triple zero

It was an average morning here in our house. I rolled out of bed, made Hendrik lunch, myself and Luke breakfast. The grumpy boy watched back to back episodes of Peppa Pig as I spooned an exotic breakfast of apple farax, honey, milk and mango into his mouth.

I usually have a coffee a day. And by coffee I mean I either drive or walk down to the coffee shop located in the local Coles complex. The way the morning was panning out I just wanted to crawl back into bed, however I can't as I have a ten month old, and my conscience won't let me as Hendrik works hard for the money.

After putting on a load of washing, i changed a second dirty nappy within twenty minutes and loaded Luke up into the big pram as he arched his back and screamed. I persisted, reasoning that once I have a coffee I would feel more alive.

Little did I know, going to the coffee shop alone was enough to make me feel alive this morning.

As I walked into the coffee shop there was a big line. As I am usually very friendly with the staff I decided to sit down and wait for the post-school-dropp-off queue to die down. I sat on a brown sofa and started to chat away to Luke to try and engage him out of his crappy mood.

From behind me a lady grabbed my attention.

"Excuse me," she said, "can you please call an ambulance?"

"Sure," I said, like I was working at McDonalds and someone had just ordered a McFlurry.

I paused for a moment as I processed what she had just asked me, but simultanously pulling my phone from the top console in the pram. I thought, 'oh maybe she'll be alright, maybe she doesn't need an ambulance'. But then at that same second she grabbed her head and began to slump forwards.

I've never called 000. I struggled to unlock my phone as I forgot I didn't even need to unlock it to make an emergency call. I sifted through the options on my screen as though it was a new piece of technology I had never used before until I finally found the keypad option and punched in 000 and the big green call button.

I put the phone to my ear and walked outside. I walked outside. I left the poor woman slumped on the couch and walked outside! In an instant there was a small voice that I could barely hear on the other end. "Police, Fire or Ambulance?"

I said I needed an ambulance. She asked where I was and I told her the name of the shopping complex. Then she asked what state, and suburb. My mind was racing so fast that I couldn't even remember where I was. They put me through to the ambulance people who must be based in Melbourne.

Here I was standing outside and explaining exactly where I was, but at the same time not making any sense. The man on the other end of the phone asked me how old the lady was and what was wrong. I explained I didn't know, she just asked me to call an ambulance. I managed to ask the lady how old she was and she could tell me. After answering as much information as I could about the woman the man on the phone said an ambulance was on the way.

She held her head and told me she couldn't see anything. She then started asking about her daughter. I noticed that there was a little three year old at the other end of the couch. I assured her that she was here next to me and that I was taking care of her.

By now there were a group of women around us acting out of concern. One suggested I go and get a doctor from the adjoining medical clinic alongside Coles, but I assured them there was no need. An ambulance was on the way.

The minutes felt like hours while we waited for the ambulance. I didn't know what to do or say so I kept my hand on her back to offer some kind of reassurance. Also so I could make sure she was still breathing. I started talking to the little girl with a bob cut next to me, asking her name and trying to be as friendly as I could. She didn't answer, yet she seemed so brave.

One of the ladies asked if they wanted me to order a coffee. It was seriously the last thing on my mind.

The lady blacked out and wouldn't respond. She didn't appear to be breathing and then started shaking. Where the hell is the ambulance? I began to feel sick as I looked for a pulse and was convinced I couldn't find one. I was thinking about old episodes of All Saints where they used to slap the patient so I began tapping her hand asking, "Hey, hey, can you hear me?"

I then said, "okay, now I think we need to go and get a doctor from the clinic." The women all stood around arguing about who should go and get one as they all had children etc. I jumped up from the sofa, where I was sitting next to the woman, and declared that I would go and ran out of the door, pointing at Luke and then pointing at the manager who nodded in agreeance.

I ran like crazy to the clinic which felt like it was miles away. I banged on the automatic doors as they just wouldn't open quick enough. The receptionist gave me a very disapproving look as I jumped the queue. I said that I needed help at the coffee shop immediately, that I had called an ambulance and we were still waiting. She picked up the phone and began to dial into one of the doctors rooms as I assured all of the shocked people in the waiting room that everything was okay.

I ran back to the coffee shop where they were lying the woman down on the sofa. The doctor came and people explained what they knew. She regained consciousness as the ambulance arrived and the doctor explained everything to them.

We noticed her phone but it had a pin lock. Her licence was in the black wallet case of the phone,  so we wrote down her details to go over to the school and see if they had any emergency contacts as that's where she had just dropped her kids off.

Her phone began to ring. I looked around and said, "should I answer it? What should I say?" before throwing it to a lady with curly hair who explained to the person on the phone what was happening. The paramedic then took the phone and explained what was going on. Her daughter was now in her pram facing Luke. She had a balloon and started hitting Luke in the head, which he thought was hilarious.

I ordered a coffee, but I felt like I needed something more like a Chamomile tea.  I stood around sipping my coffee, feeling like a useless bit of furniture at the same time. I left home feeling lethargic, but I sure was awake now, caffeine not needed.

I watched how the paramedics were professional to every one around them as they worked with the lady, strung out on the couch, smudged make up and whiter than the milk froth on top of my latte. I remembered as every Tuesday night at 8:30 I got to stay up and watch All Saints, starring Libby Tanner and Georgie Parker through my high school years. I could have sworn that this hour long soap opera made me want to be a nurse.

And while I don't think I'd ever cut it in a medical profession, this has definitely given me the kick I needed to renew my first aid certificate.