This one goes to my FUMCN co-teachers

At the school where I teach, Nova Pioneer, the students get finished early on Fridays.  The staff have a meeting, then professional development for the rest of the afternoon.  It's a good chance for us to focus on perfecting the craft of teaching, rather than just doing it.

This Friday, however, was meant to be a staff meeting, then team building.  We had completed the meeting part and were outside playing a game (meaning to keep a ball in the air using teamwork and communication, only mildly successful in the attempt) when there was a loud crash near the building.  A young man, who had just been climbing a ladder to fix the roof, had fallen off.  At first, from our distance, it just looked like a bad fall until I heard him cry out, "My leg is dead."

A small aside -- each year at FUMCN, all of us teachers did CPR/First Aid training together.  I always thought, I sure hope I'M not the one at an emergency.  I'll never remember what to do.  And, I always felt vaguely ridiculous acting out the steps.  Run to the "victim," (maybe Tonja on the ground), turn to a colleague (Ms. Juli) and say, "call 911."  Then through the other steps....who actually does that?

Well, it turns out, I do.  I ran to the guy (his colleague was not doing anything), took one look at his leg and realized -- not good. I was pretty sure it was a compound fracture from the way it was bent.  There was also some blood.  I turned to our school admin and said, "call the ambulance right away."  Then realized that blood was coming from the young guy's hand so I asked for a first aid kit.  I wrapped the hand, introduced myself and explained -- you probably have a command fracture, whatever you do, don't move.  Then thought, "what else can I do?"  I remembered from the first aid class (who would have thought I could remember this stuff??), treat for shock!  So, we got every available towel, coat and pillow to support him.  And, then we waited.

And, waited.  For the Americans at the school, it seemed unacceptably long.  For the South Africans, they were actually impressed it wasn't longer.  For the young man, it probably felt way too long.  But, me and another teacher stayed by his side, keeping him warm and talking to him, waiting for the ambulance to arrive.

When it did, it was with a big sigh of relief as they administered pain medication, then carted him away.  The rest of us retired to to the staff room where our head of school did a good debrief.  Then, she opened the bottle of wine that had been meant for the "team building" portion of the afternoon (that's how they do it in ZA).   I honestly was shaking after the experience and so thankful for the CPR/First Aid classes I had done with my FUMCN teachers. Who knew that it would ever come into use? And, I hope I don't need it again anytime soon.  

Here's the team (or most of it):