Amazing Tim, the Life Saver 1

Hello Swim Family.

We all know that Tim Waud has a wide variety of special gifts.  When he does something he gives it his all, whether it is coaching, presiding over committee meetings, officiating, building teams, writing, running swim meets, making friends, caring for people, etc.  There is one more gift I would like to add to the list – SAVING LIVES!

Last night [June 23], if it weren’t for Tim’s quick action, Jim (my husband) would not be here today.  He and Tim were swimming in the Clackamas Cove Lake, in Oregon City, at 6:00 PM.  After a while they stopped and just treaded water and visited.  When they started to swim again Tim noticed Jim slipping under the water and knew immediately something terrible was wrong.  He pulled Jim to shore and instructed someone to call 911 while he began CPR.  He estimated he did CPR about 5 minutes until the EMTs arrived, who ended up shocking Jim three times.  Tim gathered Jim’s items on the shore, got into our Prius and tried to find Jim at one of the local Oregon City hospitals.  In the mean time I received a call, from Meridian Park Hospital, who informed me that Jim had suffered cardiac arrest and was in the ER.  Tim called soon after to inform me what had happened.  I was able to inform him where Jim was and where I would be.  Tim saved Jim’s life!!!!

I have been with Jim until about an hour ago [7:15 PM] when I came home so I could get a good night’s sleep.  He is doing well.  He is suffering from short term memory, which can be normal in these situations, but we are hoping and expecting the memory will improve in time.  His chest is really sore from the CPR but he is totally fine with that problem.  We know the pain will go away in time.  He’s alive!  The cardiologist is not sure what caused the arrest but they are going to be inserting a defibrillator (ICD) tomorrow.  We hope he can come home on Friday.

I just wanted to share with you this amazing story of our amazing friend.

Tim Waud babysitting

Thank you, Tim.

Jeanne / Jim

Update, July 7, 2020: Jim is getting better and stronger every day.  He still has chest pains but they are easing.  Walking 2-3 times a day is helping to increase his endurance.  His short term memory is back, which is good.  Where he received his implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), which looks like an oversize pace maker, the nurse stated the wound is looking very good and that he should be able to begin raising his arms and resume normal activity within a week.  He is so ready to get back in the water but will have to wait until his chest pains are gone as breathing (and coughing) is still difficult.

From Matt:

What an amazing story about Jim and Tim!  I’m so glad that Tim was able to act quickly and intelligently under the stress of an awful situation, and that the outcome was a good one!!

From Sandi:

I spoke to Jeanne and Tim tonight after seeing this.  Thank God Tim was right there with Jim when this happened.  It is thought that this was a sudden arrhythmia which puts one out in a flash.  So if Tim had not been by Jim’s side and recognized that Jim was in trouble immediately, the outcome would have been a lot different.  This was truly a remarkable lifesaving experience where those years of training with CPR and lifesaving techniques kick in automatically.  Jim will not remember the rescue but Tim certainly will!  And thank you Tim for being there!

Lessons from this all as more go into open water is never ever swim alone, always swim with a buoy attached to you, and check in regularly with your swimming partner without distancing yourself too far apart.

Sandi