The Code

The Christmas Code

A true story about the power of prayer and faith

Around this time of year we all seem to have a little of the blues. Sometimes it just cannot be helped. What with the holiday rush and the stress of either having family over or not being with family. (Funny how it works that way isn't it?) Anyway, I want to share with you all a true story that really sort of puts things into perspective.

By trade, while I would like to think of myself as an entrepreneur, I am actually a Firefighter/Paramedic. I have been doing this line of work for two decades and in that time have seen more than my share of holiday tragedy. One Christmas a few years ago I was on duty and we received a call for "woman down, possible cardiac". In the course of the response I really had a moving and life altering experience. Each time I tell this story my eyes well up. Please bear with me and read on.

We arrived on scene to find a nicely decorated home in an upper class neighborhood. My partners and I jumped from the rig and grabbed our equipment. The front door flew open and a woman came running out screaming, "Hurry, please hurry...she is not doing to well!"

We entered the home and inside there were no less than 20-30 family members all crowded around a beautifully decorated tree. A couple of these family members were small children. Beneath the tree amongst the packages yet to be opened I could see my patient lying motionless. A family member, between sobs, stated "She has a weak heart, she suddenly collapsed, please do something". I checked her and found that she was indeed in full arrest. Looking around I realized that the children should not bear witness to what was about to unfold and I requested that someone please remove them. Family members stated together, "Do what you must. We are a family and we can handle it". My crew and I began our resuscitation efforts. My monitor showed a "flat line" rhythm known as asystole. Few people recover from this rhythm. I thought of this as we proceeded with our efforts. A tube was placed to assist her breathing. We performed CPR. And I administered medications via an IV I initiated. The rhythm remained unchanged. I tried an external pacemaker to no avail. And this is when it happened.

I discontinued the pacemaker and was about to move the patient to our rig for transport when I heard a faint whisper. It grew louder as other family members joined in. It was soon recognizable. It was the Lord's Prayer. The family was holding hands and reciting the Prayer over and over as we prepared to move their elder member. We got the patient loaded onto our stretcher and all of the sudden the lights on the Christmas tree seemed to grow brighter. This is no exaggeration. I have no explanation for it. They grew brighter and actually seemed to glow. As I attached the stretcher restraints, I glanced down at the cardiac monitor and saw that there was now a rhythm. I told my partner to "hold CPR, check for a pulse". I could not believe it...she had one! Weak at first and a little slow, but it grew stronger as we moved toward the door. As we exited the family continued their prayers. We loaded the patient into the rig and left for the ER, which was about 5 miles away. While she remained unconscious, her vital signs actually stabilized enroute and by our arrival at the ER she was beginning to show good signs in response to stimulus. My crew and I went outside, shared a hug and cried. It was not my first "code" and would not be my last, but to this day no other calls left so an impression on me. I still refer to it as "The Christmas Code".

Two weeks or so after the call the patient was released from the hospital. I only heard from a family member shortly afterwards when they phoned me to say "Thanks for the most wonderful Christmas present that there could ever have been." What they did not realize was that it was I that received the real gift. And that is the crux of the reason I am sharing this story with you.

You see, when I went to work that morning I was depressed. I did not want to be there, I wanted to be home with my little girl and my wife. I felt so sorry for myself that I had temporarily forgotten why I was there. That call reminded me.

I don't often share this story. I simply prefer not talking about "work" too much. The moral of my story is clear. Each and every day is a precious gift. Regardless of your religious convictions, this story applies to all of us. As this season of love wraps up, make sure and take the time to let those whom you love know how important they are to you. The family member that called to say thanks put it best. "We knew she was ill. But she was feeling fine. And then she collapsed. When you left with her Jim, all we could do was talk about how badly we wanted to say we loved her one more time. We just wanted another chance to do it. Now we will have that chance"

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