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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have phoned an ambulance

54 replies

Rollovollo · 17/11/2018 14:26

My auntie had survey a week ago. I went to check in on her this morning, I found her in a pool of blood, in pain and barely conscious. I phoned the team she was under and the dr (who said to phone an ambulance) but now I'm hearing grief from neighbours saying it was a waste of time.
Did I do the wrong thing? Aibu?

OP posts:
Teateaandmoretea · 17/11/2018 16:22

Just hear so many stories of ambulances being wasted and hate to think I was one of them

Nobody normal would possibly think that. The neighbours are nuts, pure and simple.

PinkBuffalo · 17/11/2018 16:37

You did the right thing OP Flowers
But the neighbours sound awful! Makes me feel lucky than whenever I have to get the Ambulance out on a semi regular basis, my neighbours have often just called round to check everything's ok and if I need anything.
Take no notice, you did what had to be done and I hope your auntie is ok. It must have been a shock for you too x

AsleepAllDay · 17/11/2018 16:41

That is not a wasted ambulance! Otherwise she'd still be in a pool of blood!

medusa83 · 17/11/2018 16:44

You aren't a medical professional so if you think it might be an emergency then call.

My son was 11 months old and was having breathing difficulties while on the m40 in a traffic jam. I didn't call for an ambulance as I thought I was being neurotic and would be wasting their time.

By the time he did get to hospital he was classed as being in "imminent respiratory failure" and rushed through to be put on life support.
He could have easily have died on that motorway, and the fact that I was too polite to call an ambulance fills me with fear now tbh.

So yanbu

reallyanotherone · 17/11/2018 16:48

Of course ywbu.

There was really no need when so many of your neighbours are medically qualified. I’m sure had you asked one of them would have nipped round and examined your auntie. There’s bound to be at least one qualified in emergency medicine or general surgery.

Ask them for their phone number so next time you have a medical emergency you can just call them.

You need to go round and apologise and say you didn’t realise they were qualified dr’s who were happy to work while not on duty.

Aeroflotgirl · 17/11/2018 16:51

None of their business, are they trained medical professionals. Your neighbours sounds awful.

Starlight345 · 17/11/2018 16:52

you are not wasting time.

You had no idea what had happened to her . Semi conscious requires an ambulance.

I would also add , the 999 do screen to decide if it is an emergency.

I have only needed to phone once but they sent rapid response based on there assessment of information given.

I hope she is a little better now

EmmaGeddon · 17/11/2018 17:12

Your neighbours have no idea what was happening. A lot of 999 calls get downgraded - people calling for a stubbed toe/sprained ankle/swollen knee etc. Genuine emergencies need an urgent response. Don't beat yourself up about it. Hope your auntie is recovering well.

sazzle27 · 17/11/2018 17:14

As someone who works frontline ambulances... you definitely did the right thing!

MarmaladeIsMyJam · 17/11/2018 17:14

Why on earth would the neighbours come up to you and give you grief (what on earth did they say?????)

They don't even know why it was there?

Nightgremlin · 17/11/2018 17:16

I'm sorry this happened to your Auntie, and I hope you have some support to.

In your OP you said the Dr told you to call an ambulance.
You were told by a qualified medical professional who is familiar with your auntie's case to call an ambulance. End of story.
Tell the neighbors they should by all means complain - and explain to the Doctor who told you what you needed to do how they're more qualified than him/her to diagnose without a medical degree or seeing the patient.....

This ridiculous thing about not calling ambulances is going to cost a life one day because the people who do waste ambulance time and cause the problems aren't listening. All it's doing is putting doubt into the minds of people who are normally rational and logical and wouldn't call an ambulance unless it was needed.
If I am unsure I call 111 and ask them, they will send an ambulance if they deem it necessary.

lljkk · 17/11/2018 17:24

What would you have done if you hadn't phone an ambulance, tried to make her comfy on the cold floor? Confused

Maybe the neighbours don't understand or maybe they are stupid. It's not worth worrying about what they believe.

jelliebelly · 17/11/2018 17:24

Ignore the neighbours -anybody in a pool of blood needs an ambulance in my book!

bofsy1 · 17/11/2018 17:26

Should have left Auntie on the floor bleeding and unconscious. Seriously, how would anyone have to justify an ambulance in such circumstances.

CurlyWurlyTwirly · 17/11/2018 17:30

Her neighbours are c*nts
Hope your Aunty is making a good recovery

notapizzaeater · 17/11/2018 17:31

Tell the neighbours to jog on. You did the right thing

diddl · 17/11/2018 17:31

Barely conscious & in a pool of blood?

What the hell else were you supposed to do?

BlueJava · 17/11/2018 17:31

Of course you did the right thing, it's nothing to do with the neighbours anyway! I hope she and you are both ok!

EmilyRosiEl · 17/11/2018 17:42

Wow, those neighbours are terrible!! It's so great that you went to visit your aunt and were able to call an ambulance- you dealt with a lot to cope with all that!

CaliHummers · 17/11/2018 18:11

I used to call handle for an OOH service. I'd have put your call through to 999. At that stage, they would have gone through a series of questions and could have downgraded it. Or the paramedics could have treated her at home and not taken her to hospital. As it is, 999 processed your call and the paramedics took her to be admitted to hospital. This proves you were right.

Even if paramedics don't take someone to hospital, you're still right to get them out. They're still needed.

You did a good thing OP.

Original poster
Rollovollo · 17/11/2018 18:23

Thank you everyone, I am glad you've deemed I done the right thing. It turns out she was put to sleep and they've had to fit a drain into her wound, an infection was seeping in and made the pain worse. She's on morphine and oxygen now.
No the neighbours were completely unaware, but I went back to my aunties to turn off appliances and get together some clothes, two neighbours from separate houses came up to me and said "is xxx ok we noticed the ambulance" so I just replied no she's very sore and has been taken to hospital. The 2nd neighbour said "do you not thing you should have taken her yourself" I just mmm'd (bit of shock kicking in, bit dazed, just trying to remember if I'd turned everything off) then they spoke to each other about how much it costs for an ambulance to come out.
I stupidly "well I've already spoken to the team that done her surgery and they have no beds left to admit her in" so then that was all the ammunition they needed to start having a go "can't have been that bad" "get a taxi"
Then 3rd neighbour came out and they told her I'd wasted an ambulance time as she didn't even need hospital😠
My auntie has nobody at home, she was supposed to go to a smaller hospital but was refused on the basis that she was fine😠

OP posts:
Nightgremlin · 17/11/2018 18:46

Well I'd be shaming them right back by saying that one of them could have checked on an elderly and vulnerable neighbour who they knew was ill, and the whole thing might not have happened.
Please don't let them get to you, you did the right thing.

GaryBaldbiscuit · 17/11/2018 18:47

so sorry they treated you like that.
you acted under instructions
please dont worry about silly nosy neighbours.

madmum5811 · 17/11/2018 18:53

A friend had a hysterectomy, became ill after a few days, OH took her to the GP in awful pain. They had to call an ambulance. So you did the right thing.

MrsSarahSiddons · 17/11/2018 18:55

What cheeky fuckers these neighbours are! You did the right thing and they are being impertinent and ridiculous.