...Because of a recent experience I would like to submit this little story. . ...A few years ago, my brother-in law suffered a heart attack. with all the usual heart attack sypmtons, but he told his wife, "Don't call 911. Let's just wait a little and see if it goes away. We don't want all those fire engines and ambulances coming to our house with their sirens screaming and their red lights flashing, causing a big disturbance. With all our neighbors wondering what's going on." And so they waited....And waited....And after an hour, his wife called their daughter who came over and immediately called 911. ...And so ...All those fire engines and ambulences came to their house with their sirens screaming and their red lights flashing, causing a big disturbance. With all their neighbors wondering what's going on. ...Sadly the world lost a wonderfull kind and loving man....And even more sadly, the doctors said they could have saved him if they had had him an hour earlier. . ...A week ago, I was having my usual day, when around noon, I started getting dizy and weak, and by five o'clock, I was so weak, I could hardly walk across the room. My daughter called 911. ...Well....They came...With their sirens screaming, and their red lights flashing, causibg a big disturbance. With all our neighbors wondering what,s going on. But ...you know what?...I'M STILL ALIVE..... GeorgieBoy....
Good for you George. I am still laughing over your story from awhile ago about the #2 in the peaches. 90 and still going strong - keep those sirens blaring and the neighbors staring!
Great reminder to us all. Thank you GeorgieBoy, and I'm very happy you're still with us.
I have been carted away by ambulance to the hospital once in my life, and I was embarassed and humilated with all of the neighbors outside looking at me. But...........if I hadn't allowed the doctor (with whom I was talking to on the phone about my symptoms) to call 911, I would not be here. My situation was NOT a heart problem - it was a strangulated hernia that required emergency surgery that very night. All of the doctors who saw me said - surgery now, or you're not going to make it. So if you THINK you or someone might need to go to the hospital, dial 911 first; ask questions later.
......After reading these comments, I realize that I haven't posted anything ...for quite a while and some of you may think I'm not here anymore. I read ...here often, but until my 911 experience I haven't had time to post. Now I ...have more time as I can't do much else. ......For the last eight months my life has centered around visiting my Dear ...Helen who is in a nice nursing home, only a ten minute drive away. Right now ...she is in the last stage of vascular dementia. She has lost the ability to ...swallow, and therefor anything she eats or drinks goes right into her lungs. ...They call it aspiration pneumonia. She hasn't eaten or drank for eleven days. ...They just try to keep her comfortable. Hospice is not recomending tube feeding. ......Last Tuesday I started feeling weak around noon, and by five o'clock, I ...could barely walk across the room. At the hospital they said I had gastro- ...intestinal bleeding from a hyaital hernia which caused me to become anemic. ...After four days of testing, transfusions, and medications, they let me come ...home today but I am still weak and they want me to slowly regain my strength. ...My family doesn't want me visiting my Dear Helen. (too much walking) ......So here I am With a little time on my hands and a 911 story. I like this ...site and the friends here so much. ........................................GeorgieBoy
What your Helen is going through right now reminds me of what my mom went through in the last stage of this disease..she had AD. I often think that if it were not for her pacemaker, she would not have been in the stage as long as she was. The only comfort we were able to get into her was with a small syringe at the side of the mouth and then that didn't work...the only other thing we could do was moisten one of those dental sponges and wet her lips and mouth..used some vasaline on the lips..it was the saddest part of this whole ordeal...
Glad you are back on the threads....
Your 911 story was valuable..if something seems wrong and is scary don't wait, get to the hospital even if it means all that noise and gawking neighbors...
GeorgieBoy, in a way your BIL sounded like my father. But somewhat different. He decided that he was having some sort of heart problem and called 911 and was standing by the door when the ambulance came. However, he wouldn't notify me or my brother until he was in the hospital for a few days because he didn't want to bother us in case it wasn't serious.
I had to call 911 when dh fell in a ditch and couldn't get up. The scene around here was just as described with sirens and the whole bit. But what good did come from this was neighbors from both sides of us came to offer help and gave me their cell phone numbers in case I should need help any time day or night. Haven't needed them but sure nice to know they're there and willing to help.
GeorgieBoy - your attitude helps me. Take care of yourself and keep us informed.
Hi GergieBoy, glad to have you posting again and that you're okay. ABSOLUTELY take care of yourself and regain your strength-you will need it for your dear Helen.
I have a similar 911 story about my MIL. She woke up at 4:00 am with an irregular heart beat, weakness and dizziness. She did not wake up her son (with whom she was living), but called another son to pick her up and take her to the hospital. It took him a full 2 hours to get over to her house (he was 10 mins away) and took her to the hospital. She was in serious condition and one of the attending residents even suggested removing any lifesaving measures. She survived but with significant heart damage and died 2 months later. On one of our visits I asked her why she didn't call 911-she said she didn't want the ambulance with sirens so the neighbors would come out and watch her being taken away and gossip about her. Her pride cost her her life.
The common theme seems to be that people don't want the emergency personal to arrive with sirens blaring. When my son called 911 for my husband last spring, they came with no sirens. I'm not sure what he told them. He has had EMT training and has done a few ambulance runs. I'll have to ask him what he said to them. Knowing that you could have them come without all the fanfare just might save a life.
I just remembered I called 911 when my sister fell here at my house and I asked them not to have sirens because it really wasn't an emergency it was just she was unable to get up. They did as I asked.
Georgieboy - So glad it all worked out for you. When my husband was once in a small home facility they called 911 & all the lights & sirens came. I felt bad about the neighbors, and he was OK, but I'm glad you posted so we won't hesitate if we just don't want to be embarrassed.
Yesterday I want to visit my sister, it was her 91st birthday and she has vascular dementia, too. For the first time she didn't seem to know who I was. I said, "I'm your little sister, Betty Lee," but I could see she couldn't place me. I asked, do you remember Frank & Esther, your parents, and there was no response there. Well, it comes and goes. But she still eats & is in her home with 24/7 care. Mostly she sleeps. She's faded a lot in the past few weeks. These conditions are tough--thank goodness for this web site.
Well, Georgie, you take care of your Dear Helen, lots of hugs & kisses, I know she'll appreciate that, and keep taking care of yourself. Don't be a stranger.
Georgieboy .. So glad it all worked out for you. Here down under we call 000, it's amazing how many ring 911 by mistake... at times those few precious moments that it takes to realize what the right number is, it could be too late.
I would tell the paramedics that my husband was quite agitated and that the noise and lights of the sirens would just make him more upset. They said that since this is a residential neighborhood they would come without. They did say though, that if they had had to travel through major intersections or on multi lane roads the fire code required that the sirens blast. Maybe they turned them off a few blocks away, but they did come quiet.
In my neighborhoods I've witnessed a number of 911 calls, including the one made by my son about L. In no case were sirens on at all, but lights were on. It is my understanding that the reason for sirens is to get traffic to move out of the way. I often notice sirens only turned on as the emergency vehicles approach intersections. There are times when I do hear the sirens always on, and I suspect those are for different types of calls than the ones that don't require sirens.
Then again, we live only 4 blocks from the fire station so there is little need for them to turn on the sirens when coming to our neighborhood.
I assume different localities have different rules.
I call 911 every so often, as they assist when DH has fallen. They never use sirens - as Paul noted, those are usually for traveling on busy roads and intersections.
My neighbors are so used to seeing the EMS here, they don't bother to check why.