I saw a woman collapse today

ANDREW GREEN · 28 Aug 2025 at 21:49

She looked like she was down between 45-60 seconds. So I ran across the street to come to her aid. I asked if I could help, if I could call am ambulance, call family members or walk her to her house. She said she just slipped and she was okay but she looked to be in her 20s and was down for a fair amount of time. I felt like something serious like a stroke may have happened to her. I've never seen anyone collapse like this before. But I also thought I didn't want to impose myself onto her and come across as someone who was harrassing her. Now I feel guilty that she may have had a serious medical emergency and I walked away from it.

IC3 · 28 Aug 2025 at 21:56

Was she really skinny or fat? Might just be fatigue..

BUDFORCE · 28 Aug 2025 at 22:00

Was she fit?

IC3 · 28 Aug 2025 at 22:06

BUDFORCE said:
Was she fit?

If she was, lost opportunity to hit her up with something like, I see you're falling for me, don't blame yaaa bae.

[FnG]magnolia · 28 Aug 2025 at 22:06

You checked with her and offered to call for help. You did the right things, don't beat yourself up here.

ANDREW GREEN · 28 Aug 2025 at 22:08

IC3 said:
Was she really skinny or fat? Might just be fatigue..

She looked average and she didn't seem like she was using drugs or alcohol that I noticed. It was the worst collapse I've witnessed in my time.

throwaway4372 · 28 Aug 2025 at 22:08

Sounds to me like she fainted.

You'll never know if she genuinely just fell or was trying to avoid scary man.

If the patient gets up and walks off it's not like you can diagnose something hidden anyway. If she was obviously injured you would have been there to help, that's all you can do.

aVdub · 28 Aug 2025 at 22:09

Took control when a young woman did the same a few years ago as the pcso was struggling with his first aid and had him writing down whatever detail I could gain.

Soon turned out she was a violent junkie that was out due to spice and was becoming a handful as she came out of the deep state.

Timing was good though and she ended up restrained by 2 wpc's and a pc and strapped into the ambulance trolley.

Always be a bit on the side of cautious if on your own, just in case.

shifty_uk · 28 Aug 2025 at 22:10

[FnG]magnolia said:
You checked with her and offered to call for help. You did the right things, don't beat yourself up here.

Yep, not much more you can do. Hopefully she’ll seek help if there’s genuine issues, she might’ve been embarrassed at the time

Thekwango · 28 Aug 2025 at 22:12

[FnG]magnolia said:
You checked with her and offered to call for help. You did the right things, don't beat yourself up here.

What our guy Mags said. I’d also like to add - fair play to you. Plenty would have walked on by.

Participant · 28 Aug 2025 at 22:48

ANDREW GREEN said:
She looked like she was down between 45-60 seconds.

That's a good effort to be fair. I'm normally 30 seconds max.

Malevolence · 28 Aug 2025 at 22:48

If she was alert and talking afterwards with no obvious signs of a stroke or a TIA then it could've been something like vasovagal syncope. I'd have still phoned the ambo. though, even if she was adamant about not wanting one.

radderfire · 29 Aug 2025 at 00:25

ANDREW GREEN said:
Now I feel guilty that she may have had a serious medical emergency and I walked away from it.

Don't worry about it. If she said she just slipped then she probably did.

Pipe & Slippers · 29 Aug 2025 at 08:08

[FnG]magnolia said:
You checked with her and offered to call for help. You did the right things, don't beat yourself up here.

Ye gods, man! When did you get so sensible?

danoliver1 · 29 Aug 2025 at 08:39

Did you check her temperature with your meat thermometer.

ivrytwr3 · 29 Aug 2025 at 09:04

Good on you for stopping to help and not walking on by.

Funny story:

Wifey was on her way home from work and saw an old woman face plant. Wifey stopped her car to help, she was bloodied, but was adamant she just wanted to go home where her daughter would look after her. Wifey put her in the car and had her direct her home - she was driving for ages after getting confusing directions from the old dear, so she brought her to our home to make her a cup of tea and try to phone either her daughter or an ambulance!

I get home and the first i know of it is an old woman on my couch covered in blood - wtf?! I was able to find her ID and immediately phoned for an ambulance. An ambulance and police turned up. Turned out the old dear had 'escaped' from an old peoples home and had severe dementia - they had been looking for her for hours and here she was sipping tea at my place!

Nice thought of my wife - but we had a serious chat that if this ever happens again, just stay with her and call an ambulance!