Have you ever saved your own life?

Fizzlesque

Years ago I lived in a lovely high-ceilinged flat with a little mezzanine floor which is where the bed was. One night, when I went to bed, I put a tea-light candle on the television so my boyfriend, who was working late and was going to come stay with me after work, would be able to see in the dark (the main light switch didn't work). Stupidly, I didn't put the candle in a candle container or on a ceramic saucer so it eventually got really hot and melted the plastic telly top, which, in turn, allowed the candle to slip into the telly and set it on fire.

Meanwhile, I'm snoozing away totally unaware.

Eventually I woke up, when I heard myself comment on the smell in my dream (twice) and I quickly realised my television was blazing away, with the flames inching ever-closer to cane blinds and the fabric I had attached to the cane blinds. Leaping out of bed, I ran down the stairs and when my first (very stupid) reaction of patting the fire with my hands :rolleyes: didn't do anything except burn me, I grabbed a towel (lovely new fluffy bath towel I'd just bought that day:() and started to beat the flames with it, but when that didn't work, I threw the towel over the telly and quickly realised I'd created a vacuum for the fire to get stronger within, so I had to grab it back before it too went up in flames.

Thankfully, a more intelligent survival instinct finally kicked in and a strange calm crept over me. I heard myself discuss (out loud) fire facts - such as "oxygen feeds the flame" - and told myself to soak the towel in water, which I then beat the flames with a bit more and at some point threw the towel over the hole melted into the telly. Thankfully, the wet towel beatings and covering over worked and I managed to quench the fire.

While this was happening, I experienced an amazing feeling of elation, which I presume was the adrenalin of saving my own life. Also, I was wearing fluffy socks on my feet and the floor was wooden, so there was lots of skating from sink (to wet the towel) and back to burning telly to beat the fire and this seemed to add something almost fun-like to the proceedings. :eek:

By time my boyfriend got to my flat, I was sitting there with a blackened face, a melted telly, and a flat full of smoke, grinning most peculiarly, and smoking a cigarette. I think I was probably in shock, but I don't remember feeling scared at any point, mostly I remember feeling excited and elated.

I had another 'could have died' experience, but I'll save that for another post (I know really long posts are a pain, honestly I do ).

So, have you ever saved your own life, or someone else's life? If yes, what did it make you feel like at the time? Did the adrenalin make you strong and calm and quick thinking or did it make you a little bit bonkers, but ultimately successful in your endeavours all the same?

pappyodaniel

You're an idiot.

No offence.

aaronjumper

A digger nearly took my head off once. I saw it swinging around and ducked.

Mr Benevolent

Yup, I keep breathing. Very useful skill.

uch

No

Nothingbetter2d

Fizzlesque wrote: »

Years ago I lived in a lovely high-ceilinged flat with a little mezzanine floor which is where the bed was. One night, when I went to bed, I put a tea-light candle on the television so my boyfriend, who was working late and was going to come stay with me after work, would be able to see in the dark (the main light switch didn't work). Stupidly, I didn't put the candle in a candle container or on a ceramic saucer so it eventually got really hot and melted the plastic telly top, which, in turn, allowed the candle to slip into the telly and set it on fire.

Meanwhile, I'm snoozing away totally unaware.

Eventually I woke up, when I heard myself comment on the smell in my dream (twice) and I quickly realised my television was blazing away, with the flames inching ever-closer to cane blinds and the fabric I had attached to the cane blinds. Leaping out of bed, I ran down the stairs and when my first (very stupid) reaction of patting the fire with my hands :rolleyes: didn't do anything except burn me, I grabbed a towel (lovely new fluffy bath towel I'd just bought that day:() and started to beat the flames with it, but when that didn't work, I threw the towel over the telly and quickly realised I'd created a vacuum for the fire to get stronger within, so I had to grab it back before it too went up in flames.

Thankfully, a more intelligent survival instinct finally kicked in and a strange calm crept over me. I heard myself discuss (out loud) fire facts - such as "oxygen feeds the flame" - and told myself to soak the towel in water, which I then beat the flames with a bit more and at some point threw the towel over the hole melted into the telly. Thankfully, the wet towel beatings and covering over worked and I managed to quench the fire.

While this was happening, I experienced an amazing feeling of elation, which I presume was the adrenalin of saving my own life. Also, I was wearing fluffy socks on my feet and the floor was wooden, so there was lots of skating from sink (to wet the towel) and back to burning telly to beat the fire and this seemed to add something almost fun-like to the proceedings. :eek:

By time my boyfriend got to my flat, I was sitting there with a blackened face, a melted telly, and a flat full of smoke, grinning most peculiarly, and smoking a cigarette. I think I was probably in shock, but I don't remember feeling scared at any point, mostly I remember feeling excited and elated.

I had another 'could have died' experience, but I'll save that for another post (I know really long posts are a pain, honestly I do ).

So, have you ever saved your own life, or someone else's life? If yes, what did it make you feel like at the time? Did the adrenalin make you strong and calm and quick thinking or did it make you a little bit bonkers, but ultimately successful in your endeavours all the same?

water on a tv thats on fire but still plugged in? really? so if you didn't burn yourself from the fire you could have electrocuted yourself.

Fizzlesque

pappyodaniel wrote: »

You're an idiot.

No offence.

No offence taken, I'd be the first one to say I've been an idiot at times in my life.

However, I'm an idiot who is still alive....:)

Sarky

I waited until the traffic lights changed before crossing the street, AND looked both ways to be sure. No dying in a broken heap by the roadside for me today. I'm a goddamn hero.

Nothingbetter2d

Fizzlesque wrote: »

No offence taken, I'd be the first one to say I've been an idiot at times in my life.

However, I'm an idiot who is still alive....:)

and you were so close to earning a darwin award too

Fizzlesque

aaronjumper wrote: »

A digger nearly took my head off once. I saw it swinging around and ducked.

Wow, well ducked

Fizzlesque

Nothingbetter2d wrote: »

water on a tv thats on fire but still plugged in? really? so if you didn't burn yourself from the fire you could have electrocuted yourself.

Who said the TV was still plugged in?

Nothingbetter2d

Fizzlesque wrote: »

Who said the TV was still plugged in?

most people leave their telly plugged in but on standby mode

frag420

Last year I was walking along Liffey St towards Abbey st on my way to meet friends for the usual Saturday caffeine hit. I had my earphones in, hood was up as it was raining. I was on the left side of the street and got to the corner where there is a short railing on the path as the Luas passes by there.

So there I was walking along, tunes on, hood up and about to step of the path to cross the road. My leg went of the path and for some weird reason it swung back in. As my foot hit the path the fooking Luas thundered past me towards O'Connell St. I bricked it. My friends said I was so pale when they met me.......................Weird!!

Mr.Crinklewood

I have nothing to say, apart from expressing my feelings for the cat in the lower right hand corner.

I`d make their whiskers all salty.

dmc17

I've never saved my own life....Although I nearly did one day but unfortunately I was just a bit too late However.. life goes on

Feeona

Fizzlesque wrote: »

By time my boyfriend got to my flat, I was sitting there with a blackened face, a melted telly, and a flat full of smoke, grinning most peculiarly, and smoking a cigarette.

You know you could save your life again by cutting out the cigarettes too

Fizzlesque

Feeona wrote: »

You know you could save your life again by cutting out the cigarettes too

This setting fire to my own telly fiasco happened 12 years ago....I've cut out the cigarettes many many times since then.

bb1234567

Fizzlesque wrote: »

Years ago I lived in a lovely high-ceilinged flat with a little mezzanine floor which is where the bed was. One night, when I went to bed, I put a tea-light candle on the television so my boyfriend, who was working late and was going to come stay with me after work, would be able to see in the dark (the main light switch didn't work). Stupidly, I didn't put the candle in a candle container or on a ceramic saucer so it eventually got really hot and melted the plastic telly top, which, in turn, allowed the candle to slip into the telly and set it on fire.

Meanwhile, I'm snoozing away totally unaware.

Eventually I woke up, when I heard myself comment on the smell in my dream (twice) and I quickly realised my television was blazing away, with the flames inching ever-closer to cane blinds and the fabric I had attached to the cane blinds. Leaping out of bed, I ran down the stairs and when my first (very stupid) reaction of patting the fire with my hands :rolleyes: didn't do anything except burn me, I grabbed a towel (lovely new fluffy bath towel I'd just bought that day:() and started to beat the flames with it, but when that didn't work, I threw the towel over the telly and quickly realised I'd created a vacuum for the fire to get stronger within, so I had to grab it back before it too went up in flames.

Thankfully, a more intelligent survival instinct finally kicked in and a strange calm crept over me. I heard myself discuss (out loud) fire facts - such as "oxygen feeds the flame" - and told myself to soak the towel in water, which I then beat the flames with a bit more and at some point threw the towel over the hole melted into the telly. Thankfully, the wet towel beatings and covering over worked and I managed to quench the fire.

While this was happening, I experienced an amazing feeling of elation, which I presume was the adrenalin of saving my own life. Also, I was wearing fluffy socks on my feet and the floor was wooden, so there was lots of skating from sink (to wet the towel) and back to burning telly to beat the fire and this seemed to add something almost fun-like to the proceedings. :eek:

By time my boyfriend got to my flat, I was sitting there with a blackened face, a melted telly, and a flat full of smoke, grinning most peculiarly, and smoking a cigarette. I think I was probably in shock, but I don't remember feeling scared at any point, mostly I remember feeling excited and elated.

I had another 'could have died' experience, but I'll save that for another post (I know really long posts are a pain, honestly I do ).

So, have you ever saved your own life, or someone else's life? If yes, what did it make you feel like at the time? Did the adrenalin make you strong and calm and quick thinking or did it make you a little bit bonkers, but ultimately successful in your endeavours all the same?

You didnt really save your life, you saved your apartment..you could have just run out of the apartment and let it urn down so its the apartment you saved not really your life:P

stebe

I was falling, and falling and falling....
















Then I woke up!




Damn Reacurring dream!!!!

ejmaztec

Every day I decide not to walk into the path of oncoming vehicles, or fall into the river, or stand in a basin of water whilst touching the light sockets. It's hard work trying to save my own life with danger at every turn.

Teyla Emmagan

Thread would be better called 'have you ever nearly killed yourself'?

fungun

I threw the towel over the telly and quickly realised I'd created a vacuum for the fire to get stronger within

yes, because fires get stronger in vacuums. :rolleyes:

KTRIC

I was once driving my bike a long a road and then the road ended. I stopped and didn't hit the wall. Fucking awesome I thought, could have died there :rolleyes:

Tea_Bag

did you still get the ride OP?

Fizzlesque

bb1234567 wrote: »

You didnt really save your life, you saved your apartment..you could have just run out of the apartment and let it urn down so its the apartment you saved not really your life:P

True, I could have legged it.

The 'saving my own life' stemmed more from the fact I woke up in time to either leg it, or do as I ended up doing.

Besides, have you ever saved an apartment wouldn't be much of a question to ask people though, would it?

Adrenalin surge is a strange thing, at no point did I think "I won't be able to put this fire out". Thankfully I was right.

Fizzlesque

Tea_Bag wrote: »

did you still get the ride OP?

I sure did

Fizzlesque

fungun wrote: »

yes, because fires get stronger in vacuums. :rolleyes:

Ah, you know what I mean. Do you?

Like when you're trying to get the fire (in a proper fireplace) to take off, and you hold newspaper in front of it - tell me how you'd word it, please.

Tea_Bag

Fizzlesque wrote: »

I sure did

you'll never live a better day then

southcentralts

I once got something caught down my windpipe, and initially panicked trying to suck in some oxygen, but only succeeded in getting myself into trouble and in a bizarre moment of clarity my brain just said to itself, relax you have 3 minutes before lack of oxygen is a problem, although there was people there, they were all pretty drunk and I could not speak. Calmly I exhaled what little air was in my lungs creating a gap and began a very slow intake of air to fill up my lungs over about 30-50 seconds, then half exhale half cough and it was out. Scary sh!t, but somehow my brain worked against me to save me. Go brain.

smash

pappyodaniel wrote: »

You're an idiot.

No offence.

I only thanked that because I was too lazy to read all the paragraphs.

SafeSurfer

Too long a post to read.

Just tell me did you live or die in the end?

Fizzlesque

SafeSurfer wrote: »

Too long a post to read.

Just tell me did you live or die in the end?

In the end I lived, saved so the world still has long post writers like me so long post haters can click on my threads and take the time to tell me my posts are too long for their tiny attention spans.

Nothingbetter2d

Fizzlesque wrote: »

In the end I lived, saved so the world still has long post writers like me so long post haters can click on my threads and take the time to tell me my posts are too long for their tiny attention spans.

boards needs to add a feature that allows posters attach an audio file of their long posts... for blind people n all those that don't want to go blind reading huge walls of text

brophya2007

Nothingbetter2d wrote: »

most people leave their telly plugged in but on standby mode

Its quite obvious that she is not most people :-)

Nothingbetter2d

brophya2007 wrote: »

Its quite obvious that she is not most people :-)

lol i dunno.... there is quite alot of darwin award candidates out there just waiting to kill themselves in a stupid manner to earn that covetted award.

Fizzlesque

Nothingbetter2d wrote: »

boards needs to add a feature that allows posters attach an audio file of their long posts... for blind people n all those that don't want to go blind reading huge walls of text

The opening post in this thread isn't really that long, not when you compare it to the beast of blather I posted last night.

However, I'm working on making my posts shorter.....I promise.

Specially tailored mini scripts better suited to the capabilities of some of AH's members

Edit: or perhaps it's time to accept the fact this is the reading/attention span difficulties board, and I should take my chatter elsewhere?

phasers

once, I stopped myself from eating an egg sandwich.

biko

Never mind the haters OP, fair play to you.

Fizzlesque

biko wrote: »

Never mind the haters OP, fair play to you.

Thanks, Biko. I like this board because it has some funny posters who make me laugh a lot, and because it's not topic-specific, but I guess I overestimated the calibre of the posters and their willingness to allow a conversation to develop in the meandering manner I particularly like.

My mistake. I may be an idiot sometimes, but I know when I'm beat

LLU

I was helping a guy change a wheel on a digger once and realised that he hadn't secured the jack properly and it was actually very slowly toppling over. Luckily I managed to slide a block of wood under the axle just as the jack gave way, stopping it from coming down on us. Felt sick afterwards I got such a scare.

Fair play OP for a good story and interesting thread idea. (There are now over 30 responses on the thread, most of which are twats trying unsuccessfully to be funny, pity there are feck all responses where someone actually saved their own life.)

aaronjumper

Fizzlesque wrote: »

Thanks, Biko. I like this board because it has some funny posters who make me laugh a lot, and because it's not topic-specific, but I guess I overestimated the calibre of the posters and their willingness to allow a conversation to develop in the meandering manner I particularly like.

My mistake. I may be an idiot sometimes, but I know when I'm beat

Ah don't be like that we're a nice bunch if you give us a chance.
Well, not too bad anyway. . . never mind.

Fizzlesque

LLU wrote: »

I was helping a guy change a wheel on a digger once and realised that he hadn't secured the jack properly and it was actually very slowly toppling over. Luckily I managed to slide a block of wood under the axle just as the jack gave way, stopping it from coming down on us. Felt sick afterwards I got such a scare.

Fair play OP for a good story and interesting thread idea. (There are now over 30 responses on the thread, most of which are twats trying unsuccessfully to be funny, pity there are feck all responses where someone actually saved their own life.)

Thanks, LLU, for sharing your story, and for your support. Much appreciated

aaronjumper wrote: »

Ah don't be like that we're a nice bunch if you give us a chance.
Well, not too bad anyway. . . never mind.

No, I know you're not all bad, some of you are great

I mistakenly thought there were plenty of interesting posters here who'd have some good stories to share - I expected a few inane replies but not the majority - I guess I got a dud batch today; humourless and unnecessarily critical. And some downright unpleasant.

Ah well, better luck next time

Nothingbetter2d

i save my life every few seconds by inhaling air then exhaling and inhaling and exhaling.

Rasheed

Fizzlesque wrote: »

Thanks, Biko. I like this board because it has some funny posters who make me laugh a lot, and because it's not topic-specific, but I guess I overestimated the calibre of the posters and their willingness to allow a conversation to develop in the meandering manner I particularly like.

My mistake. I may be an idiot sometimes, but I know when I'm beat

You are not an idiot, pass no heed on the 'comedians' here. Fair play to ya for doing what ya did. I never had to save my own live but have saved others with CPR and defibrillators, tis a good feeling surely.:)

Raiser

Teyla Emmagan wrote: »

Thread would be better called 'have you ever nearly killed yourself'?

+1

bb1234567 wrote: »

You didnt really save your life, you saved your apartment..you could have just run out of the apartment and let it urn down so its the apartment you saved not really your life:P

+1

Well said folks! Still though OP don't mind the harsh comments on here, some people are just mean - You seem nice and I was entertained!

MisterEpicurus

Have you never heard of the story where a Blonde girl was talking with her friend.

The Blonde Girl said "I really reaaally want to buy that new Porsche!"
Friend replies "I thought you didn't have any savings?"
Blonde Girl replies "I saved my life once but they only accept cash or cheque here, pity!"

Jester252

I save my life ever second of ever day by telling myself not to do stupid things

grindle

Seems like one of the snarky, unfunny comments, but I genuinely think I'd have died by suicide if I'd never tried ecstasy.
Reminded me what 'happy' felt like, and pulled me out of a (figurative) swamp of shít.

csi vegas

Fizzlesque wrote: »

While this was happening, I experienced an amazing feeling of elation, which I presume was the adrenalin of saving my own life. Also, I was wearing fluffy socks on my feet and the floor was wooden, so there was lots of skating from sink (to wet the towel) and back to burning telly to beat the fire and this seemed to add something almost fun-like to the proceedings. :eek:

By time my boyfriend got to my flat, I was sitting there with a blackened face, a melted telly, and a flat full of smoke, grinning most peculiarly, and smoking a cigarette. I think I was probably in shock, but I don't remember feeling scared at any point, mostly I remember feeling excited and elated

You remind me of myself OP although I'm cautious to the point of OCD checking everything before I sleep or go out.
You write with such humour - very funny tale. Just be careful out there!

Sunnyisland

Lot a flirting going on here.











Well done OP you seem a great gal.

mauzo

Ive saved someone elses life before....feel pretty good about that one!

One of my finest moments....