Chapter Thirty-Seven
Louisa had sat mute and nearly unresponsive for those two hours. She was aware of Ruth by her side, and Ruth's awkward hand now and then touching her arm or leg. She knew other friends were around her, and sensed they commiserated with her, but she was not that soothed by their presence, and her terrible fears were not assuaged from the watchful waiting of her community.
Upon hearing the radio Louisa jumped up in angst and terror and yelled, "His body? Is he in his body? Is he in there!?" On some level it sounded like gibberish, but in her dismay she could not be more articulate; it was the best Louisa could do.
The meaning was obvious to everyone.
David Weston translated the question for the Coast Guard radio translator, "Coast Guard, please confirm Ellingham's status."
"Roger. Hold on."
Louisa kept standing. Her heart sank and she covered her face with her hand. 'Oh, my god," she said. "Oh, my god."
No one told her it would be okay.
They heard the crackle of the radio. "Report on Ellingham updated. He's alive. Drowning complication concerns. Critically hypothermic. On RNAF emergency flight to Truro Hospital."
The room had gone blurry, and her face was wet, as if Louisa herself was under water. She ignored her tears as she called out, "Someone, please, take me to Truro!"
One hundred hands were raised.
The searchlight found Martin in the sea by luck, and probably in the last minutes of his life. The well-trained rescue officers rapidly got his body horizontal in the rescue basket and lifted up into the helicopter, and they were lifted out of the sea closely behind Martin.
Even in the cramped environments of the helicopter, which radioed to the Coast Guard cutter organizing the rescue Martin's recovery, the medical crew went to work to save Martin's life. The life jacket was removed and he was fully undressed, his airway, breathing and circulatory systems were checked. Initial observations initiated CPR, but Martin responded within the first minute. He coughed and spit out some fluid and began breathing on his own, although he did not return to consciousness. His rectal temperature was recorded at 32 C, and immediate hypothermic techniques were instituted. EKG leads were placed on his chest as cardiac arrhythmias were commonly recorded when cold-immersion patients were rewarmed. Only Martin's markedly slowed pulse was noted as abnormal in the helicopter.
A Res-Q-Air mask was attached to his mouth, to enable him to breathe in warm humid air, and heat packs were put around his neck, and on his chest, abdomen, and groin, leaving his frozen limbs uncovered.
Heating up icy limbs in a hypothermic patient sends the frigid blood to the patient's heart, which can have fatal repercussions, in the syndrome known as "rewarming shock".
He was in very serious shape, and by no means out of danger, but the helicopter crew was hopeful from his responses so far.
The helicopter landed on the roof of Truro Hospital, and Martin was taken with urgency to the Emergency Department.