From: none@not.here   
      
   Paul wrote:   
   > On Sat, 1/3/2026 3:53 PM, David B. wrote:   
   >   
   >> When I did my Saturday 'duty call' to visit this 83 year old lady at 3.30   
   this afternoon, here's what I found:-   
   >>   
   >> https://gemini.google.com/share/732c398c036c   
   >>   
   >> (I got Gemini to put on her trousers to save you embarrassment)   
   >>   
   >> An ambulance was called - which took nearly 4 hours to arrive.   
   > Well, at least you didn't find the individual in the fetal position,   
   > as that's a sign of a severe brain injury.   
   >   
   > A person like that would probably be a bit shocky, and a blanket to keep warm   
   > would be nice. Foreheads bleed readily (if you've played soccer,   
   > you get to see a few of those, bleeders from playing a header).   
   > So while she is a bit bloodied, it might be a small cut on the   
   > forehead, for that amount of blood.   
   >   
   > But landing on a wooden flooring isn't good. When I passed out in   
   > the hallway here, my head struck the shag carpet, and the carpet provides   
   > a bit of cushion to the impact. I just had a bloodied nose when   
   > I came to. I was in shock, from a soccer injury, and that's   
   > why I passed out. Low blood pressure and... out go the lights.   
   >   
   > Ambulances here, are controlled by priorities. If there is a   
   > car accident up the road from that lady, her ambulance goes to the   
   > car accident. You can be "robbed of your ride", by circumstances.   
   > No question it sucks though.   
   >   
   > It would be nice, if other emergency responders were   
   > allowed to carry people, but I don't think it's allowed.   
   > Policemen have driven people from a scene, where it isn't   
   > likely they would get service in time, but other professionals   
   > would deny a request to be transported. They would defer to the   
   > wonderful ambulance system.   
   >   
   > The closest thing to proper carriage, is the Access-a-Bus that   
   > hauls wheel chair people around town. At least you could   
   > stretch a person out on a thing like that. Other vehicles just   
   > don't have the space to do that.   
   >   
   > People have been hauled on the hose rack of fire trucks, but...   
   > likely in a warmer climate :-) The fire truck has a back board,   
   > which would not be as good as a gurney, but it would provide   
   > a better-than-nothing surface.   
   >   
   > On average, the Medivac helicopter flies over my house at   
   > least twice a day. Since some of our hospitals are currently   
   > at 140%, a lot of the flights are long term care patients being   
   > ferried out of town ("to get rid of them" :-) ). The medical system   
   > is rigged, so you can be transported 200 miles from town by such   
   > a system.   
   >   
   > The last time I was up at emerg, I was treated in a hallway, with   
   > other patients standing by their gurney waiting their turn. This means   
   > the entire emerg-core is now overrun with beds for patients. To make   
   > more beds... out of nothingness. That's how a hospital operates above   
   > capacity. You fill hallways. You fill treatment rooms. And so on.   
      
   is this USA?   
      
   >   
   > My first time in a hospital (as a youth), I had just come out of   
   > surgery, and apparently (this is just the way I operate) I'd come out   
   > of the general anesthesia a little too quickly. And I needed to take   
   > a wicked piss :-/ The gurneys from surgery were just left in the hallway   
   > WITH NO STAFF. I couldn't signal to anyone. I also could not jump off my   
   gurney,   
   > or my abdominal stitches might rip (appendicitis and not the pretty way   
   > of doing it either). What do you do now ??? My answer ? Go back to sleep.\   
      
   I had and appendectomy in childhood too. they got it just before it burst   
      
   >   
   >     Paul   
      
      
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