Ever Wonder?

I just have to get this out.

Have you ever wondered what you would do?

I remember the scene from Crash where Matt Dillon pulls Thandie Newton from a car with leaking gas, fire closing in and he says something to the effect of, “I’m not leaving you here. You have to trust me. I’m all you’ve got.” It’s all very Hollywood dramatic with menacing music… bom, bom, bom.

I’ve spent a lot of time training for such things (without the gas leak and conflagration please) from First Aid through work to Rescue Training while becoming a Dive Master SCUBA diver. Even while doing the training, I understood it was all simulated and how we react in a real world incident can be quite different.

I was on my way to a meeting and as I was coming around the on-ramp to the highway, I saw an overturned semi and trailer (transport). Normally I might check to see if there was anything I could do and keep going as there are often other people on scene. Another interfering human is often a hindrance rather than a help.

I was the second to come upon this scene.

The truck had turned over a few seconds before I arrived. The guy ahead of me and I jumped out of our cars and ran to the truck. The driver was still in the cab. I handed my cell phone to the other guy, told him to call 911 and ducked through the broken front windshield.

What the fuck was I thinking!? I wasn’t, I suppose.

The driver’s name was Amad. He was pinned in by his elbow in the door window and his legs by the steering wheel. Thankfully he was wearing his seat belt because it was holding him up in a position that both prevented him from falling down injuring himself further and provided me with clear view of his elbow.

The fear in his eyes said everything.

Following a quick check to see if anything was broken and find out if he had smacked the steering wheel (for internal bleeding), I set on extracting the elbow. After about five minutes of struggling with the rear view mirror that had bent back and pinned his elbow, we both managed to work his arm free (when all else fails, destroy the mirror). Then it was the legs, which were much easier once the elbow was free.

I managed to get Amad standing (he’s a big guy and I am not) and walked him out. There was an off duty fireman waiting when we came out and the two of us half carried a limping extracted truck driver to the curb. EMS showed up about that time. Fortunately Amad was shaken but okay.

Afterward, my emotional rollercoaster began running.

I was elated that I was able to help someone else in a time of need. What ifs starting running through my head. The sudden drop of adrenaline was worse than a candy bar crash. I wondered if a stranger would do the same for me under the circumstances. What if there had been a fuel leak.

As I drove to the meeting, I wondered about my sanity.

Two people deserve recognition from me; my friend at Hospice who, when I related what had happened, gave me a wonderful hug and made sure I was okay to drive. I’ve determined that hugs are the best medicine in the world. Then, I spent the evening with a wonderful woman who played some soothing music and pulled me back from where ever my spirit had decided to exorcise itself. With people like them in my life I will never have want for support… or anything else.

Bless them both for taking the time.

Ultimately, my question to you dear readers… have you ever been in such a situation?

There’s no dramatic bom,bom,bom in real life. Just drama.