The Rerouted Skytress

The other day I was carefully wrapping up my Christmas ornaments to put them away. I collect Christmas ornaments from cities I’ve traveled to. Each city ornament holds special memories for me. I smiled as I wrapped the ornaments from cities that held unforgettable memories of Ron and me. There are still a few cities I need to collect ornaments from to celebrate our time together. Ron liked to collected magnets from cities he traveled to that held special memories for him. Ron was smart. Magnets are readily available all year long. Unfortunately, Christmas ornaments are another story. The perfect city ornament can be tough to find. Especially during the spring and summer months. As I put the ornaments away, I came to the realization that another year had ended without Ron. Harder yet, another year was beginning without him. This wave of reality hit me hard. It literally took my breath away. I knew I needed to regain control from the wave of grief that was pulling me under. So, I decided to think about the beautiful times Ron and I flew together. Immediately I thought about our Omaha trip. It was a marvelous trip. We flew with two delightful young Skytresses. The Omaha passengers, who are known for being extremely nice, were just that. Oh, and we, also, had a medical emergency on our flight, to boot. Yes, all these things contributed to making it an extraordinary trip. Especially, the medical emergency.

It was a very cold December morning the day we left Omaha. We had an extremely early pick-up time that day, too. Surprisingly, the cold weather and early show time didn’t have a negative effect on any of us. That morning there were crews from several airlines in the hotel shuttle. Everyone was happily chatting away. Typically, Ron would be quiet on the early morning shuttle rides. He usually liked to close his eyes and quietly sip his coffee on the way to the airport. That morning though, Ron was laughing and talking with everyone within earshot of him. I sat back smiling and took it all in. I even thanked God for the happy blessings unfolding before me. Normally, I was the early morning talker. I could tell Ron was aware of the change in our early morning routine. He kept turning towards me to say something funny to get me to talk. Mostly I just shook my head and laughed. I was his captivated audience. He knew it, too. This only encouraged him to entertain me even more.

Unlike other airlines, at our airline the Skytresses and Skyters rotate the jumpseat positions each day. This day I was sitting on the forward jumpseat with our Skytress In-Charge. We were flying on the MD-90. On this particular aircraft the galley is up front. Thus, it was our responsibility to start pulling out the carts to set them up for the service when we reached 10,000 feet. Our immediate setting up of the carts would allow Ron and the other Skytress to get out in the aisle faster. It also meant I would follow behind them with my beverage cart for the in-flight service. That morning I was eager to get out in the aisle to serve our passengers. As I mentioned earlier, Omaha passengers are some of my favorite passengers. They are typically extremely nice and considerate people. I cheerfully pushed my beverage cart into the main cabin. One of my first passengers I was to serve was a little girl. She was sitting next to her Mom. She proudly had her tray table down in anticipation of my arrival. I could tell she was very excited to order her drink and snack. I smiled and said hello to her. I asked her how she was doing. She responded by simply saying, “You’re so pretty”. I was stunned. Ron told me this everyday. However, except for Ron telling me this, I am never on the receiving end of this type of compliment. I was extremely touched by this sweet girl’s comment. I, of course, told her she was my favorite passenger on the airplane. This made the little girl beam. Needless to say, I beamed, too, as I pushed my beverage cart down the aisle to served the rest of my Omaha passengers.

A short time later, the four of us were back in the forward galley breaking down our beverage carts. That is when we heard the ding of a passenger call button. We looked in the cabin and could see the orange call button lit in the back of the aircraft. We all collectively thought we either missed someone when we serving or else someone had just awakened and wanted something to drink. Ron, the Skytress In-Charge and I were all blocked in the galley by the beverage carts. So, the other Skytress said she would go see what the passenger needed. Moments later the other Skytress rang the call button to get our attention. We could tell she needed help. The Skytress In-Charge went to help her. I commented to Ron I thought maybe the passenger was getting sick. He turned in the galley to get me some trash bags and paper towels. I took the items and walked quickly to the back of the airplane. As I got closer to the passenger, I could tell the young lady was having a seizure. The Skytress In-Charge picked up the PA to make a request for medical assistance. A passenger call button dinged towards the front of the aircraft. I turned on my heels and headed back to the front of the plane. When I got closer to the lit call button, I could tell it was located in the row with my favorite little girl passenger. The little girl’s mother told me her husband was a paramedic. He was sitting across from them on the aisle. He had his earbuds in his ears and was listening to music on his phone. I placed my arm on the gentleman. He immediately took his earbuds out. I asked him if he was willing to help us. Since he hadn’t heard the announcement he wasn’t sure why I needed his help. Despite this, he agreed instantly. I told him his wife told me he was a paramedic. I quickly explained to him we had a passenger that was having a seizure. I cannot explain to you the feeling of confidence and calmness that shot through my body as he arose out of his seat. He had an overwhelming aura about him. I knew instantly this man was a kindhearted and compassionate man. More importantly, I knew he had everything under control……and we hadn’t yet made it to the back of the airplane.

The two Skytresses were assisting the young passenger. I walked past them to retrieve the medical equipment from the overhead bin. As I turned to go back to give the paramedic the medical equipment, I could see Ron standing in the first-class aisle. He was observing what was happening in the back of the airplane. Our protocol after 9-11, is to always have a crewmember remain in first-class if there is a medical situation in the back of the airplane. This is for security reasons. The paramedic had been briefed on the passenger. He was examining the young lady when I arrived with the medical equipment. I described the contents in all the pouches and medical kits I had brought back with me. He immediately placed the blood pressure cuff around the young lady and started to get her vital signs. She was slowly coming back to consciousness. The gentleman that was sitting next to the young lady had moved out of the row and was now standing next to me. He told me he and the young lady had been talking prior to her seizure. He said the young lady had looked towards the ceiling as if she was starring at a bug. That is when she started to have the seizure. He was also very concerned for the young lady because she was traveling by herself. He mentioned the young lady’s Mom was picking her up in Atlanta and they were going to drive to Birmingham for Christmas. When the young lady was coherent enough to answer questions, she told us she was 18 -years old. She mentioned her father had started to have seizures when he turned 18. She informed us she wasn’t on any medication. She, also, revealed she hadn’t eaten or drank anything that morning. The paramedic decided to start an IV to help stabilize her based on her condition and vital signs. The paramedic always spoke with a calming voice. His voice was soothing for the young lady and for all of us. Eventually, I decided to go back to the paramedic’s wife and explain the medical situation her husband was helping us with. More importantly, I wanted to thank her for ringing her call button and to tell her….her husband was a phenomenal person.

Ron watched me walk up the aisle. I could see he had medical forms in his hand. After I spoke with the paramedic’s wife and young daughter, I turned towards Ron. He said he was listening in on the phone calls between the pilots and the Skytress In-Charge. He was aware of the developments taking place with the passenger. Since his manual was in the back of the aircraft he had retrieved the medical forms out of my manual. I smiled. He, also, mentioned he filled out the forms so our medical equipment could be swapped out when we got to Atlanta. Ron felt terrible we were dealing with the medical situation and he had to stay up front. He made me smile when he said the first-class passengers were so nice they declined everything he had offered them. He said their only concern was for the well-being of the young passenger. I gave Ron a more detailed briefing on the passenger’s condition. Then I headed back down the aisle with the medical forms.

The Skytress In-Charge revealed to me this was her first in-flight medical emergency. She had never filled out the medical forms before. I was astonished. She had impressed me from the moment she went back to help the other Skytress with the medical situation. I told her this, too. I discerned her adrenaline was now wearing off and she was starting to worry about things. I tried to calm her nerves. I said I would help her with the forms. I reminded her she was not alone. We were a crew. She sighed a deep sigh of relief. The other Skytress told us she was going to go back to the galley to get the young lady some water and some snacks. Minutes later the paramedic was calling the young woman’s name. She was starting to have another seizure. My heart sank. The paramedic looked straight at me and asked me if I could find out how far we were from the nearest airport. I could tell he was extremely concerned. Fortunately, I was standing next to the phone. I called the pilots. I told the Captain I was with the paramedic. I explained the young lady was having another seizure and the paramedic wanted to know how far we were from the closest airport. The Captain informed me we had been given a straight routing to Atlanta. Atlanta was our closest airport. He said we were 15 minutes from landing. I relayed the information to the paramedic. In a very calm, but authoritative voice, he told me, “The sooner. The better.” I quoted the paramedic’s statement to the Captain. The Captain said, “Okay. I copy that. Call me if you need to. Forget sterile cockpit.” Sterile cockpit is when the aircraft is below 10,000 feet. It is the busiest part of the flight for the pilots. We only call if there is an emergency. The Captain wanted to confirm he or the first-officer would be on the phone immediately if we needed them. I looked towards the front of the plane as I was hanging up the phone. Ron had been on the phone listening to the call. One thing I loved about the MD-90 was the audible phone ding in the cockpit. The people in the galley always knew when someone in the back of the plane was calling the pilots. Many times when Skyters and Skytresses heard the chime in the cockpit they would pick up the phone and listen. Thus, if there was an incident on the aircraft they would be aware of the situation. Ron looked back at me. His look confirmed he heard the conversation. He turned to tell the other Skytress about the phone call.

The pilots are in constant communication with the ground personnel when there is a medical incident. That day air traffic control was working hard to get us on the ground as quickly and safely as possible. Moments after hanging up the phone with the Captain, the bells chimed to inform us we were now minutes from landing. Ron immediately picked up the phone and made our final descent PA. I could tell we were descending more quickly than normal. The Skytress In-Charge and I began to quickly secure the back cabin. We verified the paramedic and young lady were securely seated with their seat belts on. Ron and the other Skytress secured first-class and conducted a final walk through of the cabin. The Skytress In-Charge looked at the young lady. She was once again coming out of another seizure. The Skytress In-Charge was conflicted. She knew she was supposed to sit up front for landing. However, she was concerned for the young passenger. She didn’t know what to do. I picked up the phone and called Ron. I told him I was going to sit on his jumpseat for landing. The Skytress In-Charge was going to sit on the “Princess” jumpseat next to the young lady’s row. The “Princess” jumpseat is a single -person jumpseat. Skytresses and Skyters sit alone on it like a princess sitting on a throne. Ron said “No problem. We’ll see you on the ground.” I sat on Ron’s jumpseat and prayed for the young lady. And I thanked God for blessing us with a remarkable paramedic on our flight.

Ron made our landing PA. He asked the passengers to remain seated when we got to the gate. Before we turned into the gate the Captain made another PA to remind the passengers to remain seated. It’s always an odd sensation when the seatbelt sign is turned off and everyone remains quietly seated. Ron’s PA for the crew to prepare the doors for arrival, cross-check and answer all-call echoed throughout the plane. I could easily hear the Captain open the cockpit door. Then I heard the aircraft door open. I was relieved when the firemen-paramedics started to walk down the aisle. The passengers sitting around the young lady were relieved, too. Everyone had become friendly with each other during our flight. The young woman’s seat mates knew she didn’t have family on our flight. Unselfishly, they became her family.

After everyone deplaned, Ron told me the young lady’s Mom was in the gatehouse waiting for her. During the flight when I went to talk to the paramedic’s family, the young lady told our Skytress In-Charge that her Mom was going to meet her outside the airport and they were going to drive to Birmingham. Our Skytress In-Charge asked the young lady if she had her Mom’s cell phone number. The Skytress In-Charge gave the number to the Captain. The ground personnel then called the young lady’s Mom. An agent supervisor met the young lady’s Mom at the ticket counter and escorted her to the gate to be there for her daughter when we arrived. I was so relieved the young lady’s Mom was now with her. I could only imagine how scared and lonely she must have felt at times during our flight.

Ron congratulated us ladies for handling the medical situation. Our Skytress In-Charge thanked us all for helping her get through her first medical emergency. Ron then asked me how I was doing. I smiled. I told him my legs felt like rubber and my insides were doing cartwheels now that my adrenaline was wearing off. Our Skytress In-Charge had a startled expression. She thought she was the only one feeling this way. We all laughed. We told her this is usually how the crew feels after we land and everything is over. Yep, we feel all jelly-like. I told her talking about it would help. She forewarned me I was going to be exhausted from all her talking on our next flight. Ron said it wasn’t going to be a problem for me. He told her I loved to talk on the jumpseat. Yep, Ron knew me too well.

Ron and I walked to our next gate. He told me he was proud of me. Ron said he had it easy on the flight compared to everyone else. I told him he had the most important job on the airplane. He was confused. I explained I felt extremely safe on the flight knowing he was there with me. Whenever I started to get scared or stressed I would just look at him and a sense of calm come over me. I constantly told Ron he made me feel safe. He always said he appreciated it when I told him this. That day Ron didn’t say anything. He stopped walking and just stared silently at me. Then he smiled. He smiled a great big smile and gently placed his hand on my back. I smiled back at him. We happily continued walking to our next gate in silence.

One day when we were flying out of Omaha Ron bought a magnet from the airport gift shop. It made me chuckle and I looked to see if there was an Omaha Christmas ornament. Unfortunately, the shop didn’t have any. I know one day I will buy an ornament on one of my Omaha layovers. I know my family and friends will think it’s just an ornament from Omaha hanging on my Christmas tree. But, for me, it will be an ornament filled with lovely memories of the Omaha passengers, the young lady who had the seizure, the kindhearted paramedic, his family, my crew and especially beautiful memories of Ron.