[deejie]

I was walking up to the local suburban shopping strip this morning with DS2 in the pram. Around 100m ahead of us was an elderly lady (70s? 80s?) walking by herself in the same direction. She stumbled, fell forwards and didn't get up immediately. I ran up to her, by which time she was sitting awkwardly cradling her right arm. She appeared shocked, her face was scraped and bleeding slightly on one side where she had obviously impacted on the concrete.

After a couple of minutes I established her name, that she was going to the shops, fell forwards, tried to stop herself with her hand, but it gave way and her face hit the ground. Her shoulder felt sore and it hurt when she tried to move her arm. I was pretty sure she broke her collarbone and suggested that I call an ambulance.

She didn't want me to call an ambulance, she was quite insistent that I phone her daughter who lived a few minutes drive away. She didn't have her own mobile, so I found her address book in her handbag and used my mobile to phone her daughter. No answer on her mobile, her home number or her work number. I phoned all three again and left messages, my name, that I was with her Mum who fell over, that I think she has broken a collarbone and wanted to ring an ambulance but she wanted me to phone her first, please phone straight away. I SMSd her mobile with the same. I suggested againto the lady that we should call an ambulance and she was adamant her daughter would ring back. I gave it a couple of minutes, in which she didn't phone back. At this point I persuaded the lady that phoning an ambulance was the best thing to do, so I did. She wasn't overly happy with the situation

The paramedics obviously took her to hospital. She still couldn't move her arm without pain in the front of her shoulder. About 5minutes after the ambulance left, the daughter phoned my mobile. I explained I ended up phoning for the ambulance. The daughter was very unhappy with me. Her Mum doesn't have any form of private health cover, or ambulance cover and she said last time years ago they had to phone an ambulance for Mum, SHE got stuck with a bill for thousands. She threatened to send me the ambulance bill, said I had done the wrong thing, I should have waited for her to call, that she would have driven her to hospital herself. I ended up getting jack of this, DS2 was screaming in the background and I just hung up on her (not my finest moment). She phoned back and I ignored it.

What would you have done, EB? On foot, in public, no means of transport. Sure, I could have waited. Sure I could have knocked on the door of a house on the street, but what was I meant to do? Ask THEM to drive her to hospital? I still thinking ringing the ambulance was the best course of action.

This woman has tried to ring me back a couple of times this afternoon. So far, I have ignored her. I'm not sure if I am game enough yet to cop another tirade

This post has been edited by deejie: 26/11/2012, 06:36 PM

[Sinister Bonnet]

I would have called the ambulance.
That's a really bizarro response from planet bizarro if you ask me.

[Chedasha]

You did the right thing. Perhaps the daughter if she doesn't want ambulance bills can arrange ambulance cover as single cover is not too expensive.

The hide of some people. I am hoping she is ringing to apologise.

[*Hayley]

I would have done exactly what you did! If they have already been burnt by not having cover before that is their own problem not yours!

I would answer if she calls again and tell her if she keeps harassing you that you will call the police.

[casime]

Of course you did the right thing.

I'm not sure what state you live in, but if it's QLD, then everyone is covered for ambulance transport as its paid through the electricity system. I'm pretty sure that in most states if you're a pensioner (which she probably is if she is in her 70s or 80s) you are also covered. Aside from that, it's a vital thing to have, so she should have learnt her lesson when she copped a bill last time!

Don't worry yourself about it. If she keeps ringing, then tell her to go worry about her mother and stop bothering you.

[RunawayPrincess]

I wouldn't have called an ambulance, not unless I thought the woman's life was in danger.
If I had a car, I would have driven the woman to the hospital. If I didn't have any transport I would have either 1) waited for the daughter to call or 2) called a taxi and taken the woman to the hospital that way.

I don't think you did the wrong thing, though.

This post has been edited by RunawayPrincess: 26/11/2012, 03:02 PM

[Waratah]

You did the right thing. You tried your best to contact the daughter I think you should be commended.

[melaine]

If the daughter (or the lady herself) did not organise ambulance cover after the last trip then that is their problem.

I would have done exactly as you did. You did the right thing.

I wouldn't answer today. If she calls back tomorrow I'd answer if it was convenient and explain. If she was rude or didn't listen I'd hang up and ignore her calls from then on.

[Luvmy4]

You did exactly what I would have done.

The elderly lady consented to you calling an ambulance, she consented to getting in the ambulance.

In no way would you be responsible for the bill.

I would either ignore the phone calls, send her a text saying you did what her Mother consented you to do so stop calling or contact your phone provider & ask about blocking her number

It sucks when you get blasted for doing the right thing

[Baggy]

I would have done exactly the same as you. You tried to contact the daughter multiple times - no answer. The next step was to phone an ambulance.

Can you block her number from calling you? She sounds like a PITA.