During junior high and early high school days, it was most often my best friend’s dad who was relegated to the role of chauffeur for whatever adventures Debbie & I were heading to (or from). Our car rides were always entertaining because he would recite poems from memory or regale us with tales of his travel adventures and everyday experiences. The rides always seemed to end far too soon, but my love of poetry remains to this day. Even now, when I visit them in Oregon, he will happily recite my favorite Robert Service poem from memory for me. (It’s The Spell of the Yukon, in case you were curious.)
Beyond his natural gift of poetry, Jim has led a remarkable life, and sees the significance in events that are both big & small.
When I asked him, he agreed to share a story from a hospital experience he had almost 50 years ago as this month’s Guest Post.
I hope you enjoy “To Save a Life”, by Jim Hipsher.
Once upon a time I saved a life, and it is one of the most precious memories that I have. I really didn’t do much, but was in the hospital and had a throat operation and the doctor told me not to talk for 2 days or I could lose my voice. They called my malady “Opera’s Throat” and I never sang Opera, but it entertained me anyway. Not speaking for two days is hard, try it some time.
The man in the hospital room with me had a heart attack and was trying to press the call button, so I pressed mine and no response. I couldn’t yell, so I ran down the hall and found the nurses in their break room having a cigarette. (Hey, this was almost 50 years ago.)
I startled them and quickly pointed to my heart, then made a choking gesture with my hands around my neck and pointed toward my room.
They responded immediately, but he was no longer breathing. They got the revival response team in ASAP and used the voltage paddles on him and he came around and they ushered him out. I never saw him again.
His wife came in later and gave me a big hug and thanked me for saving his life.
I motioned that I couldn’t talk and just gave her a thumbs up.
I believe most people that I know would have done the same as I did in saving that man’s life. I relate this today because of the sadness I feel for the relatives and friends of over 700,000 people who have died in the USA from the Covid-19 Pandemic.
