Joanne Hildebrandt was saved by 2 lawyers when her heart stopped. David Piche was on the way to work when he saw a 47-year old woman lying in a snowbank in front of Saskatoon Tower apartment building.
Helping hand
He initially believed that the woman was having a seizure. He called for emergency assistance and turned her on the side in case she vomits. While on the line with the operator, another lawyer, Scott Bell drove by and asked if assistance is necessary. Bell delivered CPR which he learned in his workplace last year until the arrival of the paramedics.
Once the emergency responders arrived, Hildebrandt received shocks from a defibrillator and transported to a healthcare facility. She had a stent in place and was put into coma to protect her brain. After 4 days, she woke up and soon discharged.
The good part about a heart that stops entirely is that it is not damaged, but it only restarts in 1-3% of cases. Hildebrandt was lucky that her heartbeat was restored.
The warning signs were intensely sore shoulders and headaches. She did not have the usual risks of high cholesterol or blood pressure. In addition, she does not smoke and not overweight. The blockage of an artery might be due to long-term stress but heart issues run in the family.
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LEARN MORE
Learn how to help by enrolling in a first aid and CPR class and for more information, check out these sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiopulmonary_resuscitation
https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/qa/what-is-cardiopulmonary-resuscitationcpr
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automated_external_defibrillator