Learning First Aid the fun-filled way!

My eyes snapped open. I raised my head slowly and looked at the little clock on the bedside table. Time? 8:28 a.m!
 

'8:28 a.m?????????!!!????? OH NO!!!! I'M LATE!!!!!!!'  and a perfect day too. We were going to be taken to MIMS hospital in the town for a First Aid class. 'Oh , GOD!!' I let out a loud groan, thinking about Gigi ma'am 's (That's our class teacher) reaction.
 

GREAT. I missed my bus. I had to take the line bus instead. I reached school at 9:15 a.m.

'Oh no. What if they've left without me?'

I was worried as I dashed across the steps to my classroom. That's when I saw the yellow school bus slowly backing out of the parking lot. I ran back the same way I came, to the school parking lot. I started panting as Anuradha ma'am 's silhouette slowly took shape.

"What happened? Why are you late?" She asked reproachfully.

'I... Missed.... My bus,' I panted.

As I entered the bus, a loud, "SHAMIA!!!!" greeted me. Gigi ma'am gave me a piercing glare. Well, I deserved it. I then struggled to the back of the bus and found that two of my friends had, thankfully, saved me a seat. The bus had let out a roar and started toward the exit of the school.
 

The trip to MIMS had been great. Many of my classmates had burst into the most horrible songs I'd ever heard. (Actually, the songs were good. But the way they sang it wasn't!) 

Some of the teachers accompanying us had also joined in the fun, Valsraj sir, our P.E sir, was one of them.

We had reached after what seemed like a few minutes. The marble floor shone as we walk across it with sharp, tapping footsteps. We entered through a door in the corner to an unfamiliar surrounding,  unusually disciplined and quiet, except for our shuffling footsteps. All of us had been to the hospital, but we had never come to this part of it before. 

At the top of the stairs stood a magnificent door, leading to the auditorium. At least, that's what it said on the signboard above. But to me it was... HEAVEN. The doors were opened to reveal a spacious room filled with a hundred very comfortable-looking seats with the air-condition in full blast.

We all scrambled to get the best seats. Everyone looked ready to drop off to sleep immediately. That was when a smart-looking man entered the auditorium. He walked all the way to the podium and tapped on the mike. All the lazy talking ceased immediately. He introduced himself as the doctor who would be teaching us all about First Aid. His name is Dr. Augustin.

"Wish all our classrooms were like this," a boy murmured lazily. Many grunted their assent. All of us were too comfortable to answer.

Dr. Augustin cleared his throat and spoke,"Well, I know it will be hard, but I want all of you to pay attention to the class and I promise you, I'll do my best to rouse you all from your sleep." The last few words caught our attention. That was odd. Most teachers wouldn't t notice us sleeping in class while they droned on.
 
Dr. Augustin walked up to the projector placed on the stage and switched it on. The huge screen behind the stage immediately displayed, "Learning BLS with MIMS." with a rather cute picture of a small baby. We waited excitedly for Dr. Augustin to start.

The first part of the class was about what we should do if a person gets a heart attack and see him fall unconscious. Well., we have to do Chest compressions and try to get the person's heart to beat.

After a careful explanation and demonstration of how to do so, we were divided into 4 stations.

Each station had a 'half- mannequin' of an adult as well as an infant. We practiced on them. Each of us had to perform Chest Compressions on both the adult mannequin and the baby mannequin. Not surprisingly, all of us had a lot a fun. (Don't worry people! If one of you happens to faint too, we'll be extra serious when saving you!) We also practiced something called Mouth-to-Mouth resuscitation which helps the unconscious person to breathe.

"What would you do if one of your friend starts choking?" Dr. Augustin asked us after the practice sessions.

"Hit him on the head!" Came a suggestion from the boys.
 
"Thump her on the back!' Another boy yelled.
 
"Use a De fibrillating machine!" A girl cried, losing her head completely.
 
Dr. Augustin smiled at all our weird suggestions and burst out laughing at the last one.
"No, no! You would apply the Heimlich maneuver," he informed us.


That was new. We all listened with rapt attention. We later practiced the Heimlich maneuver on each other in turns.

After this came our lunch break. None of us had noticed the time go by; We were having too much fun for that. After the lunch break, Dr. Augustin taught us all there is to do if a person is rescued after a near-drowning experience, if a man's heart starts fibrillating (THAT'S where you use the De Fibrillating machine!),  if a person receives an electric shock, etc. In short, we now know how to save a man's life in any dangerous situation.

When his lectures seemed to be in danger of boring us, he would crack a joke which would have us all rolling on the floor laughing. All in all, it had been an awesome class.
After our class, our school Assistant Leader (who happens to be in our class) gave the Vote of Thanks.
 
We were all sad to leave the hospital. (That sounds strange, doesn't it?) Many of us wished for another class.

As we were going back to our school, a boy started choking on a piece of chocolate he had accidentally swallowed before chewing.
 

The whole class grinned at each other. All of us rushed forward to help the poor guy who was now looking panic-stricken at the number of people who were racing toward him with their hands outstretched.

So everyone think before you choke in front of a Devagirite, we are all BLS experts, waiting to test our newly-acquired First Aid knowledge!