it and someone who can help you rearrange your thoughts and give you a different perspective - without minimalising the heroics of your actions - could only be a good thing.

You are amazing, and very few people will ever be able to match what you did.

Rich

[Danny]

I don't exactly know what to reply apart from giving you my up most respect for what you stepped up and did.

Personally i think basic first aid should be taught to everyone be it at school or where ever. Reading this has made me really consider taking a course, although i really hope i would never have to put any of it into practice.

[george_seamons]

Just a quick update.

After speaking to one of my girlfriend's friends, I now know a lot more about the lady:

"She had two boys, one about 18 he was at a party in London that night and the youngest was waiting for her at home! She was coming back from a dinner party, and when her son thought she had been gone so long he phoned her friends where she had been, and then they went looking for her because she had left ages ago and i think they may have also phoned the police xx"

"She was going to be moving Saturday into her new home with the boys! I think in Fressingfield, but not totally sure xx"

...suddenly makes it so much worse knowing that she had family, and that it was far more innocent than we first thought

[Tomm]

That's amazing, well done. Sounds like you did exactly the right thing, must be really weird though. Don't let it f**k you up though - what you did was a really great thing.

[Token]

I know everyone keeps saying it to you, I dont want to sound like a broken record but you deserve alot of respect for doing something so brave and the most important thing is you didn't give up. If any of my relatives passed away in a car crash I'd find alot of solace knowing that there was someone there who didn't give up trying to save them, so really a big well done for keeping your composure. My heart goes out to her sons though, it's them that are going to find it the hardest.

Edited November 11, 2007 by Scopse

[walker]

Firstly, i'd just like to say well done for what you did George, and i really hope it doesn't haunt you.

Your story really brought back memories of mine from about 2 years ago now. 5 friends of mine (3 of them particularly close) were all in a car after a night out on their way home, it was approximately 4 in the morning. Their car rolled multiple times on a small country road, less than half a mile from the farm road end where they were going (one of the lad's house, which incidently is on the same farm road as mine). The driver, whom i wont name, had been drinking heavily. The car was totally smashed up. After over a month in a coma, multiple operations, and his heart being restarted i was able to go and see him in hospital. When i went in it was clear to see how close he had been to dying. after being in the coma he had lost a lot of weight and had suffered from infections. He had scars all over his face and right arm. He had crush two vertibrates in his spine. but, despite all of this, he was still the same old happy friendly mate i knew before. It took him months to learn to walk again, which he still struggles with a bit, but he will always be greatful that he didn't end up like some of the other patients that were on his spinal ward. I guess God forgave him for what he did. I am sure he is also extremely grateful that he didn't have to bear the concequences of having killed someone else. All of the others in the car escaped with only bruises. Its not worth thinking about what he would have had to deal with if anything had happened to any of them.

I'm sure Georges message is clear enough to everyone, but i'd just like to reitterate that the risk is just not worth taking, DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE. All of my friends realise how lucky they were, one of them especially, and he has learned the lesson, but we should not need to learn the lesson, it should be already drilled in. I also wish safe journeys on you, and next time you get in a car, you should realise the responsiblilty of being behind the wheel, not just for you and your passengers, but for all those families and friends of you and other motorists.

Thanks,

Andrew

Edited November 11, 2007 by walk_aw

[Mod Man Leo]

I have so much respect for you.

But you know everything hapens for a reason.

[TomR]

I know everyone keeps saying it to you, I dont want to sound like a broken record but you deserve alot of respect for doing something so brave and the most important thing is you didn't give up. If any of my relatives passed away in a car crash I'd find alot of solace knowing that there was someone there who didn't give up trying to save them, so really a big well done for keeping your composure. My heart goes out to her sons though, it's them that are going to find it the hardest.

Couldnt have said anything better myself, totally true that.

[Dai the Socket]

But you know everything hapens for a reason.

I don't think it's fair to say that to be honest.

Anyway, I've been watching this thread since you wrote it George and have been thinking about what I wanted to say. I didn't want to write an essay and I wanted to pick my words really carefully.

I think that essentially what a lot of people have said in here is really nice, and that you're a perfect role model for everyone. Your dedication and mind over matter is something which a many aspire to have.

I hope everything sorts it's self out and you do realise you did your best and there was nothing more you could have done.

[walker]

I don't think it's fair to say that to be honest.

Anyway, I've been watching this thread since you wrote it George and have been thinking about what I wanted to say. I didn't want to write an essay and I wanted to pick my words really carefully.

I think that essentially what a lot of people have said in here is really nice, and that you're a perfect role model for everyone. Your dedication and mind over matter is something which a many aspire to have.

I hope everything sorts it's self out and you do realise you did your best and there was nothing more you could have done.

^^^^

same here

[PaRtZ]

again its been said before, good on you for doing well. but whether you could have helped her (like you did) or couldn't have i dont think it would make much of a difference. Seeing someone die is something quite traumatic, relative or not. You can't beat yourself up over what you did and i guess its natural to take "responsibility" for the woman because you tried to save her life.

You wont be haunted all you life, but it will take time, it IS normal. But whatever you do, don't lose sight of the fact that you did the right thing and nothing more could have been done on your part.