Heart Stopping Facts

Q: What is the estimated survival rate of a cardiac arrest at home?

A: Eighty percent of sudden arrests occur at home, in which case the estimated survival is 2%.

The estimated U.S. incidence of sudden cardiac arrest is 166,200 per year, with a median survival to hospital discharge of only 6.4%. In this study by the American Heart Association (2008), the survival of patients with a witnessed arrest and a shockable rhythm who underwent defibrillation within 3 minutes after the event was 74%; in patients without a shockable rhythm, survival was only 5%. Only 20 to 38% of patients have a shockable first rhythm during sudden cardiac arrest.

--from our good friends at the New England Journal of Medicine

Cha Cha Spokesperson

That's me. WEWS wants to do an on-air interview with a ChaCha guide, and they want me to speak for them. That would be cool. I could see a "Green Room" or maybe I could finally meet Leon Bibb.

Two things

First, that stupid proposal passed. North Royalton is choosing to go the way of Berkeley, CA. Ugh.

Deuxieme, today is a red-letter-day for me. I got that boat out of the backyard and into the driveway - one step, and about 75 feet closer to leaving my life for good. Saturday morning is the transfer, I SO super-duper can't wait. I certainly want the money, but just seeing that thing attached to someone else's car is good enough for me. Now I need to figure out what the hizzle to do with that abhorrent (albeit beautiful) mud patch where the boat used to be. Could someone do all the leg work so I can seed that area (~130 sq.ft.) for a good price with minimal research? Much appreciated.

Oh, the third of two things: Today, Ella and I used our zoo pass for the 1st time this year. We went for the zebras, but they weren't out. She was most excited by the sea lions and the goat she got to pet like her Carson. She also really liked the elephant, especially when I pulled out her animal book, and she associated the cartoon elephant with the real thing standing in front of her. That was neat to see.

Tax dollars at work

NORTH ROYALTON, Ohio -- Some people in North Royalton are fuming over a proposed ban on outdoor smoking.

The proposed law would make it illegal to smoke in parks, fields, parking lots and outdoor seating areas.

Council members said the outdoor ban is in response to complaints about people smoking around children during youth sports games.

The city's safety committee will hold a hearing on the issue on April 15.