Life skills
Is throwing herself into upkeeping
Paula Reed...
Could you administer confident first aid at home? Paula Reed signs up for a course – and finds it life-alteringly useful
Itend to freeze in a medical emergency and I worry how I’d cope if someone was injured in my house, especially when builders are here with power tools. I know several people who took a first-aid course when they had their first grandchild. Bravo. That, surely, is basic upkeeping.
One of the most horrifying things I’ve ever witnessed was the immediate aftermath of a car crash. It happened right outside the house where I was staying, in broad daylight. The injured lady’s car had been hit by another driver who’d been dazzled by low sunlight. She was slumped over the steering wheel, barely responsive. The ambulance was 40 minutes away. The terrifying sound of the collision brought me out of the house immediately and I was able to bring blankets to keep her warm. But when I also offered to make her some hot sweet tea, the gathered group cried, ‘NOOOOO!!!’