Randy Cassingham's Blog

Posted by Brian, Sudbury Ontario on July 6, 2009:

I'm currently a volunteer firefighter, and a former member of a First Response team. I know all too well how quickly a story like this can turn to tragedy. Randy, I'm so relieved that you got to experience a positively uplifting call. I went through a similar call several years ago, and I still remember the wife coming to the station a week and a half later and thanking us for saving her best friend in the world, who she would be forever lost without. Money can't buy the kind of feelings you get from doing that for somebody.

Posted by Guy, Big Rock TN on July 7, 2009:

Having run two military ER's, I know first hand how critical time is in this situation. Bravo, a job well done. But also a caution: it don't happen this way often...because of the time element. Savor the feeling for as long as you can, and remember it the next time one of your patients doesn't make it.

Posted by Jenipher Houston, TX on July 7, 2009:

I've always thought about getting my CPR license. I think because of your story and what my father recently went through with staph in his spine...a moment's notice that everything in your life can change, that changes everything. After Ike, my dad got really sick and we took him to Veterans Memorial where they overdosed him on morphine 3 times and we almost lost him. They didn't know what was wrong with him. He was out of his mind. Sometimes it was funny, others not so much. He was talking about them killing him and where we would bury him. Finally, out of ICU..when they stopped feeding him Morphine...and Penicillin which he's allergic to...they told him he'd never walk again and down to the Spinal cord injury unit....He'd been bed-ridden for months...finally, they found what was wrong and he was coming around...staph in his spinal cord...I'm glad to say that he started walking slowly...Christmas...and He's now fully...well, mostly recovered...that alone is enough to make me want to be able to protect my family more and be a certified CPR person. Thanks for the story! Things like that is what make you realize that we take life for granted way too much...

Posted by Paul, Owego, NY on July 8, 2009:

When I was President of my Jaycee chapter, years ago, we sponsored a CPR course. Less than twenty four hours after the final session ended, one of the Jaycees in the course was driving with his family when the car in front of him started driving erratically and left the road. Sure enough, the driver had had a heart attack and died at the wheel. The Jaycee was able to pull him out of the car, perform CPR for about 8-10 minutes until an ambulance arrived. The guy made it. I had that giddy feeling you talk about and all I did was schedule the course!

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Sweet! -rc

Posted by Lee/Maryland on July 9, 2009:

Your local Red Cross often offers CPR/AED classes. They last all day, usually, and once certified, you can go back annually for recertification. There is a modest fee, but it's well worth it.

Posted by Michael, Mentone, Alabama on July 10, 2009:

As a full-time 911 Paramedic and the 1st Lieutenant of the Desoto Rescue Squad when I am home I wanted to say two things:

1. Congratulations on your Save! Good Work, you, Kit, and the rest of the team should be proud!

2. I appreciate you encouraging folks to volunteer their time, I know our Squad is undermanned and are always looking for good folks who want to make a difference.

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Individuals can make a difference ...but only if they go out and do it. -rc

Posted by Frank - Oklahoma City, OK on July 11, 2009:

Congrats Randy and Kit - and the whole team from first responder all the way through to the hospital. I've been in EMS for 25 years now, and I've long since hung up my paramedic patch (I run IT for our EMS organization), I still get the same feeling you get when I hear stories about how the entire EMS continuum from 9-1-1 assisted (or not) bystanders to first responders, transport, and eventually hospital comes together to save a life. Even though I've done this for 25 years, I can still tell you just about every save that I've been a part of (and the babies delivered too). Funny, those good sorties always seem to stand out and the sad ones fade away over time.

Well done to all!

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Yeah, I vividly remember the only birthin' baby call I had, but it was particularly memorable: it's the only baby born at San Quentin prison! But that's a whole other story.... -rc

Posted by Dale, Wheaton, IL on July 11, 2009:

I have to disagree with your comment about a-fib not being as serious as v-fib.

Having had a-fib myself, it can be a killer. One attack caused me to pass out and smack my head on the concrete. Another attack had my heart beating at over 360 beats a minute. As you well know, at 360 BPM NO BLOOD moves through the heart so it is the equivalent of the heart completely stopping. Needless to say, without blood circulating you have a couple of minutes before your brain dies.

When the EMS folks arrived (luckily EMS responds within 5 min or less around here) they had to give me three shots of the med that supposedly suppresses a-fib before it took effect. If the third one didn't work they would have had to crack my chest to fix my heart.

Luckily, a-fib is correctable by burning the node that is issuing the false signals to the heart that control the pace of heartbeats.

I had that operation and other than waking up in the middle of the operation as they were burning (with an electrical probe sent up through my groin while the camera was sent down through my carotid artery) the node on my heart (which really hurt bad but the anesthetic prevented me from moving or speaking out to tell them I was awake), it fixed the problem.

The surgeon told me I was dreaming about being awake until I repeated verbatim the gossip he was telling the anesthesiologist about several other doctors when I was supposed to be "out", which confirmed I was indeed awake and embarrassed the heck out of the surgeon!

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I'll bet. I didn't say a-fib was completely innocuous, but it is far less serious. If not corrected, v-fib leads to death in minutes every time, while I know many people who continue to function reasonably well with a-fib. That's pretty much the most extreme difference of "serious" available. -rc

Posted by Rebecca- Mesa, AZ on July 11, 2009:

This is the daughter who started the CPR on my dad. I just wanted to Thank you again for doing what you do. You truly made a difference that early Sunday morning. I'm emotional reading the story and even thinking about it. I'm so thankful you both got there as quickly as you did despite going down the wrong driveway. When I'm done with nursing school I hope to come there and work and be close to my family. Keep up the good work.

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Hi Becky. I'm sure your mom told you about this page -- we had a nice visit with her and your dad today. They asked a lot of questions, and filled in some details for us. Your parents are great people, and I hope we can welcome you and your husband to the area soon. -rc

Posted by Nick - Australia on July 12, 2009:

Thanks for that story. My best friend's brother died on the floor of a supermarket surrounded by people who didn't know CPR while they waited for an ambulance to arrive. So thanks again for the uplifting story. It made my morning.