Cecilia Showman, Vista, CA – 33 at the time of event (2007)
On December 14, 2007, I went to a local Japanese restaurant with my daughter. Afterwards we were supposed to see the Alvin and the Chipmunks movie.
From what I hear, I was either text messaging someone or e-mailing when my head went forward and then backwards. Megan, my eight-year-old, said I fell off the stool. Almost immediately, three people came to help. I had stopped breathing and had no pulse. One person began CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), another called 9-1-1, and a third took Megan aside while she called my husband, Bill.
“Daddy, Mommy hit her head and we are at the Japanese restaurant near the movie theater and you need to come right away,” she said.
It turns out the three people were Navy corpsman who just returned from Iraq. One of the corpsman talked to Bill and explained what was going on. I had had a cardiac arrest (or sudden cardiac death).
Bill was on his way and so was EMS (emergency medical services). The ambulance was around the corner when the call came in about me. It was two minutes from the time they received the call until they arrived at the scene. When the firefighters arrived, I went into cardiac arrest (again). The firefighters continued with treatment. The fire captain pulled Megan aside so she would be distracted. She was quiet and just watching. The ambulance rushed me to the hospital.
At the hospital, my body was cooled to 32 degrees. It’s a new procedure—one that gives patients like me a better chance at survival. I was in an induced coma from December 14th to the 20th...I think. You see, I don’t remember any of this.
The first day I recall was the day I saw written on a dry erase board. I remember opening my eyes and trying to focus. The first thing I saw was “Today is December 22, 2007. Your nurse is Debbie.”
The next couple of days were a blur. I remember people visiting and being told who came by, who called, who was concerned, who prayed for me, etc. It was all so surreal.
On December 24, 2007, the doctors implanted an ICD (implantable cardioverter defibrillator) to ensure that if I have a cardiac arrest again, my heart will be shocked back to a normal rhythm.
The ICD seems to be doing well and I am healing better and faster than expected. I do have to watch my salt intake, I cannot drive for three to six months I cannot have caffeine (which is the worst of it all).
The doctors and nurses call me the miracle patient. Apparently I had less than a 10 percent chance of surviving. Typically, patients have some sort of brain damage or physical damage. I have a bit of memory loss (December 8th through December 22nd) and two of the fingers on my right hand are numb...but all in all...that’s it, with the exception of the recovery.
I know it was a miracle...it was divine intervention. It was God. I am blessed to have had so many people praying for me and for my family. I am overwhelmed by the number of people who have reached out to help us. We are so grateful and feel truly blessed.
There are so many people to thank—first of all, my husband and daughter. It was amazing how they handled the situation and the tough decisions that had to be made. My family and extended family drove in from Arizona, Nevada and Northern California. And I received so many calls from family in Texas, North Carolina, Florida, New England, New York and New Jersey. Our employers were awesome, giving support to Bill and to our family. I am so grateful. I have been able to recover with little to no stress.
I truly believe I had many angels around me that night. What an impact the power of prayer can have!
-SCA Survivor Registry submission