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[Odler]

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Who says that: ?The greatest rush in life is to see someone die by your own volition.?? If it is not Rumfsfeld, it must be Saddam.

Here, I can tell you this: The greatest joy you will ever have is to bring someone back from the dead. You will never forget the face that will look at you later and say: ?I was dead, you changed that.? Mostly, if that face belongs to a young and healthy person (young meaning 120 year-old or less).

It is certainly not the opportunity that is missing to do such deed. Every year, 225,000 Americans die of a heart attack, and 125,000 of a stroke. If you are around when that happens, you can change these statistics by 1, and make a whole lot of difference for a family, for a daughter, for a neighborhood. It is easy. You just have to learn CPR.

CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation), or more fancily BLS (Basic Life Support) is a set of simple techniques developed by the American Heart Association for you to keep someone alive, with a pumping heart and some oxygen in the lungs, while medical rescue is on the way (via 911).

It some cases, it does more, you can solve the problem all by yourself, like a pro. This solution is so much rewarding when it applies to your child you save from a certain death by chocking, after he swallows an M&M. How bad you will feel if you find out that a very simple maneuver could have changed his fate? Do you know how to save a child, or an adult, from chocking?

The BLS class lasts about four hours. It is fun, filled with knowledge on do-it-yourself lifesaving practices, and with tricks to prevent stroke and heart diseases. No prior medical knowledge is required. The proud certificate is good for two years, and allows you to walk in, and say authoritatively to the witnessing crowd: ?I know CPR, let me handle that.?

The course is given somewhere near you, sometimes this month. Call the AHA, or visit: www.AmericanHeart.org/CPR to find out when and where.

You don?t have to ride in an ambulance and join the EMS (Emergency Medical Services) to save a life or two. The thrill will be even greater if you can save the life of a parent, or of a friend (mostly, if he or she owes you money.)

Please, visit http://www.jeanlouie.com/

(OdlerRobert Jeanlouie, Friday, April 04, 2003)