Whatever happened to the good Samaritan?

Fri 16 Mar 2012, 13:55

Lesley, it is tough isn't it. A lot of seizures caused by epilepsy (& there are over 40 different types) definitely look like the person is intoxicated. In fact the first question my daughter was asked when found unconscious, was "Had she been drinking?"......It does come down to raising public awareness. That was one of the reasons my daughter chose to do the newspaper article. I do volunteer work for the Epilepsy Society educating schools......I honestly feel that every little bit helps. Does your son wear a medic alert bracelet, or something similar? I know a lot of people don't like to do this, but in a situation when consciousness is impaired, which can then lead to a medical emergency, they really can make a difference. I hope your son is feeling better. As a mum I totally understand your concern and worry, it must have been so distressing to see him come home in that state. But I don't think that people in general are unwilling to help someone in need - I think it is more a case of not being informed & therefore not knowing what to do.

Fri 16 Mar 2012, 11:13

Thank you everyone for your comments and support. You are completely right Jon, it is invisible and sadly can be misinterpreted which I think it was in my son's case. People should be made aware of more of the signs and more importantly they shouldn't be afraid to offer help to those in distress. I know I can be reluctant to go over and ask if someone's alright especially if they look like they've had one too many.
Mary Jane, that's great news that someone came to her aid. It's lovely to know that there are 'good samaritans' out there.

Wed 14 Mar 2012, 08:29

Thank you for the good news.

Wed 14 Mar 2012, 01:34

Beautiful photo, MJ.

Tue 13 Mar 2012, 21:32

www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/9583301.Bid_to_find_seizure_rescue__Good_Samaritans___/

Tue 13 Mar 2012, 15:51

As a diabetic myself who has occasionally suffered from low blood sugar in a public place, I'm very aware of how close the symptoms come to simple drunkenness. I'm sure I'd be mistaken for drunk if I stumbled and fell in those circumstances, and most diabetics are 'invisible': no one else sees them injecting insulin or taking pills, and we generally don't go round telling everyone 'I'm diabetic' -- though perhaps we should. It's nothing to conceal or be ashamed of. After all, there are (statistically) about 150 diabetics in Charlbury, though maybe a third of those are undiagnosed. Maybe we should talk about it more and make people more aware!

Mon 12 Mar 2012, 14:03

Unfortunately Lesley, in todays society I find nobody wants to help or get involved. I think it's terrible that no one asked if he was alright or even helped him to the GP surgery which is right next to the Coop! People just make assumptions & don't ever think that it could be medically based. Hope your son is ok.

Mon 12 Mar 2012, 13:18

It's nice to know that the residents of Charlbury are good in an emergency. My son who has type 1 diabetes came stumbling home yesterday with cuts and bruises after having fallen down repeatedly coming up from the Coop. I would like to say he was offered help in his time of need but unfortunately he was ignored and in one case laughed at. As a parent this makes me very angry and upset. If you don't know ,type 1 diabetes can mimic the signs of someone under the influence, but I would've thought that seeing someone falling over and obviously in need of help might have led a good samaritan to asking my son if he needed assistance. I am shocked that such a close knit community such as Charlbury wasn't more charitable.