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Wednesday 18 March 2015

AMBULANCE STORY ~ WHERE DO YOU LIVE, LOVE, I CANNOT FIND YOUR HOME?



During my ambulance days I often drove a 'Pope Mobile'. This vehicle was ideal for the job of ferrying patients to and from hospital for kidney dialysis, particularly if they were seated in a wheelchair.  All my patients got to know me well and some of them had a sharp sense of humour to match mine.  I used to take my bit of double glazing Georgian Bar with me, since I am an agent for a local window company.  I sometimes held it up to them as they were entering the Pope Mobile, saying "Bless you, my son/daughter".  It always got a laugh and brightened their day a little.  



It was a cold dark night in the middle of winter.  I was meeting an elderly lady patient for the first time so I was serious and I certainly did not use my little cross on that particular night.  She was frail and in a wheelchair and had just completed her dialysis ~ she had just started with dialysis and was nervous and had recently moved from her own home into a nursing home, always a sad occasion for them.  Sometimes a patient's blood pressure drops after dialysis and that causes them to feel unwell, so she was feeling a little like that and I was trying to get her home and into the warmth as quickly as possible.  I knew the nursing home was nearby but it was brand new and I did not know exactly where it was located, apart from the general area.  The whole complex was newly built and not on any map, and certainly not on my SatNav. 

We approached where I thought it might be and I asked her if she recognised where it was and which way to go.  She said, "We are going in the wrong direction I think, if we turn round and travel the other way I might recognise where we are".   I turned round and we journeyed the other way and she said, "It's too dark and I can't see properly."  Stress was beginning to rear its ugly head and I saw a group of youths by some shops so I parked the vehicle and asked them if they knew where it was, but got the response, "Don't know, gov, try the cop shop up the road!"  I was taking a bit of a chance walking over to them because this area is the roughest in Bristol and people are mugged there quite frequently.  There were six of them and I would not have stood a chance.

I reached the police station and explained the situation and the policeman was quite concerned I had ventured out alone to see that group of 'yobbos', as he described them, saying they had loads of problems with their behaviour. I guess I must have been lucky that night.  He said he knew exactly where the nursing home was and said, "I'll take you, I'll hop into the police car and follow me".  I did, we got there and I thanked him and shook his hand.  I thought that was very decent of him.  It was very near where we had been looking but was hidden behind some wrought iron gates.  I got the lady inside and out of the cold and handed her over to her carer, feeling very relieved she was home safely and without incident.

We have had several instances of not knowing where to deliver patients ~ perhaps I shall tell you some of those stories soon.


37 comments:

  1. Hi Eddie.....
    You must have a million stories of people you have met over the years....
    They certainly must feel your kind nature, and feel safe when in your care....
    I can't think of a better occupation for someone of your good nature....
    Kudos to you Eddie....great job!
    Glad you weren't mugged by those yobbos! My.....what a strange word!
    Enjoy your evening....
    Peter tomorrow? We are having Miss V♥️
    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

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    1. Hi Linda . . Yes the stories seem to be flooding back to me now after several years . . . when I think of one I just jot it down for the list . . Thanks for you very kinds words . . yes glad I was not mugged, too . . :)
      Yes Peter tomorrow . . have a good time with Miss V .. . cheers, Eddie . . :)

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    2. Linda is number one. I should've known.

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    3. See Eddie.....
      Blue knows who is #1!

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  2. Good thing you were in the Pope mobile.....sounds like someone was watching out for you. Going above and beyond, trying your best to get the lady home, speaks volumes. Take care!

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    1. Perhaps you are right, Laurie, I think I have had help on several times doing that job . . . :)

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  3. Surprised you still had hubcaps!
    Jane x

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    1. Yes . . . they might have pinched the wheels . . . surprised the police car had any, it is that rough there . . . :)

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  4. Next time just drive up and ask through a crack in the window...no leaving the ambulance and walking out into danger! Geesh! haha...Glad you got her home alright!

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    1. Sound advice . . .but Hilary has a slant on it I had not considered . . perhaps they had a heart in them after all . . . :)

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    2. True...but I bet they would have steered you in the right direction even if you had asked through the window :)

      You're quiet today....sleeping your Sunday away?

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    3. Well, they were off road in a sort of square so could not have pulled up alongside ~ I think I was fortunate . . . . :)
      lol . . . . I have been on 'kid duty' helping make a raised veg garden and building a wooden surround for it . . . . slept a little of Sunday away this morning . . . :)

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  5. Dear Eddie,

    I posted a Just for Laughs Gag on my blog that involved an ambulance (a few days ago, I think), and, of course, I thought of you. So nice to see a post from you.

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    1. Thanks Linda ~ I'll pop over and have a look . . . :)

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  6. Despite your reservations and police opinion, the "'yobbos" kindly steered you in the right direction.. as best they could. You must bring out the best in most people.

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    1. Hi Hilary ~ I had nor considered this ~ maybe those guys were ok after all . . . :)

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  7. Hi Eddie .. I can imagine finding places, especially before sat nav must have been quite difficult. Glad the yobbos didn't attack you ... and that the lady was back in her warm nursing centre - reassured ... cheers Hilary

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    1. Yes . . . we had difficulty returning a few of them home for various reasons . . :)

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  8. Catching up and just read back through several ambulance stories. Fun stuff!

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    1. Great to see you SAW ~ and glad you liked the stories . . :)

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  9. I admire your handling of the situation. I do not like being lost! SatNav has been a lifesaver for me.

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    1. Thanks Michelle ~ just had to do it really ~ no choice.
      Yes, the SatNav has been so very useful to me over the years ~ using it again tomorrpw.
      I hate getting lost as well . . . :)

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  10. I'm surprised you managed to find your way home afterwards! Ha! (to quote a well known bloggy lady).

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    1. Just headed for the nearest fish and chip shop called "The Cod Almighty" ~ then I knew where I was . . . . lol

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    2. Like me, only I used to head for "The Lord Nelson", my second home.

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  11. Good thing you didn't bless the gang... They might not have been amused. Or the cops for that matter, for sometimes they're the same ;)

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    1. Yes . . . that would have been funny . . or not . . . yes cops sometimes are nearly as bad . . :)

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  12. I was going to write something similar to what Hilary wrote. Although the "yobbos" had an unsavoury reputation they assisted as best they could. You certainly don't want to be reckless in whom you approach but we often project on people a certain behaviour. I am glad you got your patient safely home. ""Neither rain, nor sleet, nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds" nor stays Eddie from delivering his fragile cargo :-)

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  13. Thanks Susie, I think the yobbos has quite a bit of good in them ~ everybody has if we can reach it . . :)

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  14. Gosh, I'd probably STILL be driving around looking for the place! I have no sense of direction-- and no nerve when it comes to asking strangers for directions! Glad you got your patient home safely, Eddie.
    Hope all is well in your world and little Peter is a joy!
    xo jj

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    1. Hi Joanna ~ great to see you.
      Many of us had trouble getting people home ~ sometimes the addresses were wrong which turned the journey into a nightmare . . . . .
      Thanks about Peter ~ we are very fortunate to have him ~ judging by his natural charisma and strong character we feel one day he will be Prime Minister . . . . haha!

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  15. I would always feel safe with you, Eddie




    ALOHA from Honolulu
    ComfortSpiral
    =^..^=

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    1. Silly girl . . . .haha!
      Just joking of course ~ and very nice of you to say that . . . x

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  16. I really appreciate your professional approach. These are pieces of very useful information that will be of great use for me in future.

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  17. Very interesting blog. A lot of blogs I see these days don't really provide anything that attract others, but I'm most definitely interested in this one. Just thought that I would post and let you know.

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