Michael McIntire feels lucky today.
And he¹s not the only one.
His school is lucky. As are his dad, a team of paramedics and the city.
Michael¹s lucky because he¹s a happy ninth-grader at the School for Creative and Performing Arts. And, he¹s still alive.
Two Fridays ago, it looked like his luck had run out.
Michael is diabetic. His blood sugar level dropped, and he started going into insulin shock at school.
He blanked out. His eyes were open, but his stare was vacant.
His 15-year-old legs wouldn¹t hold him. So, he half-walked and was half-carried into the school¹s office.
Paramedics were already on the scene. Another student had blacked out.
The paramedics took a look at Michael. They didn¹t know he was diabetic. He wasn¹t wearing a medical alert bracelet or a tag around his neck.
Michael doesn¹t care for that kind of jewelry. ŒŒLooks stupid,¹¹ he says. Makes him stand out. Like wearing a neon sign that says: I¹m different.
Very few 15-year-olds want to be different.
What¹s he on?
At first, the paramedics thought he was high on drugs. He had the symptoms. So, they told the school¹s security team that the police had to take him to the hospital. And then they left.
While this was going on, the school was trying to reach Michael¹s father, Kevin McIntire.
Frantic workers in the school¹s office grabbed Michael¹s file. They took out a piece of paper with phone numbers on it and started dialing. Home phone. Office phone. Cellular phone. All they got was voice mail. Welcome to the world of instant telecommunications.
No one in the office thought to turn the paper over. If they had, they would have seen information about Michael¹s diabetic condition. They could have told the paramedics.
Precious minutes ticked by. Finally, a teacher and a friend of Michael¹s father who volunteers at the school told Assistant Principal David Jones that this could be diabetes, and not drugs.
Michael McIntire is no doper. He has no history of drug abuse.
Mr. Jones knows Michael is ŒŒa good kid. I¹m a car nut. He¹s a car nut. We talk cars. He¹s good student.¹¹
Yet when he saw him in the office, the assistant principal still thought: ŒŒOverdose.¹¹ He looked into Michael¹s eyes. He watched him nodding off. In disbelief, he saw ŒŒsymptoms of drug abuse.¹¹
This comes from a man with 10 years of experience in a volunteer life squad and 25 years in education.
But as soon as he heard Michael was diabetic, the assistant principal rushed to save him.
ŒŒGet sugar in him,¹¹ he told himself. David Jones started giving Michael sips from a can of Coca-Cola.
ŒŒAs soon as we got a little bit in him, his lips started moving,¹¹ the relieved assistant principal said. ŒŒThen he started coming out of it. He looked around and asked: ŒWhat happened?¹¹¹
You¹re in luck
Others are asking questions, too. Cincinnati¹s fire department investigated its paramedics. The school is looking into how it handles medical emergencies.
Michael¹s dad is wondering: ŒŒWhy didn¹t I make him wear that ID necklace? I guess since he never had a problem with his diabetes before, I didn¹t think it was going to be a problem.
ŒŒI should have put my foot down. Forced the issue. Made him wear it.¹¹
Notice Michael¹s father is not blaming anybody. He¹s not slamming the school or screaming for the paramedics¹ heads. As he says: ŒŒI¹m not angry. I¹m concerned.¹¹
He¹s stepping up and taking responsibility for his son. And he¹s making sure Michael is wearing his ID tag.
ŒŒHe doesn¹t get out of the house unless it¹s on. He¹s learned that his dad was right after all.¹¹
Michael also has learned that it¹s OK to be different. Ever since he was diagnosed with diabetes four years ago, he¹s been saying, ŒŒmaybe I have this for a reason.¹¹
Now, he thinks the reason is to tell kids like him: ŒŒI was close to death. So, don¹t slack off. Wear the ID bracelet.¹¹
What happened to Michael could happen to them. And, they might not be as lucky.
Cliff Radel¹s column appears in The Enquirer Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Available to speak to groups. Tips and comments most welcome. Call 768-8379 or fax at 768-8340.
