For a long time I’ve been pushed to write about my experience with helping someone this winter. Recently after a long time of resistance I have realized that in that moment of helping this person I felt like I made a difference and proved that Big Picture can make you want to learn. I used skills that I had learned this year to make me feel like I can do something and have it count for more than just a grade, but count towards something I can take with me. I thought maybe writing this would help me feel the same thing I felt that day.
Before reading this story you should know I really dislike taking the city bus, and suggested in the beginning of the year I’d rather walk each day from the school to St. Michael’s College for my LTI than take the bus (note: this is about 5 miles each way), but I grew up and dealt with my fears and began taking the bus regularly. I had been interning at St. Mike’s for a few months at this time and had been on enough calls to prepare myself for the situation. That day on the bus, I sat near the front like I did most days and rode along trying to block out any distractions.
When we were about halfway through the ride I looked forward, only to see a man starting a seizure. Now being an intern and observing EMTs, I had seen about 3 seizures in all. When the unfamiliar man started to seize I only felt like I was there to do something. I sat up quickly and ran over. The bus driver had stopped the bus after, patrons had stated yelling I grabbed the girl across from him and asked for her to help me place him on the ground away from any dangerous objects he could hit. We placed him on his side as I had seen many EMTs do for patients, and asked that the girl next to me to time how long the seizure was. I placed a coat under his head, and looked for his wallet, knowing the EMTs would want his identification. The Burlington Rescue arrived shortly and I was able to tell them how long the seizure had been and handed over his identification. Though I know that this man probably wouldn’t have died from this accident, feeling that I had helped a stranger is something I’ll never be able to replace. I knew after that bus ride, helping people through medicine was my passion and future.