[Lea N]

Originally Posted by Bambi

On Nov 27th a friend called me to state that due to a unknown medical condition that was discovered during a routine doctor’s appointment, she was sent by ambulance to Leesburg. She is the sole and capable caregiver of her severely disabled husband. I live in the Marion County section of The Villages but possessed the only key to the house. It was late afternoon and my friend had been sitting in a recliner since 9 am.
When I entered the home, found him (a very large man ) sitting in the recliner that would not go upright with out a manual assist from a person shoving from the back. He was unclothed from the waist down to facilitate the use of a couple urinals. He was pasty looking, large amount of bilateral edema and short of breath even while speaking. I had not seen him in a couple years.
I phoned their doctor who instructed me to call 911 for an ambulance and send him to Leesburg. She would call ER to inform to expect him. Since he was stable at this time I called the non emergency sheriff’s office and requested no fire truck-but ambulance and that per doctor’s order he was to be transported to Leesburg.

When the ambulance arrived, the personnel questioned my friend if the edema and shortness of breath were of recent onset. He said no and they refused transportation. I said that I had to leave. They told me that someone else was probably dying because they were at his house. I replied that he had a cell phone and if he was still in that physical condition trapped in a broken recliner with just snacks and two urinals, I would call 911 again. They said they would come and leave again. When I said I would call again, they threatened to call the sheriff and have me arrested. I then told them I would request the ordering doctor to call and it they could charge her.
They said if they took him, he would be turned around -sent home- He would have to pay every penny for not only the ambulance but the entire hospital bill. His condition was deteriorating and he said he was getting very dizzy and begged to go to the hospital. Their reasoning was that I used the non emergency number and said doctor advised an ambulance and he should have used a paid service. They spent at least a half hour arguing.
After placing him on the stretcher, I assumed they would preserve his dignity and cover him at least with a paper sheet. Nope a nearby hand towel was used for his manly areas. He was breathing like a blow fish out of the water- no 02 offered or head of stretcher placed in upright position.
Friends walked by him later in the ER on their way to visit his wife and he looked so bad they didn’t recognize him. He was clad in hand towel only.

The end of the story is after the doctors examined him and told the wife he was a “real mess”, he was admitted for five days- his wife for four days.
He needed help. Trapped in a broken chair, unable to move for hours in poor condition. I am glad I was there to see that he finally had assistance.
Not much more to say about your great new ambulance service.

This is so sad. I'm glad you were there to help.