lelia wrote:
Paleo, I'd like to hear more of both stories.
As for people not helping when someone is dying, I would expect that. I and everybody I know will not act if we feel helpless or incompetent. And most of us are incompetent at most things. And most of those of the neurotypical persuasion look for permission from the surrounding people before doing something, and when the surrounding people are also looking for permission, everyone is standing around staring wondering what they should do. Or so it seems to me.
First story.
I was in the Army out at McGregor Range, White Sands NM, booneys, miles from no where, I liked it. A few friends and I dicided to do some drugs, on a week end. We all did the same damn thing, the other guys wondered off, I stayed with the guy that had never done it. All was well for a while and then he got sick and over all was feeling not so well, nothing I could do to fix it. Our Medics were from Viet Nam, pros in all sorts of things, trust our lives to those guys. But safe to just go see in any event, so I did, took him there. He felt better, as did I, and we went back to our barrecks, but before I left the head medic said, to me, if he gets sick again, get me. I had to do that and I ran when I did. They couldn't find his blood pressure and it was one of the longest rides I have ever done, getting my friend to El Paso. It was his apendix, of all times to have it happen, I can't imagine what he went through. He lived.
A while later his parents came to the unit, ate in the mess hall with everyone. My Sergent came over to our table and said they wanted to meet me, I was to shy to go and damn if he didn't have a beatiful sister, but I was to shy to go.
I helped, the medics and the docs in El Paso did it.
One of the last times, I hope. I was in a mall, an old duffer went down and a young mall cop was trying to do cpr. I helped, taking pulse, told him to clear the air way first and when he did, some young thing said "yuck", becasue he had false teeth. Honest to god I never wanted to hit someone more then I did her at that moment. He didn't make it. I still feel like I f*cked up and the young cop was a real hero. The young girl that said "yuuuuck"? I think she has thought about the rage in my face long enough and I'm sorry, even about that.
They just stand around and I don't understand it.
Did I ever tell you I actually volunteered for Viet Nam? Talk about a bad day...whew....
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Just enjoy what you do, as best you can, and let the dog out once in a while.