Today was going great. Had a father's day chat with my dad as well as my birth father.
At work there was an emergency page that I responded to and this dude was breathing all heavily and shaking. I asked some questions and learned he had recently started taking a heart medication. He got up after a moment and started walking and said he didn't want medical help despite my offer to contact an ambulance. So he walks outside and begins to vomit. Red flag. I asked his son if he's had a history of heart problems and his son said yes. The guy is getting extremely pale at this point but still refuses help. He takes a few steps and then collapses. I decided that was enough and called 911. I'm holding this guy and can tell he's having a heart attack. I told them the guy isn't being cooperative and they need to get out to my store because at this point the guy got up and stumbled out to his car. He basically forced his son to drive the car and despite me telling him he was having a heart attack and needed immediate medical attention, he said "My son is driving me home and that's final." Off they go. I told dispatch what was going on and they said they'd let me know if anything changed.
Fuckin a. I have never felt more helpless. Because I couldn't force the guy to stay and despite knowing he was having a heart attack and probably dying in my arms there was really nothing I could do if he was so determined to leave. I still don't know if he died or what. And despite doing all that I could it doesn't make me feel any better. Fuck.
At work there was an emergency page that I responded to and this dude was breathing all heavily and shaking. I asked some questions and learned he had recently started taking a heart medication. He got up after a moment and started walking and said he didn't want medical help despite my offer to contact an ambulance. So he walks outside and begins to vomit. Red flag. I asked his son if he's had a history of heart problems and his son said yes. The guy is getting extremely pale at this point but still refuses help. He takes a few steps and then collapses. I decided that was enough and called 911. I'm holding this guy and can tell he's having a heart attack. I told them the guy isn't being cooperative and they need to get out to my store because at this point the guy got up and stumbled out to his car. He basically forced his son to drive the car and despite me telling him he was having a heart attack and needed immediate medical attention, he said "My son is driving me home and that's final." Off they go. I told dispatch what was going on and they said they'd let me know if anything changed.
Fuckin a. I have never felt more helpless. Because I couldn't force the guy to stay and despite knowing he was having a heart attack and probably dying in my arms there was really nothing I could do if he was so determined to leave. I still don't know if he died or what. And despite doing all that I could it doesn't make me feel any better. Fuck.
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You may be feeling crummy, but the guy's son is largely responsible for letting his Dad evade medical attention like that. I would hope he took responsibility and forced his Dad to get to the hospital after they pulled away. You did all that was within your means to do, right? That's all ya gotta do.
Just remember: next time somebody wants to help you, let 'em.
(By the way... it wasn't a cure, just the meaning of life and all that awesome crap