This article can only be viewed on the Elohist website.
This article was published in the March 2014 of the Elohist.
#3
Since a few years ago, my mom had taken the lead in a project. It was called Save My Family Project. My mom, a thoracic and cardiovascular surgery specialist, always felt sorry that people got serious damage in the brain and lost their lives because the first aid wasn’t given to them properly. She was confident that more patients could be saved if they maintained respiration until they met doctors. For this reason, she became a CPR preacher.
My mom’s goal was to teach at least one of the family members how to do CPR, so that he can save his own family member. My mom asked the Education Office for cooperation so that students could learn CPR at schools. Through her active effort, the fire safety education was held in elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools near my home at first. This student had learned CPR there, recently transferred to a school around the East Sea, and when he happened to pass me by, he saved me with CPR.
Once I’d read a book which said that we’re all connected though it seems like we’re living our own lives separately. I never knew that I was connected with my mom like this.
“Wow, that’s what happened. How amazing!”
“I’ve never imagined that our family would receive the benefit of that project. Thank you so much!”
“Please don’t mention it. I was very happy when he woke up. I was proud of myself, too. Before, I vaguely dreamed to become a doctor, but through this opportunity it became clear. I’ll surely become a good doctor. You know, the best doctors cure diseases well. Then how can I become one?”
The boy excitedly asked my mom as he found out that she was a doctor.
“The most important thing is to treat patients just like your own family members and have confidence that you can cure them.”
“Do you mean that I need to treat patients with all my heart?”
“Well, what I say can’t be all right, but I still think that what kind of mindset you have is more important than how smart you are in learning medical arts. A priority is to have the strong will to save a patient, regarding him as your most precious person, not just as a patient. In my case, I regard every patient . . . as my son.”
I sensed my mom was going to turn her face to my side, so I quickly closed my eyes and pretended that I was sleeping. I felt dizzy with my eyes closed. ‘She regards a patient as her most precious person, and that precious person is me?’ Although my mom was extremely busy, that doesn’t mean she was neglecting me. I never got out of my mom’s attention. Even while I constantly showed my uncomfortable feelings toward her on the pretext of puberty, my mom always made sure that I did not skip a meal.
That reminded me of something. When I exploded with frustration, telling her that it was enough for her to work, she said, “If I treat patients with my best care, that virtue may return to you.” She was right. What made me alive was her virtue.
#4
“Every minute and second decides whether a patient will live or die. When the heart stops, usually the brain is damaged within four to six minutes. Once you miss that time, it’s difficult to revive. And let’s say, luckily the patient wakes up, but he’ll most likely be in a vegetative state. We can increase the survival rate of the patient whose heart stopped more than three times when his family member or friend or a pedestrian conducts CPR immediately until 911 rescue team arrives. If you conduct CPR within four minutes, you’ll be able to save one’s life. That is why CPR is called Four-Minute Miracle.”
The lecturer caught his breath and continued.
“There’s no need of complex instruments with CPR. Anyone can do it. It won’t take much time, either. With this simple method, you can save a life.”
The CPR Training Center, which was established by the fire department, educated citizens by grouping teams of three people. I was grouped in with an elderly lady and a student.
The lecturer explained the importance of CPR, telling us a story about an el-ementary student: A few years ago, this student was always anxious about his dad who might pass out at anytime because of his heart disease. So the boy learned CPR through the Internet, and saved his dad when he suddenly fainted. Then he put on his clasped hands on the CPR dummy’s chest and showed the example of CPR compression. The lady in my team followed him very well.
“Have you done this before? You do it very well.”
As the lecturer complimented her, the lady’s face got dark.
“If I had done this, how good it would’ve been . . .”
Her tears formed in her eyes. The lecturer was flustered when the atmosphere went to a different direction from his intent. The lady apologized and said, “I wasn’t going to cry . . . My son went out jogging in the morning and suddenly passed out. Then he never opened his eyes. A doctor told me that if anybody had given my son CPR at that time, he could’ve lived.”
The lady said that after she lost her son, she abstained from eating and drinking for a while. When she heard that surprisingly many people died like her son from the news, she decided to learn CPR. She said if that kind of situation happened around her again, she would regard the person as her own son and help him. While I was hearing her story, I was reminded of my mom. I guess mothers are all the same. And the children who do not understand their mothers’ minds are all the same, too; until they die, they won’t be able to fathom the depth of their mothers’ minds.
If I had died in the sea, how would my mom have felt? She would’ve engraved me on her heart and lived all her life, feeling hurt. And I know for sure that I would not have gone to heaven if I had just died after giving my mom anxieties only. It was really good to be alive. I’m thankful to the student who saved me. I’m also thankful . . . to my mom.
#5
‘Please, come back!”
I shouted again and again in my mind. My back and forehead were running with sweat. In the meantime, I felt the pulse though weak.
‘He’s alive!’
Soon, a 911 ambulance arrived. The rescue workers checked the man’s condition and moved him quickly into it.
“Did you do the first aid?”
A rescue worker who seemed like a leader of the team asked me.
“Oh, yes.”
“Are you a student?”
“I’m a repeater. I’m preparing to enter a medical college.”
“Do they take performance test, too, in medical entrance examination these days? Where did you learn the first aid? It could’ve gone bad if it was a bit late, but you did a good job.”
“Thank you.”
“We thank you. When the patient wakes up, he’ll thank you very much.”
I was deeply moved. I couldn’t believe that I saved someone’s precious life though I’m nothing. I didn’t know such happiness could move me this much. I realized my mom must’ve felt like this. Those who are dying need a doctor like my mom. I’m glad I’m her son. Someday, I’ll become a doctor working together with my mom and saving lives. I’m already excited.
