Short 'N Sweet by Susan L.

  It's an early start today. Work is sending us for First Aid and CPR training for the next two days. I'm looking forward to it. The last time I did first aid training was when I was in Girl Guides more years ago than I care to think about. A lot of it stayed with me though because when something happened, the skills and knowledge were there to handle the situation although only once in my life did it involve a life and death matter. It's something I'll never forget.
  My neighbour's tractor slipped and rolled onto him one Mother's Day. His daughter frantically called us before phoning 911 because she knew he wouldn't survive long enough for them to get there. My ex was an expert in heavy lifting, thank God. It was part of his trade so he threw a long board into the back of the station wagon and we went flying up the road.
  My neighbour was pinned under the back tire. It was this that saved him because my ex was able to get the board under the wheel and leveraged enough power to raise the tractor a fraction of an inch. It was just enough for me to slide him to safety. My long ago training kicked in. I was so careful in moving my neighbour because I didn't know what may be broken. His nearly unrecognizable blackened face caused by not being able to breathe for so long began to regain some colour, a good sign. He was conscious so I kept talking to him, calmly giving orders left and right.
  "Get a blanket, we need to keep him warm. Lock up the dogs because they may interfere with the emergency crew. Someone watch for the fire fighters."
 My neighbour is one of the less than one percent who survive a tractor roll over. He had many broken bones but thankfully his back was fine. He is doing well to this day.
  We simply did what had to be done but this event gave me a much greater respect for the firefighters, ambulance drivers, paramedics and police because they face these situations every single day. God bless them for what they do. This also taught me to be extra careful when on my own tractor which probably saved my life in return.
  "I will leave in your midst a meek and humble people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord." Zeph 3:12