I quickly put the pastries down on the floor and fumbled in my bag for the spare key. Please tell me I’d brought it. In a state of pure panic, I tipped the entire contents of my bag out onto the step. I finally found the key and shoved it in the lock.
“Doris, Doris are you ok? Where are you? It’s Alex, I’m here” I shouted running through the apartment opening each door as I past.
I found Doris on the floor of the lounge. She wasn’t moving. I flopped to my knees on the floor next to her - convinced she was dead. I felt for a pulse on her wrist and then against her neck. I felt nothing. I’d done a first aid course through work but that was years ago and hadn’t even nearly prepared me for this situation. I was frantically trying to remember what I’d seen on Bondi Rescue and all those rescues I’d watched on the beach during the last few months.
I grabbed my phone stuck it on speaker and dialled the emergency services. I clasped my hands together one on top of the other interlocking my fingers. I felt for the breast bone and pressed down as hard as I could. I’d remembered my instructor saying you needed to press down about an inch - which at the time seemed like madness, now it was the difference between life and death.
“1, 2, 3, 4, 5, “I said out loud. I got through to the emergency operator and started trying as best as I could to answer the questions while pressing down hard on Doris’ chest.
“Come on Doris, Please don’t do this” I shouted in between questions “Please, no, Please” I begged
I kept going until I heard a clatter coming through the door and 2 paramedics came crashing into the room with their big heavy medical bags. One of the guys took over the CPR and the other started fiddling around in the bags for adrenaline. I moved to one side and for the first time since I’d got there, it hit me. Doris was dead.
It was surreal watching the paramedics trying to save Doris’ life right in front of me. The only way I can describe it, was that it was like a dream. I picked my phone up from the floor and stood back, allowing them room to work. One of the guys, he said his name was Luke asked me to get in touch with her family and get them to meet us at the hospital.
I took my phone into the kitchen and dialled Itchys number.
As I was waiting for him to answer, I realised I had no idea what to say. How do you tell someone a loved one is dying? Tears began to prick my eyes. I didn’t know Doris that well but I didn’t want to lose her, I’d grown very fond of her.
“Hello, Hello. Liam its Alex” now was not a time for nicknames
“What’s up?” he said, he could tell there was something wrong through my faltering voice.
“Its…It’s Doris” I began to explain “she’s, she’s dying Liam, You need to get here as soon as you can”
He hung up. I didn’t know how he was going to arrange it. He was on duty after all but I knew he’d want to be there.
I could hear the paramedics working away on Doris in the next room. It sounds harsh but I didn’t want to go back in. I’d never seen a dead body before. Thank god, the lifeguards had always managed to save the victims they’d had on the beach. I started to pick apart my morning and question the events, why did I have to stop for pastries? How long had she been there? If I’d just got there earlier? My phone rang. It was Itchy.
He was in his car and on his way he’d only be a few minutes, I told him as calmly as I could what had happened. He was on the phone with me the entire journey from Bondi to Doris’ apartment. He rushed in and went straight to the lounge. He spoke to the paramedics, after a couple of minutes he came into the kitchen.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to rush past you. I didn’t realise you were in here. I just wanted to see how she was” He was oddly calm. I guessed it was something to do with his training. The worry was written all over his face though. He walked over to me and placed a hand on my shoulder and gave it a reassuring rub. That was all it took for the tears to flow. I felt stupid. I hardly knew her. He knelt down on the floor in front of me, wrapped his arms around me and hugged me.
“I tried, I tried to save her Liam. Why couldn’t I remember what to do? I panicked” I blubbed into his shoulder.
He pulled away. “What? You did save her” He said “You saved her life by giving her CPR”
“Huh? What? What do you mean?” I pulled away slightly and looked at him confused.
“She’s alive. You got her heart started. She’s still not stable, they’ve had to re-start her heart a couple of times but you saved her life Alex”
He pulled me back towards him and hugged me the tightest I’d ever been hugged. I could feel his heart racing next to my cheek.
