Santa Fe – First Aid / CPR

ADULT CPR & AED

The Adult CPR and Automated External Defibrillator class is scheduled for 2-3 hours. A National Safety Council student workbook is given to each participant in class. Students will learn the basics of recognizing whether a victim is unresponsive and not breathing. Utilizing these basics, students will be taught the necessary skills needed to render care for cardiac arrest

and choking emergencies. Scenarios will familiarize each student with the simplicity of operating an AED and delivering a shock of energy to a person in cardiac arrest.

A DVD, manikin practice and lecture will be the primary focus for student learning. Students will gain a greater appreciation of how to respond to a variety of accidents for both work and home.

Class lecture will involve discussions on scene safety, accessing EMS, New Mexico Good Samaritan Law, consent issues, spinal cord injuries, first aid kits, pediatric CPR and the ability of providing a common sense approach for any emergency. One manikin and an AED trainer are utilized for every two students in class. A two-year certification from National Safety Council is given to each participant upon successful completion.

STANDARD FIRST AID

The Standard First Aid class is scheduled for 3-4 hours. A National Safety Council student workbook, quick guide and bandage bag are given to each participant in class. This class includes DVD scenarios, demonstrations in splinting and bandaging and lecture for an easy approach to understanding proper care in a variety of accidents.

First aid emergencies covered include; bleeding and shock, burns, injuries to muscles, bones and joints, poisoning, diabetes, seizures, strokes, hot and cold weather emergencies and a variety of sudden illnesses. A two-year certification from National Safety Council is given to each participant upon successful completion.

For this class

• Class Hours 9A – 4P
• Payment – PayPal using either link, (505) 412-0969 or donrog@earthlink.net to look up Don Rogers. Payment will be required to reserve their class.
• Cost – $75.
• Minimum of 6 and a maximum of 12 students
• Please bring lunch

COVID-19 Protocol for this class:

Please stay updated on the current state-by-state Covid quarantine rules and regulations including if there are options to avoid a lengthy quarantine when entering the state of the seminar by having a rapid test, by checking in regularly on the CDC website. If lengthy quarantines are the only option one-month prior to the scheduled date of any seminar, it will be postponed to a later date.

CURRENT COVID PROTOCOL FOR CE COURSES

Currently, we follow CDC guidelines and New Mexico law for massage education:  we are required to wear a mask in the school and all participants are screened (including temperature check) upon entering the building.

Don’s Story

August 4, 2013

Patti, Chip and so many other Santa Fe Road Rider’s – Thank you for your support, kind thoughts and prayers during my difficult recovery. I am very blessed to be writing this. Today is my one month anniversary since my heart attack. I certainly wasn’t prepared for my day to turn out the way it did…I told my wife I had a little upset stomach before I drove to Ft. Marcy for a group ride. I said hi to Patti, saw several folks I didn’t know (of course sizing up their bikes and what they looked like). I was really jazzed to be getting some exercise on that beautiful Santa Fe day. We started up that lovely little climb on Old Taos Highway. I felt strong and decided to take the lead. I needed that day’s group ride as I hadn’t ridden in several days and was grieving over the loss of my father only 10 days earlier.

I loved the rollers Tano Road and Las Campanas provided and it was my first introduction to many of the roads. Again, I felt strong, accelerating to the front of the group, and sharing the pulling with several others at various times. At no point did I experience any classic “symptoms”. I have taught thousands of students in First Aid, CPR and AED classes at Los Alamos National Laboratory and have been a state certified New Mexico EMT since 1987.

I did experience some minor symptoms, discomfort in both arms and some jaw discomfort at some point during the ride in Las Campanas. I didn’t say PAIN and it went away. I began to experience fatigue prior to our second to last stop. There were only three other riders ahead of me, that was all. Still nothing seemed out of the ordinary. And I emphasize, I had been riding very strong all day.

But I did experience tiredness, extreme for me as I now recollect where after the second to last stop, I had lost all stamina. I even had a hard time staying with the back of the group as we took off. At this point, I reconciled this must be the ribs we had the night before. They must have been bad, or a flu bug, or food poisoning, anything but the problem I would eventually experience on 599. I sat down noticing how exhausted I truly felt. A little rest and I would ride straight to my car. After our last stop, half the group headed back into Las Campanas for more miles. The other half rode off toward 599 and Buckman. I slowly got back on my bike and could not keep with the group heading toward Buckman Road.

Still nothing clicked about my impending situation. I turned on Highway 599 and I thought – ride to Ridge Top, cross over to Tano, head down Old Taos Highway, completely downhill to my car. No problem, a piece of cake.

Still nothing remotely concerned me when I had to stop 3 times between La Tierra and Ridge Top Road exits,– only 2 ½ miles. DENILE, maybe because I ride 50-70 miles easily on my bike, practice yoga, do Pilates, ski black slopes, play hockey and officiate college hockey games. My wife and I eat well. I do like red meat occasionally, a delicious meat pizza every blue moon but mostly salads, fish and chicken. My cholesterol numbers are defined as normal. I AM A PICTURE OF HEALTH. I rarely get sick. I am the poster child of a person whose life has been blessed – I travel, have two successful small businesses, great wife and have little perceived stress!

I don’t know how long it took to ride those two and half miles after stopping and resting three different times. When I arrived at Ridge Top I was completely exhausted and just figured I would pause, collect myself and eventually head uphill toward Tano Road. Then I threw up, again my comprehension, it had to be the ribs. I layed there next to my bike for an undetermined amount of time. My “living angel” said he tapped me on my shoulder and said I was in the fetal position complaining of chest pain. I don’t remember any of this…The only memory I have is seeing this black pickup. Tommy Lopez of Expert Towing got out of his truck and asked if everything was all right. I do remember Tommy saying “I don’t want this on my conscience”. His remark making sense now with the fact that he must have observed a pretty confused cyclist who only wanted to be taken to his car.

Tommy knew something was wrong and instead of taking me to my car as I had insisted, he drove to Ft. Marcy Fire Station. Station 1 Paramedics were either on the Plaza at the pancake festival or were on another call. Tommy called 911, while at this point I began to roll on the fire station grass writhing from the most unbearable arm pain I had ever experienced. Thank God Unit 1 arrived shortly thereafter, noticing my discomfort and directed me into the ambulance. Nine minutes, nine short minutes from stepping into the ambulance, to saying I felt light headed, my eyes rolling back in my head, to being unconscious, not breathing and in cardiac arrest. The Paramedic performed CPR, put AED pads on my chest and shocked my heart with 200 joules from their AED and then performed additional CPR. I woke up not realizing any of this. The Paramedic told me I had been shocked by their AED and had come back fairly quickly. I didn’t make any sense of what had just taken place till much later.

I arrived at the ER with 7 or 8 professionals attending to me, anxious and my arms causing extreme discomfort. I was immediately taken to the cath lab for an angioplasty procedure to open up my blocked artery with a stent placed in my left arterial descending artery which was 100% blocked. A blockage of 30% in my right coronary artery was noted which I’m told can be maintained with exercise and proper heart healthy nutrition.

I have been in cardiac rehab three times a week for almost a month. I am implicitly following my exercise physiologist’s directions and maintaining a slow program of exercise to allow the heart muscle to heal. All told it is a three month program. My wife and other caring friends all say I will recover, it will take time. I will be stronger and be the same person as before…But will I?

Where am I today – physically my strength continues to improve I am now exercising 44 minutes utilizing 3 different exercise machines. I felt and saw sweat on my body for the first time this morning.

But emotionally I am worn out, exhausted, my tank empty, sad, grieving, angry, and frustrated. I have wonderful temporary distractions like my grandson, but mostly difficult periods of being overwhelmed as I am learning to process my feelings. My questions keep revolving like a record with a stuck needle – losing my Dad, why am I here, will I recover, will I be the same, why did I get a second chance at life, will I have another heart attack, was my Dad looking down directing Tommy to stop and attend to me? Question after question swirling around…

I appreciate all your concerns. I miss riding with you. Patti has talked about group ride changes. James has talked about anybody looking good on the outside BUT, it is the inside we all need to think about, especially between the ears. My grandfather and my dad both died from heart disease. My family history caused this, not anything any one of us did or did not do! My stress of holding things inside – not sharing my feelings helped play a pivotal role. This stress ultimately almost contributed to what is known as the “silent killer”.

I have a huge journey in front of me. My hope is that each of you will learn from my experience. It is my hope I will motivate you to make your lives better, to make your lives healthier and to count your blessings. And don’t forget to say “I love you” to someone you care about. Thank you for letting me be a part of your lives.

Be safe, Ride strong!

D.