I am not sure of the origin of the idea that you want to “prevent someone from choking on their tongue” during a seizure by stuffing a large wooden spoon into their mouth but suffice it to say, this notion persists. I guess initially it was thought to prevent biting the tongue but of course we now know that this is very dangerous and certainly not recommended when you encounter someone having a seizure.
Anyway, back to the action:
A Young woman gets into heated argument with her dad and comes storming out of the house. She is “not allowed to date” our young hero anymore as he is evidently unacceptable to father. Our young hero, waiting in his chariot outside, notices her “shaking all over” and “breathing really fast” when she gets into the seat next to him.
He leaps into action showing gallantry that many more experienced suitors lack, he grabs his mobile communication device and jams it into her mouth realizing she was “probably catching a seizure or sumthin’. Of course he read about this technique of tongue preservation from a surely reliable source and forcibly held it in. She struggles and soon her hyperventilation causes her to pass out.
Again our young Prince Valiant seizes (no pun intended) the opportunity to perform some recently obtained life saving skills. Figuring her heart has stopped and that she is near death, he pulls he out onto the street (striking her head on the chariot’s running board) and started to pump on her chest. She soon awakes screaming just as the constabulary arrives on the scene.
So, basically I treated this woman for all the injuries caused by our well meaning but misguided young hero.
Shit, we even learned in boy scouts not to put anything in someone’s mouth if they’re seizing. I think that was mostly to prevent losing a finger.
Interesting. He tried to do the right thing, but ended up causing more harm than good. Doing nothing would have led to an objectively better outcome, but it would have been morally contemptible.
Did the young lady end up agreeing with her father and send Prince Valiant on his way?
I think Pop had a point.
“Doing nothing would have led to an objectively better outcome, but it would have been morally contemptible.”
Why morally contemptible? He didn’t even try to diagnose the problem. He didn’t even check to see if her heart was still beating before he started CPR! If he had determined she had no heartbeat and THEN did nothing, yes, that would be contemptible. But he was just idiotic.
That’s what really worries me about the hands-only CPR PSAs–they just advise starting CPR if you see somebody “suddenly collapse.” I get that the inexperienced can’t necessarily find a pulse in an emergency, but surely it should be mentioned that you don’t want to do it if the person is, like, breathing–or conscious.
Dad must have been impressed.
Dad might have something there….
Wow… what a fool. Act now, think later (or not at all…)
What injuries did he cause her? I guess a few cracked ribs and a head laceration?
This is why I make sure to tell all my friends that when I have a seizure, shoving things in my mouth is not helpful.