Keeping up with the Kardashevs

The beginning

I was sitting in my cell staring at the wall when the pain started in my chest.

Two months ago I ended up in Edmonton remand for being an idiot as usual. During a depressive episode I tried to off myself in a vehicle designed to save your life. Just another bad choice of a life full of them.

The pain turned into a pressure throbbing in my shoulder and I debated calling for help but why bother. I felt the pain start to radiate down my left arm and I knew what was happening to me. Finally a way out of this world that I can't screw up. I just have to lay here for now, how long can it take?

Two hours later I'm still here and the pain is excruciating but now I can't move. I've seen dozens of heart attacks in my life and figured I would be gone by now. I tried to take a deep breath and let out a groan that alerted my cell mate who looked down at me.

The look he put on his face clued me into my condition, he bolted to get the guards. When he got back he looked at me with a look on his face that I recognized. My first code blue threw me for a loop and I can see it doing it to him.

He knelt beside me "Brad can you hear me" he said as he shook me, I groaned.
I hope this doesn't screw him up I thought. I met him 3 weeks ago when a guard asked me to watch over him, he seems like just a screwed up kid. I managed to turn my head and look at him and cracked a crooked smile.

With that little smile he must have thought I was going to be ok and he smiled. I was just glad to be at the finish line, 53 years of suffering is finally at an end.

SLAM BANG the cell door hit the wall and 2 guards rushed into the cell carrying an AED and an oxygen tank.
"What side do the pads go on?"  Said the younger of the 2 guards. Perfect, they don't know what they are doing and won't be able to help me. I always thought stupidity would kill me but this is the first time I hoped it actually happened.

My shirt was cut away and  they got pads on my chest with a minimum of effort. "Analyzing rhythm" chirped from the AED while a crowd gathered at the door watching the excitement. "Shockable rhythm detected" chirped the AED as I opened my eyes to see panicked faces.
"All persons clear"

FUCK was my only thought as 200 joules of electricty shot through my chest contracting every muscle. I didn't think that would hurt that much but that explains the looks I've gotten when I was the one pushing the buttons.

"Start CPR" came from the AED and I felt my body sliding off the bed to the hard floor. I landed with a thud as my cellmate crouched over me and started chest compressions. I felt ribs break on the third compression but my thoughts weren't on that. I was hoping James could live with my death and I hope this doesn't screw him up.

This went on for what felt like hours, I felt like a rag doll being thrown around by a child.
"Analyzing rhythm"
James bolted upright trying not to touch me. I knew he knew what he was doing because I taught the class 2 weeks ago.
"Shockable rhythm detected - All Clear" my chest contorted once again with just as much pain as the first one. "Resume compressions" James once again began

"STOP" a medic from the infirmary behind the crowd grabbed everyone's attention.  "He has a DNR" he yelled "what the hell is that" James yelled. One of the guards put his hand on James shoulder "it means we aren't allowed to help."  He looked at me with tears in his eyes  "you stupid fuck". I felt bad for him, losing a patient is rough for a seasoned medic and he is just a bystander.

Finally my view started to close to tunnel vision and it felt like there were tubes over my ears scrambling sound. My fingers instantly went numb then my feet, quickly chunks of my body disappeared from my knowledge. The light I could see through the slits grew dark and noise came to silence.