Linda Pfeffer's Life Saved -- April 6, 2004 -- Collinsville, OK -- www.cvilleok.com

Collinsville resident Linda Pfeffer knows she is is lucky to be alive today. She wants to thank everyone who helped her Tuesday April 6th when she collapsed at the Home Representatives Club "Senior Tea". Trouble is, she remembers nothing about that day (or the day before or several days afterward). Linda later stated, "I'm sorry to say that my mind is a total blank from Monday, April 5 morning, until Saturday the 10th. I came home from the hospital on Friday the 9th, but that whole week is simply 'gone,' and I have no clue what happened or how I felt. I don't even know what I was wearing! Apparently I made my usual 4-5 dozen mini crab salad puffs Monday night, but I don't remember that, either!"

With Linda's permission (to release some medical infomation from that day), I have tried to piece some of the events together for her so those who helped save her life could be thanked publicly. I have not yet been able to talk to all those involved and the following is likely incomplete as many others helped in many ways.

One of the first to Linda's side (after she collapsed at the serving table) was Collinsville High School senior Beth Wiseman. Beth quickly assessed the situation and started CPR. Mrs. Shelly Joice, who is a nurse with the Oklahoma Heart Instiutute, then took over and continued CPR until the EMS crew arrived. Shelly stated that Mrs. Pfeffer was not breathing on her own and had no heart beat. Applying chest compressions were Mrs. Osborn, Mrs. Duncan, and Mrs. Hay. These actions helped keep Mrs. Pfeffer alive until the Collinsville EMS crew of Gayla Stephens and J.W. Miller arrived. Linda still had no pulse and no respirations when they arrived. They shocked her with a defibrillator and restored her pulse, and she began breathing on her own soon after that. She was then transported to a Tulsa Hospital where she was treated for 4 days.

According to Collinsville EMS Director, Elizabeth Sullivan, Gayla and J.W. stated they were "simply doing our job". They "simply" reversed clinical death. Sullivan also stated "I believe the immediate CPR (before EMS arrived) made all the difference in Linda's survival." Sullivan added "I've been involved in EMS for almost 15 years, and more often than not, when we work a 'code', the survival outcome is usually not successful, but last week Collinsville EMS worked 2 cardiac arrests, and successfully resuscitated both patients!!".

Beth Wiseman had taken courses to be a life guard one summer, but had not been in a situations such as Linda's before. Beth later said, "We all did what we have been trained to do, we tried our hardest to keep her heart going and her breathing. I have never been in that situation before and we are all proud of how we reacted and it feels very rewarding to know that we were able to help save a life." Shelly Joice indicated this was not the first Collinsville event she had attended where she ended up giving CPR, and that a child had survived an earlier incident. The EMS crew has about 25 years of combined EMS experience. After Linda Pfeffer was back home, she stated "It's unfortunate the Senior Girls had to deal with my collapse during their special Tea, but on the other hand, I was very lucky to do it in 'public', with RN's on the premises, and loads of friends!".

According to Shelly Joice, the Oklahoma Heart Institute is hoping Linda will help them promote citizen training for CPR for similar emergencies. The Oklahoma Heart Institute also has a link on their web page for the "Oklahoma Heart Start" program to help equip local schools with Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs). I don't know if Collinsville is part of that program, but suspect it should be.

-- Ted Wright 4/16/2004

The CHS Senior girls, their mothers, and Home Representative Club members formed a hugh prayer circle for Linda just before the EMS crew got her breathing again at the April 6th Senior Tea.