So, we stopped to catch a bus on our way back from town, and there was a guy passed out next to the bus stop, breathing rather shallowly. I went over and said 'Mate, you alright?' rather loudly, and he didn't stir. Grace started to phone for an ambulance, and was on the phone with the dispatcher for ages (they like to keep you on the line till the responding unit gets on site). During that time, a number of passers by seemed alarmed at the passed out guy. Seconds before the ambulance showed up, the passed out dude came to. When asked if he was alright, he said yes, he was just waiting on a bus. Mind you, he'd slept through three of them so far. The ambulance crew weren't best pleased with us for calling them out, but they didn't say anything on that topic. Oh well. That'll teach us to care about our fellow man. Next time, I'm giving the drunk a kick to see if he's properly passed out or not.
Kicking is always best! No, it's nice that you both cared enough to call an ambulance. For all you knew he could have had a bash to the head or something.
Well, 2 weeks ago, while Jonas was visiting me, we passed a guy sleeping slouched in a corner of a bench. I didn't really look at him, as he looked like a bum, and those benches are one of their favourite hagouts in the summer, so I've learned to ignore them. A few seconds later, my brain sent me signals that there was something wrong with that picture. We doubled back, and found that the guy had blood on the back of his head, which had started to coagulate already. So I tried to wake him, and failed. He was breathing, but didn't react. I called the ambulance, after I described what was happening, they patched me through to the doctor on call, who told me to check his eyes for reaction (none), and then decided that it seems serious enough to come. Well, it took them about 10 minutes, and after they got there, the owner of the bar across the street came closer. It appears that the old man fell of his bike, and that 2 women sat with him for half an hour afterwards, and that he was saying he's ok, and that they should not touch his bike or his stuff. From what I gathered, he was sitting (passed out) on the bench for at least an hour, probably more two after they left. I don't know what happened with him after that. But it makes me wonder, how cold as a society, and as individuals we have gotten. The benches are next to a high frequency path, with houses and bars across the street, and noone looked twice at an old man with a head injury. Even the bar owner didn't check on him after the two women had left. And the pub has a few tables on the sidewalk, so they were literally 6 metres away. Hell, I almost kept going. I'm glad I listened to my gut and went back, even though I don't know if it helped him or not. Well, what I wanted to say is, I think it's good you called the ambulance. There could have been something seriously wrong with him, and you calling the ambulance could have saved him. Oh, something i learned from the doctor on call... don't be too gentle when trying to wake someone up, if he/she doesn't respond to normal shaking, and eventually check their eyes for reaction. If there's none, definitely call an ambulance.
I've had 2 experiences like that, and both scared the life out of me. First one was when we were leaving my parents house to find a woman lying on the road just a couple of feet around the corner from the driveway. With her head in the drain. If my father hadn't been trying to see how close to a pillar he could get the car, she would no longer have a head. My dad nearly had a stroke, and my mother a heart attack. Of course, she was completely and utterly rat arsed drunk. The two policemen who came to take her off our hands knew who she was, though, and brought her home. I have never seen two policemen laugh so hard. I didn't think it was particularly funny... 2nd experience was when I was a lot younger, about fourteen or fifteen. A friend and myself were out walking at night and in the distance, we saw a man lying on the ground. People were stepping over him to get past and we originally thought that he was either drunk or high as a kite. I hate to admit it, but we were going to avoid him too, until we got an attack of concience. Both of us remembered how her father had had a massive heart attack in midday in town and people left him lying on the ground for three hours before someone he knew picked him up and brought him to the hospital. When we got closer to the man, I could see the blood pooling up beneath him from a cut on his head. It turned out that he had just had an epileptic fit and smashed his glasses, cutting his head in the process. He was choking on his tongue and was not in very good condition. My friend had to knock on about ten doors to get someone to actually help and call an ambulance, while I stopped him choking and tried to stop the bleeding. I hope against hope that the people who stepped! over him to go on their merry way go to hell. Do unto others...
