I was on a first aid course at Bognor Library today. I’ve always grabbed whatever training is on offer in every job I’ve had. Much though I might take the piss out of the whole ‘bigger picture, outside the box’ tosh I am quite passionate about training and do believe that well delivered, relevant training does empower people. The training aspects of various jobs I’ve had over the years have always been the most enjoyable parts to me. I am also very aware of my CV and the more training and widely recognised training I can add to it the better, so if West Sussex County Council are up for funding it then I’m there :).
I’ve always avoided first aid in the past. I’ve done loads of Health and Safety including writing training manuals and putting together 2 new companies complete H&S policies but first aid has always slightly frightened me. It’s that idea that if I am supposed to know what to do in a situation then I have the obligation to do so and that is scary thing I suppose. I am not remotely squeamish and actually have a slightly morbid fascination with all things medical and a bit gross but having worked in large retail outlets where first aiders tended to just get stuck with the hassle of dealing with people who were feeling sick or tricky court case potential accidents it’s seemed as well to plead ignorance and not get involved.
Anyway, the chance for it came up and I decided to take it.
Ady managed to go in slightly later as Bognor is on the way to his office so he could drop me off and at my suggestion my Mum agreed to have Davies and Scarlett at their house. This meant I didn’t have to fret about her getting here on time for us to leave and they got to have a change of scenery.
So everyone was up and dressed and fed and out of the door before 830am which so seldom happens around here it feels like some sort of holiday occassion when it does ;).
By all accounts they had a lovely day with Frazer taking a half day off work, Dad coming home early and the focus of all three of them. They got taken to the park, to the supermarket to choose what they wanted for lunch, bought magazines and generally pampered :). Everyone seemed happy so we can consider it a success :).
I was first to arrive at the library and got chatting to the woman running the course who was having a stroppy moment about the crap access and two flights of stairs she had to drag all her equipment up. Gradually the other attendees arrived and we started the course. We covered loads of stuff in the morning including CPR and recovery position with loads of practical stuff on the resusci-anne dummies. She also brought along a defribrillator and asked if anyone wanted to try it. It’s the one bit of kit I’ve always thought looked very cool so I happily volunteered and got to put it on the dummy and press the button and do the ‘clear!’ thing. Amazing stuff :).
We broke for lunch so I had a literal walk down memory lane walking down Bognor High street where I worked, managing Clinton Cards for 18 months. I really don’t like Bognor, it’s a pit of a place IMO with all the crap bits of a touristy seaside town with none of the charm. I went down to the arcade where my old Assistant Manager worked hoping to find her there as I don’t have any other way of contacting her. I last saw here about 4 years ago when Tarly was still in a pushchair so I wasn’t overly hopeful and peered in the windows of the two shops opposite each other and saw she wasn’t in either. As I turned to walk away so she appeared walking towards me and grabbed me for a big hug! I don’t know that I’d have recognised her tbh but I’ve obviously not changed much :). We had a speedy catch up with each other and swapped addresses so we can now stay in touch and promised to catch up properly and for her to meet Davies and Scarlett who I reckon she’d adore. She was full of tales of crazy stuff we used to do and all of her workmates had clearly been bored with tales of when we worked together – it was one of the happiest jobs I ever had :). Really must try and get together soon.
Back for the afternoon session at the library where we learnt about pressure bandages, elevation slings, first aid for fits, seizures, burns and scalds, fractures, head injuries, epilepsy and diabetes, strokes, cardiac arrests and how to use an epipen. I actually really enjoyed the course and would now confidentally have a go at first aid, either at work or just generally. I’m really glad I went on it :).
Ady wasn’t quite finished at work so I hung around the library a bit and went on the computer for a while before going to sit in the sunshine and read the information board outside an ice house which is along the same road and have a look at it. Ady arrived, we collected Davies and Scarlett and popped in for a cup of tea with the 3 weary child-looker-afterers too ;).
We dropped Tarly off at Rainbows where she ran in quite happily and reported back that she was fine and had a great time so that’s finally the end of me having to stay with her – hurrah! Just in time for the clocks to go forward and me to have a full term of one hour on a Friday to go for a walk / bike ride / nip up the allotment :).
We came home and Davies and I finished reading Humanism What’s That?: A Book for Curious Kids
I walked round to collect Tarly and took Rebecca with me too as Lucy had rung to say she was running late. As she predicted she caught us up before we actually reached our house.
The kids had tea and watched an Alan Titchmarsh thing about nature and wildlife in GB – Scarlett as always was very knowledgable about stuff before he said it and identified animals long before I did. A few chapters of Mr Gum and then bed for them, bath for me and standard Friday night dinner of pizza for Ady and I.