A Look at the Red Cross First Aid Instructor Training

In the pursuit of personal development and self improvement, I have, once again, committed myself to volunteering.  This time around, I am dedicating my time to Red Cross's SmartStart Program for teaching multilingual individuals first aid.   It's been almost a year since Amelia Foster, my wonderful first aid instructor, directed me to this program and finally, things just fell into place. I was rather frustrated last summer when no news came from Red Cross.  Apparently, there were some funding issues last year so the SmartStart Program couldn't be executed.  Who could blame them really?  A thousand dollars ($1,000) worth of training for each volunteer was needed and if not enough money was allocated to the program then it won't run.

A picture of the Red Cross Lower Mainland Center in Burnaby, BC

We first engaged in the two days "standard" first aid course.  I took it last year with Amelia but Kenny, the head of the SmartStart program, said that it is better to take it to refresh our memory.  After all, we will be teaching the course itself, so, repeating all of the content would reinforce that knowledge to your brain.  the more you remember, the more accurate and detailed your lecture will be, right?  And, lo and behold!  The manikins we used during the first aid course.

Resusci Anne manikins

These are older dolls compared to the ones I first encountered when I took the Standard First Aid Course last year.  Amelia had those Anne dolls with a flashing light at the acromion end of the clavicle.  If the light is green, it means you're doing the compression at the right pace, depth and force.  However, if it is orange (or red?)  it means, you are either doing the compressions too fast or too slow, too light or too heavy.  But of course, those kinds of manikins are more expensive.  And as much as I know how Kenny would like to update the equipment for teaching first aid, she can't really spend money on that right now, considering the mishap that happened last year wherein the program wasn't able to run because of money restrictions.  Maybe in a few months or so, they will have a few of those manikins.  Or maybe they already have it but they just don't bring it out much.  Anyway, when you are in the field, it wouldn't matter if you used those more advanced manikins or not.  All that matters is how you will be able to deliver CPR immediately and as accurately as possible.  No flashing lights to tell you that you're doing it right or not.  Just the unconcious person in front of you, a lot of bystanders and your knowledge of first aid.

So aside from practicing the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), we also practiced almost all of the skills in the first aid hand book.  Bandaging and splinting took the longest!  We weren't able to finish on the first day and had to carry over the lower extremity splinting on the second day.   And it's also kind of funny how we were dismissed earlier on the second day, considering how we covered a lot more topics that day.  Maybe it's because there were fewer questions that day and a lot more floor work.  After all of the skills were done and Kenny was satisfied with what we were showing, we wrapped things up.

After care!

From left to right:  Irene, Mona, Me, Sun, Sam, Kenny and Silvia

I asked to take home a baby doll because I found it hard to give the baby breaths.  I wasn't satisfied with the practice I had and felt that I could improve if I practiced more at home.  Kenny was happy to lend us all the dolls!  Elie Mei practiced with me and pretended to be the baby's mother.  It made practice more fun!  The skills test went fine after that so I guess I have to thank my little sister for being in character for me.  From here on out though, I have to retain the knowledge I got and strive to improve the detail I put in practice.  That way, I could improve the content of my teaching.   I can't wait to share these magnificent life saving skills with other people.

The Baby Anne manikin I took home :)

Hoping to better myself along with Red Cross! 

Genbu Kaiden finally ends

This is totally unrelated to occupational therapy but I felt that I really REALLY needed to blog about it.  Since the year 2007, I have been diligently reading Yuu Watase's Fushigi Yuugi Genbu Kaiden.  Anime fan or not, you may be familiar with Fuushigi Yuugi.  Well, this is the story of the first ever maiden who entered the book of the four gods - two hundred years before Tamahome and Miaka's love story set into motion.  Truthfully, I had doubts before reading it for two nonsensical reasons (now that I look back to it). One, I haven't exactly read the past work of Yuu Watase although I have watched the anime Fushigi Yuugi.  And you know, not to demean Miaka's story but I just grew out of that "too cheesy" stuff (and the reverse harem factor).  So I kind of expected it to be with the same feel as the last one.  Boy, was I wrong.  Second reason, I knew it was tragedy.  I didn't want to read it knowing it was going to end in Takiko dying.  Tragedies stick to me until I sublimate it into something like what I am doing right now.   Otherwise, I'm going to think of it for days!  But I'm glad I did decide to click that first chapter.  One chapter was all it took and I knew I just had to finish this manga.  It didn't help when suddenly Watase decided to put it on hiatus in 2008).  All of us waited for almost five years.  FIVE YEARS!!!  That felt like forever!  I mean come on, with the 2012 apocalypse ringing back in 2010, I was thinking, "There is no way the world is going to end before I know what is going to happen in Genbu Kaiden!" And yes, Watase-sensei didn't fail us.

A love this pure deserves to have a happy ending

Five years for this fulfilling ending

Took my two favorite pages, which by the way, still makes me cry when I read them. Kudos to Genbu Kaiden Love who scanlated the whole series!  Without your hardwork, I never would have known Uruki and Takiko's pure love.