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Witnessed A Ladies Death Today :(

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sheribee | 23:20 Wed 30th Jan 2013 | Health & Fitness
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Hi everyone, today has been a sad day!
I was in my local council offices today, a lady sat near my husband and was waving at my baby, and he was waving back.
Next thing, she appears to have some sort of fit, making snoring type noises and collapses.
The council staff all got up and were staring saying to each other what do we do? Should I call an ambulance, but 2 members of the public were trying to help her, lay her down but no council staff did!
The lady then stopped breathing, a first wider happened to walk in and found the lady had no pulse and started CPR, the ambulance took a good 8 minutes if not more.
They were working on her for quite a while bless her.
I thought public places were supposed to have Dfibs, so that emergency heart shocking can be given in the time frame that it needs to be for a better outcome for the person.
I don't kno if it would have made a difference to this lady but I kno shopping malls and supermarkets have them.
They put up screens and his her and the staff doing CPR as best as could be, was just so sad! She was playing with my son then the next second she died!
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What a horrible experience for you, sheribee. Was the lady elderly? It makes us realise how fragile life can be.
these things happen, but it is still a shock for you.....you may have a nasty dream or two, so take care.
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what a horrible thing to witness......just teaches us again to treasure every moment x
Well said headwreck.
Must have been a distressing experience Sherribee. There have been many calls for more public places to have ready access to defibrillators, and there is an e-petition lodged with Number 10 if you care to sign it ( although I cannot remember when it expires)

There is no official legislation mandating the presence of defibrillators in public offices that I am aware of, although I personally think it would be a good idea...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17925730

Number 10 e-petition ( just checked, closing date 10/02/2013, 100,000 signatures and counting :) )

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/29399

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She wasn't elderly, I would have said 60s.
I felt bad and still do as I used to work in care and did first aid, I thought maybe I should have done something too but 3 people round this lady I probably would have been in the way.
I actually saw all the colour go from her face and lips, was just terrible!
I don't know what happened to her, but she didn't seem to have heart attack, I've seen epileptic fits before in residents I cared for and this was very similar, no jerking but snoring type noise and frothing at mouth.
My husband is quite upset as he was very close by and was holding baby and telling him to wave back at the lady, I was at the counter with the council lady but was still very close.
You just would have thought that at a big building like that, they would have had a defib machine, I just thought actually, the swimming pool is nxt door, they may have had one.
This poor lady, and of course her family!
Feel very sad tonight and keep replaying it, its no way to go is it, in front of lots of people like that. Should be tucked up in bed and peaceful bless her xx
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It is nice to know she was happily playing with my baby boy in the seconds before she collapsed, she was smiling at him as he waved.
Just wish there was more we could have done for her!
Life is taken so quickly from us, and day to day mundane stuff makes you forget this! May she rest in peace!!
Don't fret about not trying to help. As you say, there were others around doing what they could, and by the sound of it, there was nothing that could have helped. At least it was quick for the poor lady. I was also a first aider when at work and it's always hard to know when to intervene. Hope you get some sleep tonight. x
I had a similar experience in a shop Sheribee. A very large man near me reached for something, started to roar and began toppling over. I caught him...we both ended on the floor and I held him until help came. He was making snoring noises and frothing at the mouth and I was told he'd had a heart attack.
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I'm sorry to hear about this, but to answer your question about defibrillators - I work for the local council and I know of no premises which have one. When you look at the amount of places that are council run, the cost to install one in every building would be astronomical and council tax payers would be up in arms. There isn't even a legal requirement to have a trained first aider in most places, but untrained staff are warned not to attempt first aid - probably due to the amount of people willing to sue the council. It's a sad state of affairs but unfortunately it boils down to money for so many people.
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I bet this lady has a lovely family missing her tonight, she obviously like children x would be nice I think if I could find out who she was and write a note to her loved ones telling them what she was doing just before her passing, I know that would give me comfort!
I wonder if it would be I the local paper.
Do you think I should Do something like that for her family?
That sounds like a lovely idea sheribee. It would help comfort them and help you to feel at peace with the situation too.

There might be something in the local paper but unlikley other than a regular death notice. The council will have a record of her but are unlikely to release her details to you, so how about trying your councillor? Find out who it is and phone them up. Tell them the whole story and ask them to help put you in touch with or pass your letter on to the family. If not try the local vicar.

As others have said, try not to reflect on the "what if", but take it easy and be restful over the next few days. You will be in shock and you'll need to give yourself a bit of time to get over it. Take care.
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The town is huge with lots of churches so I don't think a vicar could be of help. Local councillor could be the way to go, or I though if the paper writes about it then maybe they could pass on my details to the family and they could perhaps send me their address if they would like me to write to them about what happened.
I wonder if it was her heart then, but she was fine then all if a sudden eyes shut and making these noises.
My brain won't be quiet, I keep thinking about her, death is so final, she could have had so much to live for!
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Sher...you're head will go around thinking about what happened and what if. You wouldn't be such a caring person if you never gave it a thought. Do think about her..about the pleasure your child was giving her.....you must have been meant to be there and that's a good thing.
If she was mine I would want to know who was with her...what was happening. In your place I think I would write a short message about your little one playing the waving game in a card with your contact details and ask at the council offices if they could forward it. x
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I should really gobrobsleep but I googled about heart attacks and it does seem this could the case.
The person loses consciousness and then as the brain lacks oxygen then the person starts to make snoring noises , after a few minutes they stop breathing, exactly what happened.
I always imagined people grabbing their chest etc but it says only about 30% of women have chest pains.

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