Ambulance or Take Yourself?

[Kathi OD]

If you're really sick, it's better to go to the ER in an ambulance. In most hospitals, if you come in an ambulance you get evaluated sooner.

Seven years ago, I went to the hospital, at 3AM, in an ambulance. We lived about 1.5 miles in the hospital. Yes, my husband could have driven me there faster, but it would have been dangerous for him to try and get me into the car by himself considering the condition I was in. The paramedics actually assess your condition enroute and inform the hospital that you're on the way and what your issues are.

Now for a broken bone, or cut, I'd have had DH drive me, but in a true emergency? Ambulance all the way, baby!

 

[Stitchfans]

I know what hospital you are talking about. I know for a fact that if you drive yourself to the emergency you have to wait. Back in 1998 when I had my heart attack my oldest DD drove me to the hospital. I sat for 45 minutes having a heart attack unable to breath, and with chest pains.

Then when they finally put me in a room I sat there even longer. After 4 1/2 hours and my lips turning blue my oldest DD screamed at them to take care of me. When someone finally paid attention to me they whisked me down for surgery. I had 80% and 100% blockage. guess it wasn't my time to go yet, huh?

Not sure if going in the ambulance would of made a bit of difference?Maybe?? Who knows.?

 

[CathrynRose]

I know what hospital you are talking about. I know for a fact that if you drive yourself to the emergency you have to wait. Back in 1998 when I had my heart attack my oldest DD drove me to the hospital. I sat for 45 minutes having a heart attack unable to breath, and with chest pains.

Then when they finally put me in a room I sat there even longer. After 4 1/2 hours and my lips turning blue my oldest DD screamed at them to take care of me. When someone finally paid attention to me they whisked me down for surgery. I had 80% and 100% blockage. guess it wasn't my time to go yet, huh?

Not sure if going in the ambulance would of made a bit of difference?Maybe?? Who knows.?

See, I've always had really, really good luck with that Hospital. I've gone their for myself, and boys for asthma - and are whisked away. I also went there with my eyeball issue (see: http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=29612747&postcount=24 )

I know for a cut, or a broken bone - you'd have to wait, but in 'emergencies' I've always had good luck.

I guess it makes sense, but I think I would have had my husband take me. We're just so close.

 

[wvjules]

Wow, that's awesome sitting by the window eating chocolates and enjoying the midnight showing of someone's medical emergency. Nothing like free entertainment at the expense of someone else's emergency.

 

[Angelhalo]

Wow, that's awesome sitting by the window eating chocolates and enjoying the midnight showing of someone's medical emergency.

I would have too. Already woken up so why not watch? Meh...human nature to be interested.

Cat we were in the same situation in FL. We lived like 4 blocks from the hospital. Actually had to go there a few times and I can't think of ANYTHING that would have made me call an ambulance rather than one of us driving short of dying and being home alone. I'd rather not have to pay for the ambulance if I don't have too.

 

[minkydog]

We live within walking distance of a hospital and I had to call an ambulance to take my husband to the hospital and he was sitting up when the took him out of here. I had no choice.

He's a type 1 diabetic and he got a new pump and apparently he got distracted when he was programming it and OD himself on insulin overnight ( he had the pump for 10 years so it wasn't like he was a novice). I awoke when I heard him moaning and gurgling. I immediately recognized what was wrong and got the glucogen and injected him; however, it didn't do the trick. Why because he wasn't paying attention and the stupid thing had expired 4 years previous. He was passed out so I couldn't give him anything to eat or drink. I couldn't have carried him down the stairs and to the car. I called an ambulance. They came and gave him an IV. Within, minutes he was semi-conscious but since he wasn't lucid he couldn't refuse medical treatment so they took him off to the hospital sitting up looking somewhat dazed.

What a night. The house just happened to be a mess and my husband was naked IYKWIM. I was embarrassed to say the least.

This is a very good point. If an adult is unconcious it is near impossible for one person to pick them up and carry them, unless they are extremely fit and used to lifting 150-lbs of dead weight.

We have taken our youngest son to the ER on several occasions for prolonged seizures and head injuries. He is severely mentally handicapped and as such is very accident prone. Since we live within a few minutes of the ER we have carried him in ourselves. We haven't had to call 911...Yet. But he's 14yo now and the size of a young adult. And he hasn't hit his growth spurt yet He's going to be a very big boy. I can't even lift him when he falls out of bed, let alone down two flights of stairs and into the car. Impossible.

OP, I hope your neighbor is okay. Maybe you can ask around later today.

 

[Sheree Bobbins]

I vote for ambulance. They have the equipment to assess you and save your life in an emergency.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

We had a situation locally where a child fell of a piece of playground equipment and injured their leg. A recess monitor tried to move the child, and severed their femoral artery -- the child almost died.

Sometimes it's better to call an ambulance.

 

[Stitchfans]

See, I've always had really, really good luck with that Hospital. I've gone their for myself, and boys for asthma - and are whisked away. I also went there with my eyeball issue (see: http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=29612747&postcount=24 )

I know for a cut, or a broken bone - you'd have to wait, but in 'emergencies' I've always had good luck.

I guess it makes sense, but I think I would have had my husband take me. We're just so close.

Since it is pretty close to our home we still go there and I have to admit it is better now. I was admitted there a few weeks ago and I have no complaints about the care I received. Guess it is hit or miss with that hospital. I delivered my oldest DD there in 1980, and again had great service. Who can figure??

 

[CathrynRose]

Wow, that's awesome sitting by the window eating chocolates and enjoying the midnight showing of someone's medical emergency. Nothing like free entertainment at the expense of someone else's emergency.

3.30, actually.

Gimme a break, really. Considering the ambulance and fire truck were there, and neither he nor I are medically trained, there was little he or I could do to assist. And at that point, we were up - and ate some chocolate.

Did you have an opinion on the post topic, or just enticed by the chocolate?

OP, I hope your neighbor is okay. Maybe you can ask around later today.

Already planned on it. Ill update if I hear anything.

 

[My sister's princess]

Wow, that's awesome sitting by the window eating chocolates and enjoying the midnight showing of someone's medical emergency. Nothing like free entertainment at the expense of someone else's emergency.

I wonder whats worse, judging someone for watching and wondering about someone they know, or reading about it then making judging/mean remarks?

OP I would be just as curious, you don't sound mean, in fact it seems that you are a kind person!

 

[wvjules]

3.30, actually.

Gimme a break, really. Considering the ambulance and fire truck were there, and neither he nor I are medically trained, there was little he or I could do to assist. And at that point, we were up - and ate some chocolate.

Did you have an opinion on the post topic, or just enticed by the chocolate?



Already planned on it. Ill update if I hear anything.

Well actually since you put in the "" I assumed you found it amusing. No where did I suggest that you assist the EMTs or whoever was there. I just found it kind of sad that you were amused enough by the incident to laugh.

I wonder whats worse, judging someone for watching and wondering about someone they know, or reading about it then making judging/mean remarks?

We are this DIS. That is what we do here. You new?

BTW, where did I say anything mean?

Oh and depending on the emergency I might or might not call an ambulance. I won't know until if/when I am in that situation.

 

[My sister's princess]

I always get myself in trouble on the CB!!!

 

[Rora]

It would depend on what was wrong--could I get in/out of a vehicle on my own; what something else wrong before she left the house--seizure, fell, etc.

I agree with this 100%. If I had just broke a bone or had a horrible fever/stomach ache/whatever, I'd drive myself. But, if it was life threatening, I'd call the ambulance in hopes that they would be able to stabilze me in the short distance from the house to the hospital.

 

[bumbershoot]

Maybe they were thinking that ambulance arrivals get a higher priority at the ER and they could avoid sitting there for 5 or 6 hous, especially if your local hosp. is a trauma cntr.

True true.

Sure, sometimes you happen to be the biggest problem walking in, but other times there are going to be worse, and you might wait even to be triaged so they can figure out if you're the biggest problem.

As DD mentioned above, even a driver could get panicked if the passenger/patient was having something awful happening, seizure, bleeding, lord knows what, while in transport. Trained medical folks, like son and DIL mentioned above, routinely deal with that stuff on a day to day basis and are not nearly as emotionally involved.

I do hope she is okay.

Good point.

And me, too.




I know that in my city it gets more complicated, as we pay for ambulance transports. We called 911 when DS burned his chest (he was "helping" hubby make dinner...I was not aware of what they were doing until DS slapped the spoon on the pasta water causing a splash), and they were glad we called but told us to just drive him up to the children's hospital, b/c they didn't want us to have to pay for it. But when he fell at Target a couple months later, we opted for the ambulance.

Let me just tell you, Rural/Metro ambulance company is the biggest pain in the neck! First to bill insurance (so insurance paid as though it was NOT an emergency and that was rectified almost a year later), LAST to bill us, I actually contacted them first, which confused them...they offered a discount then rescinded it and I spent the next 8 or so months back and forth with insurance and R/M trying to figure out if I needed to pay that extra $70. They were a pain.

Which is going to make it even harder to decide, should we have a borderline emergency in the future, b/c of the pay-for-ambulance issue in Tacoma.


That said, we did call 911 for my MIL, even though we were 5 minutes away at that point, b/c she was beyond dehydrated after being extremely tummy and belly sick for 36 hours, her mental state was weird, etc. We figured that the emergency people had bags of fluid (turns out they couldn't find a vein though), and we pulled into her apt complex as they were getting the gurney to take her. And when she got there, she was whisked right in, ahead of the 20 or so people sitting in the waiting room. It was good in her situation!


I think the important thing to realize is that, at least in my area, calling 911 doesn't mean you are absolutely going to be transported. With DS's burn, they evaluated him and told us what to do. No charge (taxes paid for that). With his head injury, they evaluated him and opted to take him to the hospital. So the neighbor might have needed someone to come evaluate her, but not necessarily take her...and the EMTs/firefighters (we have gotten a mix each time we've called) decided she did need to go.

Hope she's doing better!

 

[Cool-Beans]

If I couldn't (or didn't want to try to) move them, I'd call the ambulance.

If they needed the kind of care you can get from medics, I'd call the ambulance.

If the hospital was in a strange city where I didn't know how to get around and time was an issue, I'd call the ambulance.

 

[KSchwagg86]

Maybe they were thinking that ambulance arrivals get a higher priority at the ER and they could avoid sitting there for 5 or 6 hous, especially if your local hosp. is a trauma cntr.

This IS true, but I wouldn't be able to justify the $3,000 ambulance ride!

 

[C.Ann]

For myself, I try to avoid amubulances (and ER's) at all costs!!

However, a year ago April when I had to go to the ER an ambulance was the only option.. I was in such severe pain - totally curled up in a fetal position - and my son-in-law couldn't get me in the car..

With my DH it always had to be by ambulance - due to his breathing problems and the fact that he was so seriously ill..

Many insurance plans don't cover the cost of an ambulance (which can be very costly - no matter how close the hospital is) - so I think most people actually put some thought into it before they decide to call one..

 

[CathrynRose]

Well actually since you put in the "" I assumed you found it amusing. No where did I suggest that you assist the EMTs or whoever was there. I just found it kind of sad that you were amused enough by the incident to laugh.



We are this DIS. That is what we do here. You new?

BTW, where did I say anything mean?

Oh and depending on the emergency I might or might not call an ambulance. I won't know until if/when I am in that situation.

The said :

***(why is chocolate so good in the middle of the night? )****

It was the way you can squish chocolate into your mouth in the middle of the night and it be so good. Never woke up craving something sweet? That was last night - and it just happened to be during the ambulance thing. No one was laughing last night, standing in the window, eating chocolate. I laughed this morning about the chocolate. I didn't say "So, we popped some popcorn, and set up lawnchairs on the front lawn, pointing and laughing"

And why am I explaining myself, anyways. You're looking for a reason to be snarky with your "The is the DIS, this is what we do".

Maybe it's what some do.

I always get myself in trouble on the CB!!!

Nahhh. It's just what some people like to do.

 

[MushyMushy]

The really important question is, what kind of chocolate was it? Dark chocolate, milk chocolate? What brand?

I mean, geez, if you're gonna party while the neighbor is in crisis, I hope it's at least something good.