Anaphylaxis is a severe, systemic
allergic reaction characterized by multisystem involvement, including the skin, airway, vascular system, and gastrointestinal tract.
Severe cases may result in complete obstruction of the airway, cardiovascular collapse, and death.
On Saturday, a 10 year old girl was swimming in the Chester River at the isolated "
Dog Walk Beach", when she swam into a stinging Sea Nettle, a Jelly fish (Chrysaora Quinquecirrha) - she was unfortunately highly allergic.
Within moments her face began to swell and her throat was partially blocked by the swelling. She was hauled up into the boat and a call was made to her Grandmother who had stayed behind in
Chester the Peacock's boat.
A shout was heard - "
Does anyone know CPR and what to do?!?" She quickly filled in the crowd that soon gathered at the dock on what had happened.
I looked at the navigation charts and determined that the Wharf was the nearest place for the houseboat to dock and meet a Rescue Squad. Soon that information was relayed to the boat where the Captain had already decided the very same thing and was now on its way to the wharf at top speed. I told the grandmother they would be at the dock in 10 or 15 minutes.
I told her my CPR certification had expired, but no one else was volunteering.
Someone asked the grandmother to tell the girl's mother to call 911 and talk to them about the CPR. I chimed in with "Tell her to spray vinegar on the girl's face to counteract the stinging poison." The distraught mother of the little girl wouldn't hang up to call 911 - The call to 911 was made by three separate people at the Wharf and three different rescue squads were within moments enroute the dock.
I was then handed the phone and told, "Tell her how to do CPR, now!"
I stammered in protest...and had time only to calm the mother down after I finally got through to her who I was and why she had to be calm - her girl needed to be treated for shock; laid down, kept warm, calmed down and made to remain as calm as possible - and
she, being the girl's Mom, was the best one to do just that.
I fought my failing memory and
rising panic for what to do next, repeating softly, "That's it, be calm." as much for them as for myself. A blocked airway would mean the situation was way beyond CPR. Just then I heard a shout. The houseboat was spotted roaring up the river just as the first of the Rescue Squad appeared roaring down the long driveway.
I told her that help was ready at the dock - and that seem to calm her more than anything else.
I have never witnessed a
finer moment of seamanship and boat handling (under huge stress or otherwise) then when the girl's grandfather brought the houseboat into the dock in one quick, efficient movement. A waiting group of people soon fastened the dock lines - and two paramedics were aboard even before that.
The wharf was in chaos. People stood and gaped at the commotion. I closed the cell phone in my hand for the line had already gone dead and gave it to the grandmother and helped her off the boat she was on and up the dock to meet the rest of her family members. She was quickly lost in the arms of her husband and daughter.
The 10 year girl was quickly carried to the waiting ambulance - where they gave her a couple injections.
...and then the ambulance roared off to the hospital leaving behind a crowd of concerned and stunned people mixed in with the oblivious ones wondering when they might use the boat ramp.
Several very long hours later, I heard a knock on the window of the boat - and I was filled in on the prognosis - the little girl was recovering nicely and was expected to be alright and go home the following day.
"Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeewww...."Today, I filled out an application for a
CPR refresher course. I do not ever want to be caught as off-guard and ill-prepared as I was...a young child in distress is horrible enough to endure but to be completely unable to
do anything made it unbearable.
