Wake Up Call

Today did not go as I had planned. I was working, annoyed with people as usual, and checking a theater's temperature when a couple holding their two or so year old in there arms came running out yelling to call 911. Their little boy could not breathe and they were freaking out. I tried to stay calm and ran to get someone to call (I'm so dumb...my phone was in my jacket pocket the WHOLE time--guess I was too freaked out to think!). The parents clearly did not know what to do, they were just banging his back. Trying to get info out of them about whether he ate anything or if he had allergies was nearly impossible--no one listens when they really need to. I finally got out of them that he had not eaten anything and that he had been in the hospital about a month ago with breathing problems. A lady came over and started doing CPR and finally got him to cough and cry. He was breathing but it was labored. The paramedics were on their way. I broke down. I really tried to hold it together. I swear. But when my boss told me to go watch for the paramedics and I turned to look at him, the tears came a rollin and he told me to go take a breather. I stood in the back of concession for what felt like forever trying to calm down. I was so embarrassed! Every time someone walked by and asked if I was ok, I had to start calming down all over again. Finally, I was calm. I did my job. The child was ok. What a day....I need to learn CPR. It killed me that I could do nothing. I could only stand there and watch as this child laid there not breathing. It was truly the most torturous thing and I don't want it to happen again.