EMERGENCY .... Woman on the EDGE!

I like to think that I'm a fairly calm, patient and level headed Mum.... well most of the time anyway! Some people close to me may beg to differ and I admit there have been moments where the volcano inside me has erupted and I have had what we call an adult tantrum.

Picture this .... it's not even 9.30 in the morning and I have found myself slamming doors and sending myself to the bedroom. The wardrobe closet is where I head and I shut the door behind me. I sit on the floor where it is deliciously dark and silent, and count to ten very very slowly. It's at this point that I give myself a good talking to.

I say: "Come on woman, pull yourself together!" A bit of positive re-inforcement: "I can do this, I really can, I'm an adult" Knowing that I've handled 28 Year 9 students in period 6 on a Friday for Maths, I can handle two little boys. I've climbed mountains, jumped off cliffs, even spent a year attempting to teach a young man called Sadam (no joke that was his name) whose main mission at 13 years was to make each girl in the class cry, and one day escape from jail. Then I say: "Whose idea was it to have our kids less than 2yrs apart?" Ours! So suck it up princess! ..... anyway you get the gist.

There was no major reason behind the tantrum. Maybe it was the continual whining, maybe it was the wrestling that always ended in tears, maybe it was the fact that I hadn't had my morning coffee yet, maybe it was that I never had any privacy, maybe it was the spilt milk, juice, water, food .....  etc etc

This little escape into the closet was my own personal emergency. In first aid we have an action plan that we follow in all emergency situations, its' called DRSABCD!

D .... DANGER: Assess the situation and always put yourself first, you are no good to anyone if you become injured.

R ... RESPONSE: Is the patient asleep or unconscious? An asleep patient can be roused. "Talk and Touch" is the best way to find out.

S ... SEND for HELP: If your patient is unresponsive then at this point ring 000 for help.

A ... AIRWAYS: Check that nothing is blocking the airways, if so then roll into recovery position and scoop out the object.

B ... BREATHING: Get down and put your ear next to their mouth, tilt your head and watch your hand on their chest. "Look, Listen and Feel" Look for the chest to rise, listen for breathing and feel the breath and chest rise.

C ... COMPRESSIONS: If there is abnormal or no breathing then start compressions immediately. Nipple, nipple in the middle, push down 1/3 of the chest. 30 compressions, 2 breaths at a rate of 100/minute.

D ... DEFIBRILLATION: A life saving machine that anyone can use. They're now found in many places like train stations, shopping centres and the airport. They are simple to use and really are what saves lives.

So the above is the action plan for any emergency situation. Memorise it: DRSABCD. Repeat after me: DRSABCD. I'm serious, do it!

In my own way I followed the emergency action plan I teach in first aid. The danger was removed from the situation, that being me. I was responsive so no need to call in the help yet. The airways were clear, I took nice big deep breaths and returned myself to the situation at hand. I was the calm, patient, level-headed Mum that I aspired to be. There was no need for any further action. Except maybe a strong coffee and some semi-silence with the watching of play school.

When I think about it there were some major events that may have lead to my mountain erupting. But you know what, everyone has problems and it's called life. In general my kids are happy, loving and well-rounded boys. We laugh and hug daily, and this is what keeps me going. I don't believe that I am any better or worse Mum than the next woman. I do my best in each situation with the skills I have already acquired and the new ones that I am learning on a daily basis. I still have the occasional tantrum and really in the end all I need is an action plan just like DRSABCD to help me deal with life. No one ever said it was going to be easy!