Wacky Wednesday

The craziest day of my week on the pool deck is always Wednesdays. You know, it's the middle of the week, and I'm in class all day, so by the time I get on the pool deck I'm a little tired. But one reason it's actually crazy is because here in the Bend Lapine School District, kids go to school 1/2 day on Wednesdays. So they are out early, and it just throws things out-of-whack, it's not part of any routine, for any one, and it's in the middle of the week, so kids show up to the pool after their half day of school and it's always a little wacky. They are usually early, and wound up, and busy- and I don't know maybe they sit around and watch TV and eat sugar for the second half of their day before coming to the pool- whatever it is, Wednesdays are consistently crazy.

Today was no exception.

This afternoon I show up on the pool deck, the kiddo's hop in the pool and are warming up like normal (just so you can see it, we practice in an 8 lane pool, and swim in the first three lanes, the rest of the lanes are filled with lap swimmers) and all of a sudden in the lane next to my lil guys (where lap swimmers are...), I hear "HELP! HELP!" I look over and see this man, carrying this other man slung over him who looks DEAD. His head is flopped back, eyes closed, and he wasn't breathing. The lifeguard runs over, my kids are(in the pool next to dead-looking-man) asking "whats going on? whats going on?" and all I have running through my head is "oh shit...oh shit... oh SHIT"

You see, when stressful events like this happen I can process no thoughts. At least nothing logical. You know what I thought as soon as I first saw this going on? Besides repeated curse words...

JUMP IN.

That's all I could process. To get in the pool. Which makes NO SENSE. The man is being carried in 4 feet of water. They don't need a fully clothed, crazy woman jumping in, that would not be helpful. At all.

My second thought? Was RUN. I just wanted to get out of there. I was sure there was a dead RIGHT THERE. I just wanted to get as far away as I could.

My third thought? HOLY SHIT I HAVE 20 - 8 YEAR OLD KIDS IN THE POOL.

My friend Jody was standing right there (and luckily, thankfully, she can put together thoughts in stressful situations like this....) and I looked at her and - in a panic asked her- " What should I do?!" and she, in a calm controlled voice said " get the kids out of the pool!"

Great. Yes. Something I can do. Something I know how to do.

So there I am, a totally panicked Coach Kendra Getting! Kids! Out! Of! the! pool!!!!! ahhhH!!!!! And my crazy energy isn't helping 20 eight year olds who are watching this dead looking man being drug out of the pool. Right next to them.

"is he dead?" They keep asking. I keep thinking 'I don't freaking know!! Lets just get out of here!!!'

I start herding all the little kiddies to the other end of the pool, away from all the hustle and bustle of the dead looking man with no heart beat.....and we walk to the other end, and I felt light headed. My hands were shaking. My heart was racing. I needed water and to sit down. I thought I was going to faint. (thankfully, I didn't)

You know those people who are totally cool in situations like this? Thankfully, sitting on the bleachers of parents there were a few of these calm cool people ,one was a fire fighter, and an ER nurse - who quickly jumped up raced over to helpe. In talking with them after, it's just whats ingrained in them. Stephanie said "as soon as I saw it I just ran over there, I didn't know what I was doing, or going to do" but she just ran over and did whatever she needed to do help the man. Un like me who just wanted to jump in the pool, or run. Neither of which options were very smart OR helpful.

I'm very envious of these people who can take charge of a situation, and put together logical thoughts in stressful situations. And tonight more than anything I was just happy to be surrounded by those kinds of people. So I could sit and sip on my water and almost faint over seeing something scary. What IS my problem?

Did you know I fainted last month? Ian had this surgery done on his mouth. It was gross, they took a graft from the roof of his mouth and stitched it on his gums above his tooth..... anyways, it was gross. So he had this surgery, and I had to pick him up after, because he couldn't drive after being on all these 'surgery drugs' so I was the shuttle home. I went into this TINY room where the nurse is telling me all about what he can and can not eat, and how to take care of his mouth post-surgery and how to take care of stitches and la la la la la.... because Ian probably won't remember most of the important info- because he's on all these drugs. And while were in this tiny room, I all of a sudden got REALLY hot. light headed. I started getting all dizzy, so I ask for a bottle of water, and boom. I fainted. I was supposed to be the ride home! Ian's on drugs after this surgery- He's walking and talking fine - but can't drive, & I'm the one fainting!

I'm telling you I have no composure in these situations.

Oh just so you know; un named man did not die. He had no heart beat, and was not breathing when they yanked him out of the pool, but the lifeguards and people around him did CPR right away, got his heart beating, and he was 'stable' when he left. Apparently he has some kind of heart condition....I'm not sure what really happened, but he left on the ambulance. We stood around, answering lots of curious 7 year old questions, trying to be positive, but of course I was freaking out inside.

Anyways, on this especially Wacky Wednesday I'm thankful for ER nurses, fire fighters, Lifeguards, and friends of mine - who can come up with complete, realitive thoughts in stressful situations.