ORLANDO, Fla. – In honor of World Heart Day, survivors of Post Intensive Care Syndrome, aka PICS, and survivors of sudden cardiac arrest spent their Sunday morning raising awareness surrounding both health conditions.
According to the Society of Critical Care Medicine, PICS is made up of health problems that remain after critical illness. The problems can involve the patient’s body, thoughts, feelings and mind in addition to potentially affecting family.
After undergoing an outpatient surgery, Cheryl Thompson got an infection, became septic and then suffered from sudden cardiac arrest.
“I was instantly put on a ventilator, brought up to the ICU, I was put in a medically induced coma for nine days,” Thompson said.
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Rick and Jennifer Chap were also there on Sunday.
Twelve years ago, their cat, Buddy, alerted Jennifer after Rick collapsed on the floor in their kitchen from sudden cardiac arrest. Jennifer said once she picked up Buddy and saw what happened, she immediately called 911.
“Here in Orlando and Orange County, we’re lucky because dispatchers are trained to instruct callers how to do hands-only CPR,” Chap said. “So, they instructed me on what to do, and I started in on him.”
Not only did survivors share their stories and walk to raise awareness, but the Orlando Fire Department was also there giving people a quick lesson and demonstration on the importance of CPR and defibrillators.
“Now we have AEDs (automated external defibrillators) available almost everywhere,” said Orlando Fire Lt. Julian Jefferson. “So, it’s very important for people to start the CPR, get the defibrillators on people quickly, call us, and then that way the chances of survival increase dramatically.”
The Chaps and Thompson encourage anyone to learn CPR because you just might save a life.
“When somebody collapses in cardiac arrest, they’re clinically dead,” Jennifer Chap said. “So, you cannot hurt them by pushing on their chest, you can only help them.”
“CPR saved my life,” Thompson said. “The defibrillator saved my life, even though I was in the hospital, they came and started CPR right away and they were able to shock me with the defibrillator and bring my heart rate back.”
If you’re interested in learning CPR or becoming CPR-certified, the Orlando Fire Department offers classes which can be requested here.
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