ALERT: Drowning Doesn't Look Like Drowning

by chickpea 21 Replies latest social current

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  Giordano

  Thank you for taking the time to pass this on. With summer starting and 3 grandchildren this was really good information. I copied it and sent it off to my son.
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  Band on the Run

  This was eye-opening. There should be a much larger public awareness campaign. Did you notice that drowning people on TV always surface three times and flail over their head like jumping jacks. It reminds me of a jack in the box.
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  Quandry

  Thanks so much for posting this. I am sure we'll all be more aware as we are around people at the pool or beach this summer. I knew two people who drowned but was not present when it happened. Both were on family outings, which made it that much sadder.
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  garyneal

  Thanks, marked...
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  TD

  Excellent article -- Thanks!
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  Terry

  This brings chills.

  When I was 9 I was drowning in a motel pool and realized too late I was about to die.

  I couldn't swim.

  I was in the "baby" end of the pool with a steep slant (45 degree angle into deep water) trailing off from that shallow end.

  I had on a diving mask covering my eyes and nose with no snorkle.

  Bobbing up and down in the pool like a kangaroo on my toes I had created some wave effects. Each time the wave would pull

  me an inch or two closer to the deep end slant. Once i reached that slope I could not stop the inevitable plunge into drowning territory!

  I swear I can recall to this day each and every millisecond of the terror!

  I struggled to keep afloat by sinking to the bottom and propelling myself up to the surface to call for help. But, breaking the surface I couldn't do anything but burble and sputter and sink immediately again. All I did was exhale what little air I had left.

  What I soon discovered was that you cannot stop yourself from INHALING WATER. The instinct to breathe is what causes you to do this.

  Drowning isn't taking water into the lungs, it is swallowing so much water you lose the ability to hold your breath.

  I was on my last lunge to the surface when I felt myself....going....

  Next thing I knew, some guy who had been sunning himself nearby pulled me out and I coughed on the side of the pool and vomited water in a paroxysm of pain and bewilderment.

  Then, my mom ran over and saw what had happened and began screaming at me and cursing me for five minutes.

  I don't know who the guy was who saved me or why he saw I was in trouble.

  Glad he did.

  After effect? I can't sit in a dentist chair and tilt my head back with that water thingy in my mouth without involuntarily lunging forward and gasping for breath. It drives dentists to angry fits. I've been thrown out of their office for this!!
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  Glander

  In February I was on the north shore of Oahu. There was a surfing tournament going on and the waves were monsters. The house was right on the beach no more than 50 yards from the surf. About 10 pm the first night everyone else had gone to bed but I was still on the deck enjoying the moonlight, a little brandy and the roar of the surf. I was wearing sandals, shorts and a knit shirt and was about to turn in when I decided on an impulse to walk down the 5 steps to the beach and get my feet wet.

  Just as I was ankle deep a good size sneaker came out of the dark and as I turned to scamper up the beach I found that my sandals had filled with sand and I tripped. The wave hit me in the ass and rolled me. Just as I managed to get up on my hands and knees another one knocked me down. It was at this point I felt I was in trouble and called out "Help!" . I could barely hear my own call due to the surf noise and knew that no one could hear me. A twinge of panic got me scrambling away from the sucking surf like a crab. After another brandy, shower and dry clothes I slept like a baby. Told the gang about it the next morning. Near death is strangely invigorating.
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  HintOfLime

  Good information. TV often fools us into thinking we know what to do or what to look for.

  After hearing about the "120k a year" southern Californian lifegaurds are earning.. I looked into this a bit.

  The people who are angry/outraged at the salaries are simply uninformed idiots who don't do their research. Being a real lifegaurd is a far cry from the BS you've seen on baywatch. Southern Californian Lifegaurds are the Search and Rescue of extremely crowded beaches - watching over thousands of people for specific signs - and they are expected (and expect themselves) to respond to situations that demand careful observation, peak physical condition, timely response, and extensive paramedic training is required to save lives.

  I think a lot of morons hear "life gaurd' and assume someone sitting in a chair spreading sun-tan lotion on themselves all day. The reality is that even with training there are probably less than 0.01% of Americans could even remotely qualify for the job.

  - Lime
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  jwfacts

  What an excellent article.

  Recently I was sitting on the side of a pool, watching my 3 year old paddling. He went out of his depth and could not breath, get his mouth above water or get back to where the water was lower. Just as the article describes, he made no noise, but was clearly in distress. A woman was standing less than a meter from him, looking directly at him and watching him, but did nothing. I had to throw myself in and rush to his aide, but was so annoyed that the other lady did not just reach out lift him up.
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  Snoozy

  Terry wrote:

  After effect? I can't sit in a dentist chair and tilt my head back with that water thingy in my mouth without involuntarily lunging forward and gasping for breath. It drives dentists to angry fits. I've been thrown out of their office for this!!

  Wow, this may explain a problem I have. I too almost drowned one time. We had a sailboat and I was guiding hubby into our stall. The water was dark and deep.

  I missed the dock and went straight down, and down, and down. I didn't think I would ever touch bottom..and I didn't think I would survive much longer..I fought for my life and the whole time no one on top had any idea what was going on..
  I started waving my hands in a downward motion to break my falling deeper..the water was so dark you couldn't see anything. I finally hit bottom and pushed with all my might and started going up slowly..I prayed I would keep going till I reached the top as I couldn't see the top in the dark water....I knew how to swim but was helpless in this situation. I finally got to the top gasping for air and hubby pulled me out..I wore a lifejacket from then on..I will not go in water over my head now..and I am sure it is because of that experience..even tho I am a good swimmer..I also do the same thing as you in a dentist chair now..

  Snoozy