PSA: I found my neighbor face down in the snow...

[HipChick]

Last edited Thu Feb 13, 2014, 10:31 PM - Edit history (1)

I thought they had slipped, but wasn't getting any response...Ambulance could barely make it into our subdivision, looks like a heart attack, but looks like they are going to be ok...please be careful shovelling snow today...

UPDATE: I finally got hold of his daughter, took me lots of sleuthing on the internet - but he lives alone, and I thought she would want to know. I hope he does not mind...plus I can't stand the though of someone being all alone in a hospital...BTDT one too many times alone myself..

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. My dear HipChick...

Your neighbor was very lucky you found him! He could have easily died under those circumstances...

I hope he gets well!

And thanks to you, now he has a chance...

[Rockyj]

12. YES OMG

You were his angel of the day!

[LiberalEsto]

2. Thank heaven you found him and got help

[Nolimit]

3. I've heard about several people having heart attacks while shoveling snow.

I wonder what the physiological reason is. Is it it becomes the cold causes the blood vessels to constrict and the physical exertion makes the heart work harder to pump through narrower veins?

[magical thyme]

10. it's just brutally hard work...

especially if it's a heavy, wet snow,which is what you get when the temps are warmer.

The colder snow -- when temps are teens -- just sweeps away. You can practically sneeze it away if it's cold enough out.

That's why I like my snow scooper. It really is much, much easier and safer for your heart and back.

[Jim Lane]

14. Yes, strenuous exertion by someone not used to it

There are plenty of people like me who perform sedentary work, don't get much exercise, and are not in good physical condition. Then there's snow to be shoveled and the guy (every time I've heard this story it's about a man) feels that he has to show his strength and get that snow out of there.

Me, I shovel at a slow pace until I start feeling a little winded. Then I stop and rest. Only when I feel completely recovered do I initiate another bout of shoveling. As I go along, the intervals of shoveling become shorter and the breaks longer. I suppose any passing Marines would laugh at me but I don't care -- I'm still here to be laughed at.

[hedgehog]

7. That's a good reminder - kids can get buried in snow tunnels.

[gwheezie]

5. Hoping for a good outcome

You're a great neighbor.
My grandpa died shoveling snow, it was a heart attack but it was immediate, my grandma was present and said he wasn't breathing when he hit the ground.

[HipChick]

6. I'm sorry....

[LeftofObama]

8. You deserve a heart for that act of kindness!

[BlancheSplanchnik]

9. smiles to you for helping!

He's lucky you were there!

[magical thyme]

11. good on you for taking care of your neighbor!

[Marie Marie]

13. I nominate HipChick for the Angel Citizen of The Day.

He is very lucky that you noticed and helped him.

[IrishAyes]

15. It's caring people like you who make the world fit to live in.

Although the mailman would dearly love for me to shovel the full 66' length of my front fence because that's his preferred path to my mailbox, I can/don't/won't. I only shovel the 10-15' from the mailbox on the gate to the street. I don't shovel at all from the porch to the gate because it's actually safer to walk on or through the snow rather than cleared-off bricks that just ice over. I also refuse to use any kind of non-toxic salt unless I expect important company that it would be better not to upset. For them I shovel, but that happens very seldom. If I keeled over, who'd take care of the furkids?