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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>You Thought Your DCP Would Arrive and Find Your Cold Dead Body
Pestle 08:00 AM 08-16-2016
Maybe you climbed a stepladder and then felt it wobble.

Maybe you were peeling veggies for lunch and peeled your finger.

Me, I just took a swig of tea right as the cat jumped onto the counter and head-butted the mug. Tea poured down my trachea, and I thought, "These kids are going to be screaming on the floor around my drowned corpse when their parents come to pick them up."

Share that moment with us!
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Pestle 08:10 AM 08-16-2016
That is, your day care parent! I'm still getting the hang of the lingo . . .
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DaveA 08:45 AM 08-16-2016
I had a minor cardiac issue (the doctors said it was minor- course it wasn't their heart) a few months ago. DW and a couple DCPs texted a lot more than normal when I reopened blatantly to check to make sure I was vertical. other than that my worst was when I was salting the driveway & sidewalk after an overnight freezing rain and slipped. Perfect 3 point landing: 2 shoulder blades & the back of my head Pretty sure I knocked myself out. Ironically all DCFs stayed home that day because it was too bad to go to work
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MrsSteinel'sHouse 09:44 AM 08-16-2016
I went out to salt and fell on the back step... twisted my ankle (still have issues with it!) really thought I broke it. Worse pain then child birth! My dh was in the bathroom on the main floor- through the playroom. I was just outside the playroom door yelling for him and he "didn't hear me"- I thought great, it will be 30 minutes before a parent finds me! Finally guess the cold air from the doorway hit my dh and he found me! We spent the next 4 hours at the hospital because a lot of people had fallen that morning.
I was just lucky dd was home and kept kids for me! And watched them until I was off of crutches! I was there but she did all the lifting!
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Blackcat31 11:14 AM 08-16-2016
A provider in my area (one I knew well) passed in her sleep last year.

Parents arriving to drop off, found her.

I read the title and thought "It COULD happen"

This topic is a great reminder that we all need to have a plan in place for what should happen should we fall, become unconscious or have some sort of emergency when we are alone with the kids.

I teach my older ones how to call for emergency and I have a provider friend that I text chat with during the day for that very reason...if one of us did not reply we would call for help.
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e.j. 12:05 PM 08-16-2016
The smell of a dirty diaper doesn't usually bother me too much but one day, as I was changing one of the kids' diaper, it was so bad that honestly, I felt myself starting to black out.
It was a good thing the changing table was next to a window. I threw it open and took some deep breaths which helped. As it was happening, all I could think about was the kid on the changing table and the others kids playing in the next room and what would happen if I actually fell unconscious. A couple of the kids knew how to dial 911. Not sure they actually would have, though.
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Unregistered 12:34 PM 08-16-2016
You'd be surprised. Last Christmas, a few towns over, there was a child wondering around his BIG apartment building. Someone found him. He took the person to his apartment and his mother was dead. I think she had a seizure or something. This boy was like autistic or something. When I used to work at head start, one of the teachers had a heart attack and the most unruly child said "CALL 9-1-1!!!!".
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Mike 04:57 PM 08-16-2016
Originally Posted by DaveA:
other than that my worst was when I was salting the driveway & sidewalk after an overnight freezing rain and slipped. Perfect 3 point landing: 2 shoulder blades & the back of my head Pretty sure I knocked myself out. Ironically all DCFs stayed home that day because it was too bad to go to work
I did a perfect 1 point landing right on my butt about 10 years ago and popped a disk.
Would have been good if the parents called or texted to say they weren't coming, but then you'd probably still be out salting anyway, right?

Originally Posted by MrsSteinel'sHouse:
I went out to salt and fell on the back step... twisted my ankle (still have issues with it!) really thought I broke it. Worse pain then child birth! My dh was in the bathroom on the main floor- through the playroom. I was just outside the playroom door yelling for him and he "didn't hear me"- I thought great, it will be 30 minutes before a parent finds me! Finally guess the cold air from the doorway hit my dh and he found me! We spent the next 4 hours at the hospital because a lot of people had fallen that morning.
I was just lucky dd was home and kept kids for me! And watched them until I was off of crutches! I was there but she did all the lifting!
I always wondered about that. I did a bad twist to my left ankle 16 years ago. That was the most painful incident in my life. It still acts up now and then.

Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
A provider in my area (one I knew well) passed in her sleep last year.

Parents arriving to drop off, found her.

I read the title and thought "It COULD happen"

This topic is a great reminder that we all need to have a plan in place for what should happen should we fall, become unconscious or have some sort of emergency when we are alone with the kids.

I've never actually thought about that. See, another example of how helpful this forum is, for providers, and providers to be.

Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I teach my older ones how to call for emergency and I have a provider friend that I text chat with during the day for that very reason...if one of us did not reply we would call for help.
That's a good idea, even when not caring for children if you live alone. There was a news story a couple years ago about an elderly lady found dead in her home who had died several days before.
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permanentvacation 03:25 AM 08-17-2016
Many years ago when my personal children were very young, I went into my daughters' room to either open or close the window and I tripped over a toy on the floor. I went forcefully falling towards the window and caught myself by the bridge of my nose (the bottom of my nose) on the window sill. I saw little 'stars' flashing in front of my eyes, I was extremely dizzy, blood started gushing from my nose, and felt like I was going to faint.

I went into the bathroom, looked in the mirror and told myself over and over again, "You can't die, you have a house full of little kids!" I kept myself together, kept myself from fainting, cleaned myself up and went back to taking care of the kids.
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Play Care 03:53 AM 08-17-2016
When I first started out and had permission to nap the kids upstairs, we were coming down from nap and I tripped over a dck and fell down the last few stairs with my infant DD in my arms. Thankfully the gate was latched which broke the fall, and I bore the brunt of the fall hurting my arm. Thankfully none of the kids were hurt, but it made me think!
I also changed how we transisitoned from nap after that...
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Pestle 04:31 AM 08-17-2016
I was a nanny for four in a two-story house, and was carrying the little one downstairs for a change. Slipped on the carpeted stairs in my socks and skidded down half a flight of stairs on my shins, baby laughing all the way.

Twice.

When I was ready for my own home, I bought a ranch house!
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AmyKidsCo 06:41 AM 08-17-2016
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
A provider in my area (one I knew well) passed in her sleep last year.

Parents arriving to drop off, found her.

I read the title and thought "It COULD happen"

This topic is a great reminder that we all need to have a plan in place for what should happen should we fall, become unconscious or have some sort of emergency when we are alone with the kids.

I teach my older ones how to call for emergency and I have a provider friend that I text chat with during the day for that very reason...if one of us did not reply we would call for help.
We have a form to fill out with emergency contacts for ourselves, but the form doesn't have to be posted or anything so I always wonder how someone will know where to look for it.
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permanentvacation 09:16 AM 08-17-2016
Our emergency contact list has to be posted on the wall near our required land line phone. You might want to post yours on the wall just in case someone does need to use it for you.
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permanentvacation 09:20 AM 08-17-2016
Pestle,

I've had a couple of kids fall down the steps because my only bathroom is upstairs. So when I buy a house, I plan on buying a single level home so no one can fall due to stairs. I just don't want that worry or the extra liability.
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kitykids3 05:12 PM 08-17-2016
For months this was a reality for me. 2 summers ago I was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy and was stage 3 heart failure. My heart was so weak that they put a wearable (24/7)defibrillator on me for 3 months because I was at such high risk of cardiac arrest.
Before I had gone to see the doc, there were times I was trying to wake up in the morning for the day, feeling like a heavy iron apron was on my chest, keeping me literally from getting up. Most days I barely had the energy just to get up, eat a bowl of cereal, get dressed (no shower), go downstairs and lay on the floor ALL DAY while my assistant did all the work. I would go back upstairs and essentially sleep for 12-13 hours and do it again. I would take a 2 hour nap. I got no choice. My body literally could not do it.
There were times as I was trying with all my strength just to open my eyelids, that I would wonder who would find me first. If the parents would try to come in, or just walk away, or if it would be my employee having to call 911 because I wasn't opening the door. I live alone with my cat, so who knows how long it would be. It was scary to go to sleep at night, wondering if I would wake up in the morning.
I never really thought of emergencies, or wills, or having plans in place or anything like that until 2 years ago. Now I have things in place, because no one ever knows. I was so close, and waited almost too late to see a doc, because I thought I was just tired from getting older/being lazy and my fibromyalgia. I was lucky. I saw the doc just in time and the meds have been keeping me going since. But none of us knows when or what could happen so quickly.
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Unregistered 05:52 PM 08-17-2016
Logged out for privacy. My husband is a police officer and calls to check in during his shift. One day when it was nap time I somehow missed his call and I always called right back. This time I was reading a really good book so I didn't...ten minutes later TWO squad cars pull up. My husband had asked the officers for the zone we live in to check on me! I was so embarrassed! I've always answered my phone after that though!
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Mike 08:18 PM 08-17-2016
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
Logged out for privacy. My husband is a police officer and calls to check in during his shift. One day when it was nap time I somehow missed his call and I always called right back. This time I was reading a really good book so I didn't...ten minutes later TWO squad cars pull up. My husband had asked the officers for the zone we live in to check on me! I was so embarrassed! I've always answered my phone after that though!


He worries too much.
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LysesKids 06:43 AM 08-18-2016
I remember the time I had just moved into a house that fuses blew if you plugged too many things in... once I was plugging in the space heater & it shocked me pretty good (burned my hand) - right in front of a parent that was picking up. Thank goodness the landlord fixed the short that night and even more grateful someone was there when the accident happened. I'm terrified of dying by electrocution because that's how my husband was killed at work 18 years ago...

then of course there is the time I was knocked out while outside shoveling & I slipped on ice. Yep, I stayed closed that day - my neighbor found me about 5 minutes after I went down (I live alone)
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Mike 09:31 AM 08-18-2016
Originally Posted by LysesKids:
I'm terrified of dying by electrocution because that's how my husband was killed at work 18 years ago...
Don't read if you don't like bug zappers.

In Canada and the US, home electricity is 120/240 volt. The long distance runs are at a much higher voltage, like 100,000 volts and up. A relative of ours worked for a hydro company. Several years ago, he was up in a bucket working on a 500,000 volt line. The bucket door somehow opened and he fell out, landing right across the 500,000 volt lines. There was no body for the funeral. What a way to go.
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Annalee 10:30 AM 08-18-2016
My brother was hanging christmas lights and stepped in a puddle of water once .......knocked him flat of his back....his wife at the time said his hands would light up under the blanket at bed time that night and you could see the light all in the bedroom.....
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LysesKids 10:51 AM 08-18-2016
Originally Posted by Mike:
Don't read if you don't like bug zappers.

In Canada and the US, home electricity is 120/240 volt. The long distance runs are at a much higher voltage, like 100,000 volts and up. A relative of ours worked for a hydro company. Several years ago, he was up in a bucket working on a 500,000 volt line. The bucket door somehow opened and he fell out, landing right across the 500,000 volt lines. There was no body for the funeral. What a way to go.
That's just it... my hubby was electrocuted by the main lines running to the building they were working on; the head of the project forgot to verify the power lines had been shut down - 4 men died on a metal ladder when the wire arced (Baltimore Nov '98)
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LysesKids 10:51 AM 08-18-2016
Originally Posted by Mike:
Don't read if you don't like bug zappers.

In Canada and the US, home electricity is 120/240 volt. The long distance runs are at a much higher voltage, like 100,000 volts and up. A relative of ours worked for a hydro company. Several years ago, he was up in a bucket working on a 500,000 volt line. The bucket door somehow opened and he fell out, landing right across the 500,000 volt lines. There was no body for the funeral. What a way to go.
That's just it... my hubby was electrocuted by the main lines running to the building they were working on; the head of the project forgot to verify the power lines had been shut down - 4 men died on a metal ladder when the wire arced (Baltimore Nov '98) his hands & feet were gone & the bodies were smoldering
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Mike 01:13 PM 08-18-2016
Originally Posted by LysesKids:
That's just it... my hubby was electrocuted by the main lines running to the building they were working on; the head of the project forgot to verify the power lines had been shut down - 4 men died on a metal ladder when the wire arced (Baltimore Nov '98) his hands & feet were gone & the bodies were smoldering
That's sad, and 4 people.
High voltage is very dangerous. Even the 120v can kill if the pathway is through the heart or if you're not in good health.
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mommyneedsadayoff 02:28 PM 08-18-2016
Originally Posted by LysesKids:
That's just it... my hubby was electrocuted by the main lines running to the building they were working on; the head of the project forgot to verify the power lines had been shut down - 4 men died on a metal ladder when the wire arced (Baltimore Nov '98) his hands & feet were gone & the bodies were smoldering
I'm so sorry about your husband electricity has always been a scary thing to me, growing up in old farm houses that could probably easily have gone up in flames

My scary story was after everyone was down for naps. I sat down to each lunch and it was a leftover shrimp pasta meal from my favorite restaurant and I had been craving it all day, so I kind of inhaled it and a shrimp went right down my throat! I sort of froze and don't quite remember what happened next because I was panicked, but I got it out and vowed to cut up all my food just like I do the kids from that point on.
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kendallina 07:02 PM 08-18-2016
I was working in a center once, it was close to closing time and I had no children in my room. I heard a knocking kind of sound and looked out of my room and saw a teacher from the room next to me (he also had no children left) having a grand mal seizure! He was banging his head on the floor and starting to bleed.

Obviously I got someone that could call 911. Turns out he had diabetes and had just switched medication which caused his numbers to be off and he had the seizure. He was then switched to an earlier shift so that he would always be there with another teacher. So scary!
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Josiegirl 03:23 AM 08-19-2016
I worry about the what-ifs all the time.
I'm turning 63 in a couple months, my mom had a heart attack at 62, and I don't really take care of myself.
Posting a contact list for yourself....I'd never thought of that but what a great idea.
There was a provider around my age, whose dh was home for lunch. She collapsed right then and there of a heart attack and died. Sad as it was, she timed it well for the dcks' sake.
I've often thought of getting some kind of medic alert for the phone system so kids only needed to push a button on the necklace or something. Been too cheap so far but I might have to seriously consider it.
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Josiegirl 03:26 AM 08-19-2016
Now that I remember, there were 2 instances in the past 10 yrs.(since I've lived alone) that I got out of bed to get ready for the day, made it to the bathroom, got dressed, got dizzy, and fainted. I'm not sure if I just rose too fast or what, but it was scary thinking 'this was it'.
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Unregistered 01:38 AM 08-20-2016
Originally Posted by Josiegirl:
Now that I remember, there were 2 instances in the past 10 yrs.(since I've lived alone) that I got out of bed to get ready for the day, made it to the bathroom, got dressed, got dizzy, and fainted. I'm not sure if I just rose too fast or what, but it was scary thinking 'this was it'.
That's what happened to me once i heard a parent knocking at the door super early one day(i had the day off so no kids) I got up so quick out of my sleep answered the door and just fainted blacked out i was told it happens when getting up so quick from sleeping..
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Mike 06:23 AM 08-20-2016
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
That's what happened to me once i heard a parent knocking at the door super early one day(i had the day off so no kids) I got up so quick out of my sleep answered the door and just fainted blacked out i was told it happens when getting up so quick from sleeping..
It does, and the older we get, the easier it is to happen. It's due to how our balance system works. Too rapid a change when we're not ready for it. A bit of a shock to our balance system, we get dizzy. I get that once in a while. Too much of a shock and we pass out. I've almost passed out, but so far never have.

BUT, be careful because passing out could also mean a medical issue. Dehydration, blood sugar, or other issues. I tend to get dizzy much easier when I know I haven't been drinking enough.
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