Muamba dead for 78 minutes but brought back -

I think it is fantastic that, despite being effectively dead for 78 minutes (ie no heart beat), Mauamba is still with us (albeit in hospital).

Doctors gave him a total of 15 shocks and Tobin has now given a startling insight into the events of Saturday night as he spoke for the first time about the efforts that were made to save the former England Under 21 international's life.

After working on Muamba for 48 minutes before his arrival in hospital, Dr Tobin confirmed the player continued to receive treatment for 30 minutes before his heart showed signs of activity.

"In effect, he was dead in that time."
Doctor Jonathan Tobin
Quotes of the week
"In effect, he was dead in that time," Dr Tobin said.

(from sky sports)

Would I have got the same treatment? If I had had that heart attack in the crowd would the medical help have been given to me? Would somebody have got hold of the guys with the shock machine from the dugout? Would they have tried to revive me for about ten minutes and then said "it's no use - he's dead" like they do in films?

Did they put more effort into it because he is a footballer? And if so why? Did they see it as a bigger deal because it was a bigger stage and big news? Did they want to be heroic? What was it that meant they kept pumping for nearly an hour and a half?

After that amount of time would they not usually call it quits and say it's not going to work? Does anyone here know how long they normally do it for?

jayjay23 wrote:
Would I have got the same treatment? If I had had that heart attack in the crowd would the medical help have been given to me? Would somebody have got hold of the guys with the shock machine from the dugout? Would they have tried to revive me for about ten minutes and then said "it's no use - he's dead" like they do in films?

No, no, no and no. You're not as important as Muamba.

I suspect that you'd have been removed from the stands and allowed to die in dignity while the game continued.

And do you think that is ok?

Not at all. Every man has an equal right to live and be free - no matter the colour, class or race he may be.

This sure has coughed up a lot of negativity hasn't it.

I knew before this that the world isn't fair, and generally the more privileged amongst us are likely to receive better care, amenities, own better houses and cars etc etc.

has it surprised you that a millionaire footballer has received the best possible treatment to aid his recovery? It didn't surprise me.

Just to be Devils Advocate -

Were all the equipment, trained men and all the other resources there on the off chance of saving a young millionaire or to safe guard the multi-million assets that the Premier clubs have playing for them?

You don't get club doctors, physios, heart starting equipment or even St John's ambulance in the pub leagues that I have played in for donkey’s years!

Lucky if you got an orange at half time!

Two years ago I went to an evening game in the North West Counties league. Trafford FC and Flixton AFC are both less than a mile from where I live.

It was the middle of winter and a young midfielder from the visiting team suffered a bad leg break. His father was in the crowd and he was really upset.

He lay there in the middle of the frozen pitch covered in a blanket with no first aid or paramedics anywhere to be found. Park Hospital is less than two miles away and yet it took nearly fifteen minutes for the paramedics to arrive.

There but for the grace of god etc etc.