to think shops and cafes should give free sugery drinks to diabetic people in emergency situations?

[ikeaismylocal]

I saw a mum with 3 children having what looked like the beginnings of a fit at a shopping centrer today, everyone else was walking past ignoring her ( whole other thread) I stopped and tried to talk to her but she was very confused and kept trying to tell me her mobile number. I ran into a shop and asked them to call an ambulance ( I had no phone or money, dp had all my things in ds's pushchair and I was meeting him at the car, I'd stopped to go to the toilet)

Her children were about 6 months, 2 and 5, the poor 5 year old was terrified and wouldn't say anything but I chatted to her and told her everything would be ok and after a while she told me her mum was diabetic.

I ran to the nearest cafe and explained there was a diabetic woman who needed a sugary drink and could I have a coke and come back and pay after as I had no money, the lady gave me a coke and I ran back, the diabetic mum drank the coke but was still shaking and sluring her words, I ran back to the cafe and explained and asked for another coke, the lady said no she wouldn't give me anything as I hadn't paid, I'm 7 months pregnant so running isn't something I look at ease doing, I also don't think I look like a kid trying to get some free coke.

I went to a shop further away and they gave me 2 cans of coke. The diabetic lady recovered quite quickly once she had drunk the coke.

Aibu to think that shops and cafes should give free sugery drinks if they are needed?

Yellowfins(and some others)-why so nasty? Do you have something against type 1 diabetics? Do you even know anything about the condition?
Your attitude is truly appalling. I sincerely hope you never have to live with a condition that controls your life in the way type 1 diabetes does for some people.

Well done OP- you knew what to do and you did it, you were only asking others for help in a real emergency. Too many people just walk on by.

Right

whatever

In this case OP managed to get 3 drinks and that helped the woman before the situation became serious.

Would this be your response to a plastic carrier bag needed for a lung puncture
Or a pile of napkins to compress a wound
If not why not
Is it the fact it's a diabetic
Is it because it's a drink
Is it because the cost of the items was more than £1 or something

The idea that the OP should not even try to get the thing to help, on the basis that the shop person may or may not have the authority or inclination to help... That's rather a pessimistic approach. As it was, the OP got 3 drinks, the woman was helped, and she didn't end up in a severe situation possibly involving death, with her 3 kids looking on.

Well done OP I say.

Should the mall/shop owner draw up a policy to cover every aspect of basic humanity?

No I think ikea is suggesting free sugary drinks for diabetics not every condition known to humanity

Some fucking donuts on this thread

Well done OP for being a caring human being and also for your quick thinking

Donuts would have helped the lady in question

Beijaflor-of course not, basic humanity does not rely on policy it relies on individuals who care. This thread is depressing and makes me question what sort of society are we becoming?

Humanity depresses me most of the time. People on this thread reafirm that.

Well done OP. Poor woman.

Precisely, apple.

Bloody hell OP, I can't believe that you are getting such a hard time for being a good samaritan. And well done for sorting it out - actually I wouldn't have known what to do myself, would have had to grab passerby to call ambulance.

Yep, the cost price would have been much, much less than the sale price.

And agree with seven there shouldn't need to be a policy - its basic human decency and a little bit of trust. However I do wonder if its partly about people on crappy contracts who can be easily sacked for putting one step wrong (giving away soft drinks/ leaving their post to help in an emergency) that could make people less likely to help?

I think it is unfair to the woman in the shop who refused to give out a second bottle of coke - she may have no understanding of the diabetics needing sugary drinks or it may have been docked from her wages or she could be accused of theft herself. Wouldn't be fair for her to lose her job

OP doesn't feel strongly enough about the situation to campaign about it

Thank you, Ikea for caring enough to help a woman in need. My husband is diabetic. He takes very good care of himself but I have been with him twice when he has had trouble with his blood sugar. In both instances,he deteriorated so quickly I had to phone for an ambulance straight away. Each time the problem had to do rapid onset pneumonia. I've never seen someone become so sick, so rapidly. If I had not been with him, I would hope someone like you would have seen to him.

I think she would have lost her job if she had refused and the woman had died.

It would be all over the local papers and the business would be trashed.

Most shops know about that sort of thing and hence are happy to help out in emergency medical situations.

Oh and because of, you know, most people being decent human beings and all.

This is the first thread on MN that has made me want to throw my laptop out the window.

Usually you read of people not helping and think to yourself, ah, surely this can't be the majority, most people are kind and good, and then lots of people come in to say yes, they would have helped, yes, this person in need should be helped, and you are reminded that yes, it's not so shitty, the world is a generally good place.

This is the first thread I've seen to say the opposite. For people to come in and smugly declare that yes, they would be those bystanders walking by, not caring, judging those in need and those helping, who couldn't give a fuck about another human life. If you feel the OP acted wrongly, if you wouldn't have done what the OP had done - or stopped and did what you could, if you didn't have the OP's experience and knowledge - then you shouldn't admit that on this thread. You should be ashamed of yourself.

Woman in the shop cannot be blamed. You have no idea of the sort of work pressures she may be under

Like Process said, in some places giving away a couple of bottles of coke she would lose her livelihood

Would you be willing to lose your job?

Yellowfins yes of course.

Bloody hell.

I have never worked in a shop where I was allowed to use the phone. Phone calls cost money. Presumably on that basis, it would be quite understandable for me to refuse to call an ambulance.

What about the pile of napkins to compress a wound.
What about a plastic bag to seal a lung puncture.

No to them to? Exactly the same situation.

Jesus fucking christ.

Blimey, jobs worth more than a life?

Jobsworth is exactly right and there is no worse type of person.

Standing there smugly watching people in terrible situations and refusing to lift a finger to help, invoking an often imaginary "higher power".

The woman in the shop doesn't know OP, or whether she is telling the truth. OP thinks because she isn't young and that she is pregnant that she won't look like she is trying it on - shop woman doesn't know that

Tbh I really wouldn't give a fuck. I'd take that chance.

I am sure shop woman wasn't being smug - just worried about the consequences of giving away sugary drinks

YY because everybody thinks of themselves first and foremost at all times.

Only they don't, do they. Thank god.

Yellow, have my first ever MN biscuit:

I have had to ask in a bar for a pint of c

I don't think the people talking about jobsworths are talking about the woman in the shop. I wasn't.