Wednesday, June 29, 2011

I tried to save a life on Sunday

Let me start by saying all human beings involved are alive and just fine.

This past Sunday morning was the last day of my week-long vacation, so I took advantage of it and slept in.  Til 9:30am.  This is huge for me.  I got up slowly, dinked around the house and then got out for my 3 easy recovery miles.  By the time I got home around 11:30, my husband was up (about 2 hours earlier than normal), dressed and ready to go!  He had gotten out our bathing suits and rollerblades, packed some snacks and was just waiting for me to get home.

Since we were heading to the nearby Metropark to throw the football, rollerblade and then swim, I knew I didn't have to shower, so I changed from my sweaty running clothes to some new clothes to get immediately sweaty in.  We headed straight to the park where I had to buy my second season pass this year - since the one I bought in February was on my old, dead car.  No big deal, I use this park enough to make it worth $50 this year.

We threw the rock around for a little bit.  I hate this part, but it's my husband's favorite.  Then we strapped on our rollerblades and headed to the path.  We only went about 3 miles, but they were tough!  I was still tired from my earlier run, it was pretty hot out and the trail was pretty hilly.  All paved, but lots of hills.  

After getting really sweaty once again, we headed back to the car to switch our rollerblades for our bathing suits.  After a refreshing dip and lazy river ride, we were ready to head back home.

As we were driving out of the metropark and almost to the entrance, we came to a point where the bike path crosses the road and keeps going to a neighborhood.  I've never been on this part before, so I looked down the path.  I could see in the distance a bike lying down and a person that just looked like a blob, not moving at all. 

I immediately asked my husband if he saw what I saw and turned the car right around.  I yelled at him to grab the first aid out of the glove compartment and grab my phone.  I stopped on the shoulder, grabbed the first aid kit and cell phone and ran out of the car.  I ran across the street and started down the path toward the hurt biker. 

Now, we had just come from the pool and I didn't bother to put any clothes on over my bathing suit.  So here I am running in my bathing suit and flip flops, trying to get to this hurt person that's about a quarter mile away.  I couldn't make out any details, but the blob that looked like a slumped over, face-down person that still hadn't moved.  

At this point, I realized my husband wasn't running behind me any more and I was just flying.  I thought nothing of it but once I got closer, I saw not one but two bikes just lying on the path and two adults sitting up chatting with one another!  They were just staring at me like I was crazy.  I asked them if they were okay and they said, yeah, just taking a break.  

I wasn't sure if I should be relieved or livid at this point.  They scared the crap out of me.  I thought for sure a biker fall off his bike and landed in such a way that it broke his neck and he was lying there paralyzed.  I was so scared for him!  Then to find out two grown adults decided to just lie their bikes down on the path - not even on the side of the path or standing up against a nearby tree - and just sit in the middle of the path to catch their breath.  They were just fine, taking a break.

So in that split second, I turned around and walked back to my car.  Am I crazy?  Did I just make that up?  Did that seriously just happen?  My husband was making fun of me and the bikers thought I was just crazy.  I guess I may have too if I saw someone running at me like a psycho in a bathing suit and flip flops.

Now here comes the selfish part: they didn't even say thanks or express any gratitude that I was so worried about their possible injury, I pulled over and ran to help them.  They could've cared less and my husband thought I was an idiot.  What jerks!  I hope that someday if something happens to me on a trail and I'm by myself and with out a cell phone that someone takes a second to come see what's wrong.  

I should be relieved they were okay, but in reality I was just annoyed.  I'm not a person to overreact to situations, especially medical ones as I have plenty of experience working in the emergency room, but I really thought someone was in danger.

Weird Weird Day!  I hope it doesn't happen again!

6 comments:

  1. Kudos to you are rushing to help, even though it turned out it was not needed. I would have done the same thing!

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  2. Don't feel bad... the world needs more people like you!!

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  3. hot damn... that's all i have to say...

    how is turtle cove btw?! i've been thinking of trying it out this summer... maybe swim some laps?!

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  4. Wow!! I was concerned for the blob but man, what a pair of idiots! Why not say thanks or, heck, I'd have said sorry and would have felt like a tool if I was the one who'd stopped right on the bike path. Man, have some decency and pull off to the side, you know.

    Ah well, you did the right thing in running towards them. They could have been hurt and it was just your instincts taking over at that point. If I fall on the bike path (and you know I will at some point) I hope someone like you is around!

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  5. Better safe than sorry. At least you checked on them. Many people may have just kept going.

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  6. Great job with the awesome response! I wouldn't feel bad about it if I were you, but I did laugh a little :)

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