Jocelyn Seizing, A Moment (5 of 5)

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Gurgling again. It wasn't Jocelyn this time.

Death Rattle and Roll

The young man with the Justin Bieber haircut was seizing again. He began twisting in his chair and was about to fall out. The young man with the choke hold was losing grip and I sensed his desperation.  Went over to the curly haired man and asked if needed assistance. His voice seemed calm, but his eyes were troubled. He didn't answer me, he was still on the phone. He was losing control and he needed help. Guess all that gurgling and coughing got to him

People Change, We All Go Through Transformation

It finally got the other people’s attention. Thank goodness. One lady asked if he can use some water. Another walked to front of the store to get a manager. Another helped prop the seated one up. The young man, was really a boy. 

Saying All the Right Things, But He Needs Guidance. He needs a Sidekick

He said,"Everything is alright. Mike has done this before." Devon, the curly haired one had brown napkins on the next seat. He said again. "I've handled this before. But I had doubts. Normally, when someone is helping another get through a seizure, it common practice to place the victim down. Holding them up by the neck,I'm pretty sure, is not in the manual. Plus, lying one down, can ease vomiting problems. Putting your hand in a seizing person’s mouth may not be so wise. Could lose a finger or two.

Devon was a young man. People lose brain power in time of crisis. He needed help and I just read my comic book graphic novels. Plus, I just saw Thor. I was pumped. Now is time to be a hero. Devon was Batman. and I was going to play Robin. (Nightwing if your avid comic book reader). 

I Get By. . .

Started humming as more people arrived. It was that Beattle classic, written by Paul McCartney, from the Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Heart Clubs Band album, “Oh I get by with a little help with my friends” It seemed to lighten the mood, which is always good in a tense situation.

Had to commend Devon for being so calm during the episode. Its not easy dealing with a seizure at such a young age, actually any age. Spoke to their mom about what happened. Spoke to Mike and said it happens. No tears, no worries. Gave Devon a pat on the back and gave some advice in the future on how to handle the situation if it happens again. And No I did not discuss the finger in the nose. 

What I Learned Today

Moral of the story is that we got lucky this day. Could have turned out a lot worse. We pick up things every single day. We learn things that may seem useless. May seem childish. However, life has a way putting us in position armed to make a difference. With Comic Book dreams and knowledge of palmistry. We think it doesn't matter. It does. It all counts. We may think we do not have an impact. It does and we do. 

Reading or writing about heroes may give one the courage to step up when others pretend nothing wrong. Maybe it is that little bit a trivia one picks that can help in the problem solving process. Maybe it is calling 911 or offering a drink of water. We all have something to contribute. Just knowing that other people are there helps us get by. 

Another piece of advice: Pick your own nose, not others. 

Jocelyn Seizing, A Moment (4 of 5)

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“Call 911” I shouted at the front desk receptionist,. Caught Jocelyn before hit the the floor. "Get Glitter, too."

Joys of the Gym

Working at the gym, one becomes familiar with calling 911. There was the heart attack when the guy did too much cardio. As we were sitting and talking, he became diaphoretic and speech became slurred. We were talking about his recent balloon pump surgery and I thought, “Here we go again.” 

Other time was when 15 year old kid, just collapsed in front of me. His breath smelt sweet as I was starting the ABC’s of CPR. Airway, breathing, circulation. Must have been diabetic something. I am not sure.

Anyways, Jocelyn was staring into space. That gurgling sound again. Might be swallowing her tongue. Thought about fishing with my finger. Decided against. I feared she was going to have a grand mal in a second.

Heard a Message On the Radio

Earlier that day, on the way to work, I heard on the radio about the process of seizure. It discussed the electrical process in the brain short circuiting. There was discussion about laughing and epilepsy. When am I ever going to use this? Must have not gotten story right. This can't be right.

Glitter, the head trainer, and I put Jocelyn down on the floor. Her stare started to glaze and she was going seize.  Then I did it. I stuck my finger in her nose.

Huh?

Glitter looked at me. Joceyln  eyes focused, and her face lit up. I just sat there. . . with snot on my finger. Yeah snot, not mine. Jocelyn’s snot. Gross!!!  She sat up and all three of us looked at the clear glaze of my index finger. It was a sight. A pause hung between us, as if something magical was about to happen.

It did.

We all started laughing. Oh my Gosh, didn’t think it would work, but if we could make her laugh maybe we can disrupt the electrical storm in her brain. It is not like she is an electrical outlet. Who knows? Just try it. Stupid things we rationalize and do, I can’t explain. 

(THIS IS NOT ACCEPTED MEDICAL PRACTICE. I DO NOT ADVISE, CONDONE, OR PROFESS THIS IS AN ACCEPTABLE MEDICAL PRACTICE OF HANDLING A SEIZURE. CALL 911 AND FOLLOW THEIR PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED DIRECTIONS)

All I can say with certainty, is I just got lucky. We all did. 

AGAIN, CALL 911 IF A PERSON IS HAVING A SEIZURE. Here's a link on what to do with a seizure Help-Someone-Who-Is-Having-a-Seizure link.

Sticking your finger in another's orifices will not guarantee friendship or stop seizures. This I can say with certainty. (Well you might make a friend. Depends if you use your knuckles and give it a corkscrew twist. I digress again. Sorry)

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Jocelyn Seizing, A Moment (3 of 5)

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. . .Until the Next Episode

Thought of Jocelyn. We worked together at the gym. She was a good trainer. Thin and had a gimpy arm. She had a birth defect and was prone to seizures. At times, she tried to hide it. I remember most is her curly, curly hair. Not a great trainer, but had a good heart. Guess, this why people liked her.

We were talking at the front desk at the Van Nuys store. She finished with her client. Third one in a row and she hadn't had lunch yet. She looked a little peeked and I feared that she might be pushing herself. She’s had episodes before and well. . .I got that vibe again.

Gurgling sound brought me back. I can't be the only one hearing this.

Just Didn't Seem Right

Stared at the two young men in the death embrace in Barnes & Nobles again. It looked more like he was trying to hold the person up, then strangling him. That gurgling sound and the hand on the throat gave me doubts, though. Curly haired man had a calmness and deliberateness.  It was just not adding up. 

Seated one wearing the blue shirt was a bit overweight. He did not struggle, but he shook. His arms were to his side, but his eyes were white. Eyes must have rolled back. Mucous was coming out of his nose, like glazed milky gummy worms. A gurgle sound again and the milky worms would retract back into his nostrils. Not a pleasant sight. 

When one is choking, their hands instinctively go to their neck. (Thank you, NCIS and JFK Zapruder film) He coughed and shook, but I sensed a practiced deliberateness in the standing one. The young, curly haired  man put his right hand in the other’s mouth. This didn't seem right. The seated one is choking and he doesn’t know CPR. Okay I thought “CPR powers activate.” Not the most rousing or original comic book battle cry, but it did set off the fight-or-flight response in me.  

Thought to myself, why aren’t the other people doing anything? Are they Blind? Am I the only one seeing this? They were in the Barnes and Nobles Starbuck’s Café. No one was doing anything. Why???

Answering the Call

He fished in his companion’s mouth with his finger. Relationship between the two I still hadn't figured out. Maybe brother, maybe friend. Then, he reached for his pant’s pocket and pulled out his IPhone. He dialed with one hand held his companion with the other. Probably not felony. Thank goodness for that. Still this young man needed help. Guess, it was Thor calling or maybe it was Gabriel, either way it was time to get up. The blue shirted kid was shaking and coughing. The other one must be calling 911.

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Jocelyn Seizing, A Moment (2 of 5)

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Curly Hair With Outstretched Arm

As I read, couldn't help notice a lady with a bad perm staring at her hands. Every couple of minutes she would put the book down, look at her hand, then look at the book. Her left hand was skinnier than the other. Gimpy. Thought she was having a heart attack at first. Book in her right hand, then she would hold her other arm stiffly. She rolled her wrist as if in pain. Then I noticed the title of the book and it made sense. Palmistry. 

She traced her hand from top to bottom. She was measuring life line. Head lines go from left to right. Folds in her palms told her destiny. "Girdle of Venus" and "Simian Crease" she mouthed quietly to herself. Noticed the cross around her neck and I thought, Funny. Roman Catholic I guessed, Filipino, based on the tonality of her phone call. During times of Inquisition, the idea of astrology, palmistry, and the reading entrails would mean excommunication or at the least a beating.

Useless, Really?

Started thinking Jocelyn. Started thinking about a post to write. We pick up seemingly useless pieces of information all the time. We are sponges. We take time reading stuff that we probably will never use in life. We do this all the time. Palmistry, astrology, and Feng Shui. Useless, but fun to read. But really, is it useless?  We can dissects one's personality by their birth date and creases on their hand. We can learn how to adjust one's life, by rearranging the furniture in his home. Centuries these practices existed and we dismiss them. Its a bit like reading comics. We think it is for children. In many ways, its more than that. Its a way how people relate.

Problem Still Here, Felony Again

Then I heard it again. It was deep, rattling gurgling sound. No, not Jocelyn. It was a young man standing over the seated one. Actually, I think they were either seniors in high school or freshmen in college. One’s hair was a curly, like younger version of less buff Carrot Top and Hispanic. His hand was at the other’s throat, arm outstretched,  and it looked from a distance that he was strangling the other one. Gurgling sound was a bit unnerving.

Someone is committing a felony—an assault—in  Barnes and Nobles and no one is doing anything.  Kitty Genovese again. At a gas station I frequented few months back had an incident. Crazy husband sprays gasoline over his and proceeded to follow her with a lighter. It happened few minutes after I left. 

It seems so surreal when crazy stuff happens right in front of your face. Time slows down and you are watching a tragedy take place. I’ve been in a couple of car accidents before and watching this young man choking this other man in the store, time just slowed.

Thought of Jocelyn again. 

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