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Remember your CPR

By signout on February 21, 2007.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about a woman I met in the intensive care unit after she was successfully resuscitated with ACLS. Serendipitously, she ended up on the medicine service I switched to shortly thereafter, and I've been taking care of her on the general medicine floors for a few weeks.

Today, on my way out of her room, I let on that I'd be switching services in a few days. "What?" she said. "You come back here." From her mouth poured forth a torrent of words, mostly good ones: "You're great, but you're a little rough around the edges. You're a go-getter. You know what needs to happen, and you make it happen. I like you. Do you think you'll stay in town when you're done with your training?"

Then, she predicted my future:

"You're going to marry a man who doesn't need to be in charge. You're going to have four children. In a couple of years, you're going to run into me in the Bahamas, and you're going to pass out when you see how good I look."

"I hope you'll remember your CPR," I said.

"Oh, I'll never forget that."

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Internal Medicine

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Was she resuscitated by CPR or was there electrical shock involved? I was under the impression that CPR (chest compressions and mouth to mouth) could only circulate oxygenated blood, but can't restart a heart. Or does the use of an AED count as CPR?

I stand corrected--"CPR" should be "ACLS." The correction has been made.

That's so cool! Will I be invited to the wedding and subsequent Bar/Bat Mitzvah's? :)