2 very close calls in 24 hours.... I can't take a 3rd!

[Claudia1]

Everybody is OK (as I type this) but I have had an un-nerving 24 hours.

Yesterday, my DH was in our pool with our 13 yr DS, his friend, and our 3.5 yr DGD. We are very diligent with safety and DGD is never in the pool area without her water-wings. She was playing on the deck and DH turned to throw a ball at DS. He heard a splash and saw her sink to the bottom without her water wings on! She had slipped them off and was going down. He was right there, got her out, expelled the water, and she started breathing on her own. As an ER doc, he sees victims every year and the families always say that they turned away for just a minute. Well, he turned away for a second and it still happened. She was hysterical but safe and alive. She will remember now (and we will remind her often!) that she needs her wings on.

Well then today, DH calmly calls me from work and tells me that he has more chest pains and will be getting a cardiac cath. He followed his Dr's orders and sought treatment as needed. He is doing well and it was the similar to the last episode.... but it was certainly a scare for us. Once again, he didn't delay and got treated before it was too late.

I know the old wives tale that things come in 3's but I hope those old wives are wrong!

P.S. If you are near water with a small child, be safe!!! Be sure that you know emergency procedures and that you know where they are every single second. A minute is too long, even when there are several people around.

 

[ceiligh1]

It sounds like you have had a very scary 24 hours. I hope everything returns to normal and everyone is well very soon. How lucky that your husband was able to pull out your DGD.

 

[DISUNC]

Everybody is OK (as I type this) but I have had an un-nerving 24 hours.

Yesterday, my DH was in our pool with our 13 yr DS, his friend, and our 3.5 yr DGD. We are very diligent with safety and DGD is never in the pool area without her water-wings. She was playing on the deck and DH turned to throw a ball at DS. He heard a splash and saw her sink to the bottom without her water wings on! She had slipped them off and was going down. He was right there, got her out, expelled the water, and she started breathing on her own. As an ER doc, he sees victims every year and the families always say that they turned away for just a minute. Well, he turned away for a second and it still happened. She was hysterical but safe and alive. She will remember now (and we will remind her often!) that she needs her wings on.

Well then today, DH calmly calls me from work and tells me that he has more chest pains and will be getting a cardiac cath. He followed his Dr's orders and sought treatment as needed. He is doing well and it was the similar to the last episode.... but it was certainly a scare for us. Once again, he didn't delay and got treated before it was too late.

I know the old wives tale that things come in 3's but I hope those old wives are wrong!

P.S. If you are near water with a small child, be safe!!! Be sure that you know emergency procedures and that you know where they are every single second. A minute is too long, even when there are several people around.

PERFECT REMINDERS FOR EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

REALLY A SECOND IS ALL IT TAKES
I hope you DH is feeling better! Your "unnerving" all w/e was the 3rd thing! Its all OVER! RELAX!

 

[minniecarousel]

It sounds like your DGD will have her wings on for sure from now on. (It just takes that kind of a reminder to have it be even more of a habit.)

Hope everything works out for your DH.

Maybe you'll get a paper cut & that'll be your third! (sorry - lousy example, those can hurt, but they're not life-threatening). I'm a little superstitious about things coming in three's too & I'm not otherwise superstitious.

Hang in there.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Yikes! I'm glad that everyone is ok. Our pool does not allow water wings since they can be taken off, might give the parents a false sense of security, or get deflate. Sounds like swimming lessons are in order (not that that means less supervision in that water, of course). I hope your DH is feeling better soon!

 

[froglady]

Yikes! I'm glad that everyone is ok. Our pool does not allow water wings since they can be taken off, might give the parents a false sense of security, or get deflate. Sounds like swimming lessons are in order (not that that means less supervision in that water, of course). I hope your DH is feeling better soon!

My exact thoughts. My children never used water wings; as soon as they could walk, they started swimming lessons, which included learning how to tread water for 5 minutes with their clothes on. But I STILL kept within arm's reach until they were school age, and supervised until age 12, when they could swim with a buddy. DS is 13, and this is the first year that he will be able to go to the pool without an adult with him....as long as he's not the only one in the pool. (He's bring a friend with him on vacation) I'll probably still be at poolside, however. Old habits die hard.

 

[Katy Belle]

How scary! When my youngest was 2 we always made him wear a life jacket at pools, beach, etc. One night we were at a friends pool and let him take off his lifejacket to eat dinner. He was right with us, then he wasn't. He had sneaked off and climbed in the water, on the ladder. When I was almost to him he let go, to get away from me. He was fine, but boy was I scared! From that time on he had to keep the jacket on! So scary!


Katy

 

[buddy&wooz]

My friends used to laugh at me when I insisted that my son wear a swim jacket like this

whenever we were near water. I'm a pretty relaxed mom but water safety is one of the things I never take lightly.

(no, that's not my kid- I got the photo from an online catalog .)

 

[Disneycrazymom]

I am glad eveyone is ok!

I agree about the water wings. My kids both used a life jacket. They are the ONLY thing approved for saving lives by the coast guard and the red cross. The water wings can deflate and are not safe! We don't have a pool but do own a boat. The kids were taught from the time they could walk that they did not set one foot on that dock without a life jacket on, NO exceptions EVER!!!!

Don't worry about the 3's. You've had enough excitement!

 

[TEENEE]

Just yesterday I was telling a friend about my experiences with my ds when he was small. On several occassions he fell into a pool. Once when he was 2 or 3 years old. He was on a riding toy and lost his balance, next thing he knew he was in my neighbors pool. My neighbor was ready to jump in a get him ( I would not let her). I calmly walked to the side of the pool and told him to swim to the side. Katie was ready to panick but he managed to get to the side. Both of my kids started swimming lessons at 1 year old. I had to let him get himself out of the pool so that he knew he could do it and I knew he could do it. That doesn't mean I let him swim alone but in the off chance that he were to fall into water he would know what to do. I say all of that not to brag about my childs ability but to point out how important swimming lessons are.

 

[grlpwrd]

Just yesterday I was telling a friend about my experiences with my ds when he was small. On several occassions he fell into a pool. Once when he was 2 or 3 years old. He was on a riding toy and lost his balance, next thing he knew he was in my neighbors pool. My neighbor was ready to jump in a get him ( I would not let her). I calmly walked to the side of the pool and told him to swim to the side. Katie was ready to panick but he managed to get to the side. Both of my kids started swimming lessons at 1 year old. I had to let him get himself out of the pool so that he knew he could do it and I knew he could do it. That doesn't mean I let him swim alone but in the off chance that he were to fall into water he would know what to do. I say all of that not to brag about my childs ability but to point out how important swimming lessons are.

Lessons are so vital. Water wings give a child a false sense of security and with lessons children are taught not only how to swim, but survival skills as well. My kids were also taught what TEENEE's son did in case of an emergency. You just never know these days.

Glad that they are both okay, though.

 

[robinb]

Wow! Good thing your DH knew what to do!

I don't think 3 1/2 is too young for swimming lessons. My DD started at barely 3 and was on the YMCA swim team two years later. I've always hated water wings because they give a false sense of security, as you learned yesterday. They can be taken off or they can fall off and then child who can't swim is in trouble. I would recommend that your DGD starts lessons this summer and that she wear a PFD (swim vest) instead of water wings. My DD had one with Ariel on it that she loved!

I hope your DH feels better soon!

 

[Cindy's Mom]

I'm glad everyone is OK - but I too am chiming in on how unsafe water wings are. You need a life preserver vest, and swimming lessons. Water wings will not level the child when they fall into the water like a vest will.

 

[UnderTheMistletoe]

Thank goodness everyone is safe.

And thank you for reminding everyone just how dangerous water is for small children. We knew family that lost a child in an inch and a half of bath water. The phone rang and the mom, who usually kept the cordless in the bathroom with her during bath times, went to get it. When she returned less than a minute later, the child was face down in the water. She didn't know CPR for children and was unable to save her. It's an incredibly sad story, but a reminder of just how vigilant we must be.

You should look into a more effective means for you DGD to stay safe while swimming. She should have a life vest on, as water wings will not keep her head above the water. They make swim suits these days that have life preservers in them if she's prone to taking things off, alhtough I have never heard about them being safe or unsafe one way or another. Getting her in for swimming lessons so that she is able ot swim is incredibly important. Truly, the ability to swim is something you need in life.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I am glad everything is okay.

I advocate survival swimming as early as 6 months. (My daughters began at 24 months and 18 months, took that look to convince hubby). Children can be taught what to do should they find themselves in a water situation. They have never used water wings---and in that one second, they know what to do. I do not let my guard down, ever. But the peace of mind is priceless. They get yearly refreshers.

Babies learn to get to the water surface and roll to their back so they can float and breather and toddlers as young as 12 months can learn the swim float swim sequence to get themselves to a wall (or they can just continue to float like my youngest preferred to do). They learn to not sink like a rock and it is all "touch" based (they learn by touch, not by audible command). Infant Swimming Resource and the YMCA offer this method. They are somewhat the same but have some difference. Thousands of babies have learned this.

The other thing about water wings--they teach your child to remain vertical in the water and one cannot float if vertical. That is why a child who cannot swim, but uses wings will sink like a rock without them .

 

[zurgswife]

I'm glad your DGD is ok....but

WATER WINGS should NOT be used as a flotation device. They are a great aid to help kids learn to swim but they should NEVER be used as a flotation device. Please Please Please buy your DGD a bathing suit with the floats built in...that way she can't just slip them off....