| I am a new Chamorro Chiropractor on island who has | | | | Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) it has been |
| returned back to my home after a 20 year hiatus. I | | | | shown to increase survival rates by as much as 74 |
| decided to facilitate this move by an invitation to | | | | percent. Without early defibrillation and CPR, chances |
| work with the great Dr Philip Mitchell of Mitchell | | | | of survival are only about 5 percent. (1) |
| Chiropractic in Dededo. I'm not the one that needed | | | | So where are these AEDs located? They should be |
| the convincing. It was my beautiful and highly | | | | located at all public facilities. There currently is no AED |
| intelligent wife Erica, who was raised in the mainland, | | | | located at the Compadres Mall in Dededo where Dr |
| that was a little skeptical about making the big move. | | | | Mitchell passed away. |
| Erica use to take what I said about how wonderful | | | | It would be prudent for an AED to be located in all |
| Guam and it's people are with a grain of salt because | | | | first responder vehicles. There were no AEDs located |
| as she pointed out, my being from Guam makes my | | | | in the vehicles of the police officers who were first |
| opinion a little biased. | | | | on the scene. |
| It took the efforts of Dr Mitchell talking with her | | | | What is more disturbing is that had this device been |
| over the phone from Guam to Michigan for several | | | | available to the general public the chances are that |
| weeks before she was convinced that everything I | | | | most people would have not acted in a positive |
| told her about Guam was true. | | | | fashion and would instead have chosen to be a |
| In these conversations Dr Mitchell convinced my wife | | | | spectator on the sidelines. Furthermore, despite the |
| that Guam was not overrun with snakes hiding in | | | | fact that the device is user friendly with many |
| toilets waiting to bite you every time you sat down | | | | models giving audio prompts to inform the operator |
| like National Geographic has convinced half of the | | | | as to it's proper use, most people on Guam would |
| mainland. He joked with her that she did not have to | | | | not have known how to properly employ said AED. |
| fear Malafunction prank calls asking her to purchase | | | | This is either from a language/cultural barrier or a lack |
| Pitt Bulls. He even quipped that we on Guam didn't | | | | of training. |
| pay for our houses with giant coins made of rock | | | | Because of these factors a whole series of |
| with a hole in the middle. | | | | catastrophic events occurred that quite literally could |
| For these things I will be eternally thankful to Dr Phil | | | | have been avoided. The tragic result is that instead |
| for entertaining my wife's apprehensions about | | | | of barbecuing at Ypao beach on Memorial Day |
| moving to the island. | | | | weekend I ended up writing this article and placing |
| I arrived on the Continental Narita Saturday night | | | | flowers on Dr Phil's grave. |
| flight at one o'clock in the morning completely thrilled | | | | There is hope on the horizon. There are groups on |
| that I was finally going to get to meet this great | | | | this island, like the American Red Cross, Mitchell |
| man. Unfortunately my hopes were dashed when Dr | | | | Chiropractic and The Coalition For A Better Guam |
| Mitchell passed away at 8am that same day. | | | | that are working towards the day when AEDs are |
| Guam had lost a truly great Doctor and I never even | | | | mandated to be available and clearly displayed in all |
| got a chance to meet him in person. I am extremely | | | | public locations. In addition to this we are working |
| sad about this however, I can't help but wonder if an | | | | towards the training of a corps of individuals who |
| Automated External Defibrillator (AED) was available | | | | more than likely are located at or near these AEDs |
| would things be different now. | | | | such as first responders, security guards or store |
| I guess I'll never know however, I can honor his | | | | managers. Currently these individuals are not |
| memory by planning for the next time that | | | | mandated to be so trained. |
| something like this occurs and in so doing make sure | | | | How significant is this issue? Well imagine that the |
| that his death was not in vain. | | | | person suffering from sudden cardiac arrest was you |
| Simply put an AED is a user friendly highly portable | | | | or your loved one and they were dieing in front of |
| life saving tool that when a person falls victim to | | | | you. Wouldn't you want an AED available so that you |
| sudden cardiac arrest has the ability to administer an | | | | can be in the 75% survivor group thanks to CPR and |
| electrical shock to a patient's heart to facilitate it | | | | an AED? Or would you rather be in the 95% death |
| beating in normal rhythm thereby saving their life. | | | | group without one? Kind of puts things into |
| When coupled with the immediate administration of | | | | perspective doesn't it? |