A Goal in Sight

Roy arrived home shortly after the children had left for school. He found his wife quietly weeping at the kitchen table as she sipped a cup of herbal tea. After taking her in his arms and offering her his strong yet tender shoulder, JoAnne told Roy about she and Jenny's early morning conversation and what she had committed to before Roy drug her to bed with him for a little more sleep.

That afternoon as Roy waited at the bus stop for his daughter's bus to arrive he watched Mr. Thornton mowing his lawn. Before the bus stopped and let his daughter and the other neighbor children off Roy had to agree with his daughter's fears concerning the less than healthy appearing neighbor.

As the triple J's, the three girls who's name's all started in J got off the bus Roy noticed the still withdrawn and downtrodden look on the little Turner girl. With only a hint of a suggestion Jenny was very willing to take the long way to their house and walk Jamie to her door step, Roy even managed to place a hand on her shoulder and rub a little as they walked.

When they got to the Turner home Roy could see Jeff Turner and another man, signing some papers against the hood of his truck and then the person climbed in the truck and drove away. After watching the truck move on down the street Jeff turned his attention to Roy but barely noticed the two girls with him.

"I a, I just sold the truck," Jeff offered an explanation. "I um, I know it's just a machine and all but I just couldn't drive it anymore after—" he stopped talking and turned away to hide his emotions that were gaining up on him. Roy stepped forward and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder and just stood there letting the silence carry while Jenny managed to coax Jamie to sit with her on the porch and just talk for a while. When Roy was able to hear what they were talking about, it was on the subject was their seed collection assignment in science.

Roy managed to lean against Jeff's wife's car and encouraged Jeff to talk. When they parted Roy thought he felt a little better. He had announced that he was going to go back to work the following week and his intentions to continue working nights because the pay was better. Now without truck payments, his wife could cut back to part time and be home when the kids were out of school, "They really need their mom now, and I think Mandy feels better when she's here with them." He had said.

Roy walked home with his daughter having agreed with nearly everything Jeff had said but still feeling their loss. When he got home Chris was already there so Roy set his daughter at the table and let her get to her homework while he stepped up to JoAnne and held her tight for a moment whispering in her ear before helping her finish up dinner.

The next day while Roy was mowing their lawn, JoAnne received a call from the school and after a quick shower, Roy joined his wife as they entered the principal's office.

"Mr. and Mrs. DeSoto, thank you for coming. I don't want to cause alarm but I would like to share with you some observations of your daughter that are slightly concerning. I just learned a few days ago about her involvement in the tragic death of the younger sibling of Jamie Turner. Our school psychologist has been working with Miss Turner to help her with aftermath of that incident. After what I was told by some of my teachers in a meeting this morning I think it may be beneficial if he were to work with your daughter as well."

Roy was growing slightly annoyed with this new principal, he was also defensive at the principal's choice of words sighting Jenny as being involved in the death and especially annoyed that he talked so long before giving them a chance to speak. Now that the principal had finally allowed them a word, Roy took hold of JoAnne's hand and began to speak.

"Jenny had been receiving counseling starting the morning after the tragic accident where she tried to help the young child who died after his father's truck rolled over him." Roy chose his words carefully, "Can you tell me just what observations your teachers have been reporting that are causing you so much concern?"

Principal Mathews sat back in his chair effectively put in his place. "Well, um, your daughter has been going around asking all of the teachers if they know how to do CPR and if she could send someone to get them if she needed their help." The principal took a deep breath and then moved ahead. "One of our councilors felt it could be a sign that she was possibly suicidal."

"NO," JoAnne was the one to speak up this time. "She's actually doing that in response to the counseling that she's receiving. I know you're new to this school Mr. Mathews, but Jenny is, well let's say Jenny has a reputation of being able to help in almost any kind of an accident."

"Yes I have been made aware of your daughter's involvement in advertising county offered first aid training. But surly she doesn't know how to do all of that stuff."

"That so called, all of that stuff, consists of, recognizing there is a problem and knowing how to hold pressure on a bleeding wound, the proper way of opening an airway and some basis splinting," Roy began to explain. "She not only knows how to do all of that, she's done it enough times that she's not in the least bit intimidated at the prospects of doing it in a crisis."

"Do you think it wise to have someone so young doing all of that stuff?" Mr. Mathews was both clearly shocked and questioning the DeSoto's quality of parenting.

"There have been mixed emotions and wisdoms on both sides of the spectrum Mr. Mathews." Roy spoke with no temper in his words. "You clearly don't know our daughter very well. Jennifer is…" Roy thought hard to find the right words. "Jennifer is determined and resourceful but most of all she's ready for things when they happen and like we said a moment ago she's confident enough in what she knows to make a difference with it."

"That's why she's asking the questions of the teachers that she is." JoAnne stepped into the conversation. "She knows there are things she can't do. One of them is CPR,"

"She just isn't big enough to be able to adequately perform chest compressions. Trust me," Roy cut in on his wife, "if it was just a matter of learning how she would have done it by now."

"Anyway," JoAnne took over the conversation again. "She worries about things like that and the only way she can stop worrying is to form an action plan, to figure out how to deal with the situation when or if it ever arises so that she can stop worrying about it. What she's trying to do by talking to your teachers is to find out who she can send for or call on if anyone were to need CPR while she's here at school. She knows that it's not likely to happen, but since the death of our neighbors' child, she's very aware that people can die right now and she just needs that little extra piece of security that putting an action plan in place will give her."

"So you actually send your daughter in to accident situations to help other people?" Mr. Mathews continued to question.

Roy and JoAnne shared a glance and a smile; this man clearly did not know their daughter.

"No," Roy spoke up without hesitation, "we don't send her anywhere, and fortunately she doesn't go just anywhere, at least not anymore. See I'm a fireman/paramedic, most if not all of my neighbors know that. Unfortunately if something happens, say like a fall or a possible broken arm, not sure if they need stitches or not, that sort of thing, people tend to want a second opinion as to whether or not they should go to the doctor."

Especially when it's the tenth time their son's wrecked his bike trying to make the same jump off the same porch," JoAnne interjected.

"Or skateboard, or roller skates," Roy added. Both he and JoAnne were thinking of the same daredevil of a boy in the neighborhood. Three broken arms, a broken collar bone, and two concussions later he was finally willing to wear some protective gear but not to stop his actions.

"See being a firefighter means I'm away from home for 24 to 36 hours at a time," Roy continued, "And that means I'm not always home when they come to the door for that second opinion or in a panic wanting help faster than the ambulance can get there."

"And if Jennifer sees the accident happen she jumps right in and does what she can while she sends someone else to go call the fire department," JoAnne interjected again.

"Does this sort of thing happen often?" Principal Mathews was still questioning.

Roy and JoAnne looked at each other and they each let out a deep breath, "Oh, I'd say no more than once a month or so," Roy guessed.

"Well it depends on the time of year, and what the weather is like," JoAnne added, "the first really warm weather and the first two weeks of summer after school has let out do tend to be a little more eventful."

With that Mr. Mathews smirked being all too aware of the things kids got themselves into when they were bored.

"Most of the splints and bandaging Jennifer does are here at school," Roy unknowingly brought his daughter's activities to the principal's attention.

"I see. I'm sure Jennifer has told you that due to budget cuts the school board has cut back on the school nurse also," Mr. Mathews spoke seeing a situation that might be adding to young Jennifer's stress levels. "We are now sharing a school nurse with two other schools so she's not always here." The School board had gone to great lengths to keep the news of reduced school nurses out of public knowledge.

"That's sure to make Jennifer feel more responsible if something happens here at school." JoAnne said as she shared a concerned look with her husband before turning back to the principal across the desk. "Is there really any harm in Jennifer knowing who can perform CPR?" JoAnne pleaded, "I promise you she won't ask for it if it's not needed."

"Now that you've explained things to me, I guess not." Principal Mathews leaned forward resting his arms on his desk thinking his next words through.

Just then there were two quick taps on the office door before it opened and the school secretary poked her head around the door. "I'm sorry to interrupt you sir. One of the students just fell off of the top of the slide. She's unconscious and one of the students was sent in suggesting we call an ambulance."

Mr. Mathews noticed a blur move through the door that was once only opened a crack. He was then able to catch his own breath.

"Well of course call an ambulance. Call the fire department. Why must you have a student tell you to do so?" He then followed JoAnne DeSoto out of his office and down the hall. He watched as Roy hit the crash bar on the door leading to the playground and Mr. Mathews and JoAnne were neck and neck when they reached the doors just a few seconds behind him.

Before them on the play ground was a crowd of children and teachers standing in a circle around the ladder leading up to the tallest of the two slides in the play ground. As JoAnne and the principal pushed the door open they could see Roy pushing his way through the gathered group.

JoAnne and Mr. Mathews reached the group just as the play ground aid stood up and joined the gathered circle. JoAnne wasn't the least bit surprised to see her daughter on her knees holding the girl's head still while her husband was working his hands over the girl's body checking for injuries. However Mr. Mathews was very surprised.

"Why is this student taking care of the injured student?" he spoke to the teacher he was standing next to.

"Because Jenny is better at this sort of stuff than any of the teachers," a student JoAnne didn't recognize spoke up keeping her eyes locked on the scene before them. "She always has been. She's famous for this sort of thing."

JoAnne noticed that the girl was now conscious and frightened but Jenny was holding her head and talking to her, telling her everything was going to be alright, and that her daddy was there to take care of her.

"I was going to carry her to the nurses office but Jenny reminded me it wasn't safe to move her, she said she could have spinal injuries." A teacher at their side spoke emotionally as JoAnne watched her husband carefully straighten out the little girl onto her back as he asked her where she hurt. Judging by the way Roy was holding one of the girl's legs as he straightened it JoAnne could tell he suspected a fracture there.

JoAnne kept her attention divided between her husband and daughter in action and the look on the principal's face. She noticed Roy look up at the first sound of a siren in the distance, she also noticed twice how he reached for his belt only to find the utility pouch he was so used to wasn't there. The squad was still nowhere in sight when Roy slipped his jacket off and used it to cover the little girl before coaxing her to look at him and cupping his hand over each eye and rolling it away to watch the pupil reaction.

When the sound of the sirens stopped Roy knew the squad and the engine were within a block of the school and raised his head to give instructions, "could someone tell them we're going to need a leg splint and a back board." JoAnne smirked when it was one of the students that raced for the gate where she knew the squad was about to pull up to. "Have we gotten a hold of this girl's parents yet, they're going to need permission to treat."

Just then the walkie talkie in the playground aid's hand burst forth in sound. "I have Tina Hanover's mother on the line she's asking what hospital they're going to be taking her daughter to."

"She'll be taken to Rampart General Hospital," Roy called out, "Ask her if it's alright to treat her daughter until she gets there."

Roy's request was repeated into the walkie talkie and by the time the on duty paramedics and their accompanying fire crew were at Roy's side the playground aid received permission to treat and information that Tina's mother would be waiting for them at Rampart Emergency.

It was the captain from Station 20 who suggested the rest of the children be taken back to their classes, causing a slight amount of embarrassment to the principal at JoAnne's side looking on in wonder and confusion.

"I do believe you're the same girl who was in charge the last time we were called on a response here." JoAnne heard the paramedic say to her daughter as he opened up the drug box at the girl's side. "Who's your helper today, he looks kind of familiar?"

Jenny just smiled as Roy introduced himself. "I'm Roy DeSoto fireman/paramedic out of 51's, I just happened to be visiting with the principal when he got word of the accident."

"I would think a man of your age should have learned better than to get called into the principal's office by now." The paramedic joked before asking, "What have we got here?"

Roy started relaying information he'd collected including the suspected fracture of the left tib/fib and the lump found behind the right ear. Once Roy had finished giving his report one of the paramedics began to get a blood pressure reading while the other got on the phone to Rampart for instructions.

While he was repeating his findings Jenny was talking to her friend quietly telling her what to expect and what the firemen were going to do to her. Repeating often that there was nothing to be afraid of.

Once the C-collar was placed around Tina's neck Jenny was moved aside as the firemen and her father worked together to roll the little girl then slide the back board under her. Still Jenny talked to her friend telling her everything was all right and that her mommy would be waiting for her at the hospital.

As the packaged girl was lifted to the ambulance gurney Roy stepped out of the way and at his daughter's side, placing a proud father's hand on her shoulder as they watched the injured girl being rolled toward the ambulance.

As the paramedics pulled out with their patient the Captain stepped forward and offered a hand to Roy. "Thanks for the help, DeSoto," He then looked down at the hand on Jenny's shoulder. "This one wouldn't be yours by any chance would she?"

"Yes sir." Roy spoke with pride, "This is my daughter, Jennifer, Jen this is Captain Franks."

Captain Franks placed a hand on the top of Jenny's head, "I sure wish we had one like her in all of the schools we respond to, she sure makes our job easier." The captain then turned to his men giving instructions to get back on the engine and Principal Mathews had a whole bucket load of questions to ask.

"I take it you've done this before?" Mr. Mathews started out. Jenny just looked up at her father who gave her a smile to let her know she wasn't in trouble before giving the principal a shrug of her shoulders as an answer.

"But I don't think I understand," Mr. Mathews let his confusion show, "Everyone around here, the students, the fire department, they all seemed to think she had everything under control, even the teachers stood back to watch, but as far as I could tell all she did was hold the little girl's head still. You did all the work Mr. DeSoto."

Jenny sighed in a, here we go again, sort of sigh and then leaned into her father's side. Roy and JoAnne shared a smile, the 'our daughter did it again' prideful sort of smile and then Roy gave his daughter's shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"Jenny did more than just hold the girls head still." Roy began, "She kept her from moving and hurting herself worse while she was waiting for more trained help to arrive. She also kept the girl calm and while she was doing all of that she made sure the girl was breathing and had a heart beat and asked her questions to figure out her level of consciousness and where she might be hurt."

Principal Mathews let out a quick breath and then focused his thoughts on remembering what he had seen for a few minutes. "And if you hadn't have been here, are you telling me that she'd have just sat there and held that girls head still until the fire department got here?"

"Jenny has learned that sometimes the best thing to do in an emergency situation, is nothing. It gives her the confidence to just sit with a person and reassure them that everything will be alright until other help arrives."

"You make it all sound so simple,"

"It's as simple, as simple as ABCDE," Jenny spoke up, "The most important thing to remember is to do no harm."

Principal Mathews looked at Jenny convinced she was talking in some foreign language while Roy and JoAnne shared another smile and allowed their daughter to field the upcoming questions.

"Okay, ABC is part of the CPR training I remember that, let's see, Airway, Breathing, Circulation, . . ." he thought hard and looked at Jenny again. "What is D and E stand for and what does this have to do with First aid?"

"CPR is part of first aid." Jenny spoke up and it was easy to tell she was fighting hard to keep the, you dummy, tone out of her voice. "At least it is if you're big enough to do CPR."

"A stands for airway, B stands for bleeding." Jenny proceeded to educate her educator, "If you watch real close while you're walking up to the injured person you can often tell if you have those things for sure before you're close enough to touch them."

"You can, How?" Mr. Mathews questioned, "Well I can understand about the bleeding, but don't you have to touch the person's stomach or place a hand in front of their mouth to be able to tell if there breathing?"

"Not most of the time. I can watch them breathe by watching their chest and stomach go up and down. Sometimes if their asleep real sound you might need to touch them but most of the time if you're watching, you can tell while you're walking up to them."

Mr. Mathews thought on what Jenny had just said, and let out a little huff, "you've got a point there young lady. Okay so what does C stand for in your alphabet?"

"It stands for circulation." Jenny was losing her ability to treat this adult before her as anyone of knowledge. "If they're not bleeding then you really need to check a pulse for that one, but if they are bleeding then they have to have a heartbeat to make them bleed."

"You're right there," the principal had a 'Duh' moment, "Okay, what does D stand for?"

"Don't move them," Jenny spoke up, "That's the one you teachers have the hardest time with."

Mr. Mathews took a moment of offence at Jenny's words, "So what happens if you move them?"

"Even simple injuries can be made worse if you move them improperly," Roy stepped in feeling somewhat fearful that his daughter was bordering on the insubordinate with the tone of her voice. "Also any patient that is unconscious should be suspected of having a spinal injury. You don't want to chance moving them or you could lead to paralysis."

"Now that you mention it I do remember that from my training." Mr. Mathews thought hard again, then looked up at the two parents standing next to him. "You know I can really understand the teacher wanting to carry her into the nurses lounge, I must admit that would have been my first thought too, but you said you think her leg is broken, moving her would have made that worse wouldn't it?"

"Very possibly," Roy confirmed, "Not to mention every person who is unconscious or has a head injury it should also be suspected that they have a spinal injury until you know for sure they don't."

The Principal thought again. "So what happens if she doesn't have a spinal injury? You'll have tied her down to that board for no reason." The principal asked but before Roy or Jenny was able to answer he slapped his head. "Of course, there's no real harm done by treating her for a possible back injury if there isn't one but if there is and you don't- I see. Alright now what does E stand for?"

Roy smiled down at his daughter and gave her a subtle nod indication she should answer that question.

"Immobilize anything that hurts." Jenny emphasized the word anything, the tone of her voice seemed to say, 'Of Course,' even if she didn't give voice to those words. She'd said those letters and the words associated with them so many times in her life and they were second nature to her subconscious thinking. She often had trouble understanding why everyone else didn't understand them too.

"Alright young lady, you need to work on your spelling a little bit. Immobilize begins with an I not an E."

"I know that," Jenny grinned and shook her head in amusement, "But remembering ABCDI is too hard, it's not natural. Kids have been learning ABCDE since they were watching Sesame Street before they were old enough to go to preschool. It's better for them to use what's natural to them to help them remember when they're scared."

Mr. Mathew's leaned against the ladder to the monkey bars, essentially sitting on the top rung, as his forefinger and thumb massaged his chin. After a brief minute he let out a huff and then turned to Jennifer with her parents standing behind her.

"You know I think of myself as an intelligent man, I have a masters degree in education and hope to have my Doctorate by this time next year. I spent three weeks before school started this year taking a first aid class, Eight hour days, five days a week, for three weeks," He paused after making his attempt to emphasize his efforts and turned his attention to Jenny's father standing at her side.

"I walked out of that class room with a card to put in my wallet that said I knew how to handle a crisis and praying that I'd never have to because I was scared to death whenever I thought about it. You young lady," He paused to pull his watch into view, "have taught me more about how to handle an injured student in the last five minutes then I learned in the entire three week class I attended and dutifully studied for. And further more you taught me in a way that will be a lot easier to remember when someone does get hurt."

Mr. Mathews stood up and motioned for Jenny and her parents to start for the school. "As far as your question about who can help you with CPR young lady." The principal talked as they walked. "Every one of the teachers took that course this summer, you just might need to help them calm down so they can remember what they learned if they need to use it though."

Jenny just smiled as she walked ahead of her parents, her father's hand still resting on her shoulder.

"Hi, Mr. DeSoto, Hi Mrs. DeSoto," they were greeted by two boys from the neighborhood who were in the hall way outside of their class room doing something Roy wasn't sure what. "Is Tina going to be Okay?"

"She should be fine," Roy assured, "They've taken her to the hospital and they'll be able to fix her right up."

"That's good," Ben Warren, responded, as Jenny and her parents followed the principal down the hall to her class room.

"What are we going to do when Jenny goes to Jr. High school?" Roy heard Ben say to his friend as they walked down the hall. One glance at the principal leading the way and Roy could tell that he'd heard the question too.

The following week Jenny carried home a note that was being sent to all parents. It detailed the action plan the school intended to take if ever a student was injured on the school grounds. The DeSoto family looked it over together and was quite pleased with what was detailed inside.

Other parents voiced concern that an ambulance would be called more quickly than they had been in the past but when the concern was voiced around Roy or JoAnne they did their best to assure the parents that that was a good thing.