Have you ever saved someone's life?

I did once.

Back in 2001 a friend had to undergo a biopsy in hospital and it was recommended that he stay the night there as he lived alone at home. Either that or have someone stay over at his house to watch over him.

After the procedure he looked really ill - a sort of ghostly yellow, but he was determined to go home because he'd had enough of hospitals having had cancer the previous year.

So I agreed to spend the night at his and we got a taxi home. He then said he was really tired (this was around 4pm) and would go straight to bed.

I made myself something to eat then watched some movies from his large collection, falling asleep on the sofa at around 11pm.

The following morning I heard a loud banging/kicking noise coming from his bedroom so I went to investigate. He had fallen out of bed and couldn't get up; his speech was slurred also. I got him back into bed but, suspecting a stroke or something I phoned 999. They came out immediately, assessed him and took him back to hospital.

Later that night I found out that he had indeed suffered a stroke and was stable. I phoned his housing association to let them know, then gathered some of his belongings - things he might need in hospital - and dropped them off.

I visited him twice, once just a few days later when he was still pretty much out of it, and another time at a different hospital where he was convalescing.

Personal circumstances led me to move to England for a number of years and we lost touch; I didn't really keep in touch with anyone once I'd moved away.

Then, just a couple of years ago, 2015 or 16 I googled his name, like you might do when curious about what happened to people from your past. A newspaper article caught my eye: in 2007 he was sentenced to 2 years in prison for breaching a sexual offences prevention order - SOPO. For some reason he had 2 of his neighbour's 4 year old children in his flat and had given them chocolates and 50p each - nothing more than that. But he obviously had committed sexual offences before as the SOPO was from 2004.

I was surprised - he didn't seem the type but then, looking back on our friendship a few little things added up. He had children's videos - TV shows and movies for children and once I had loaned him a CD - it was a Cat Stevens compilation with a picture of a small boy on the front and my friends eyes seemed to light up at this. There were other things I remember, too but at the time I had no idea. He was from Glasgow and I always wondered why he'd moved East.

If he's still alive he'll be 58 now and with a walking stick or one of those motorised scooters for the disabled.

So I did save his life by being there that night, there was no way he could have made it to the phone, but was pretty shocked and disgusted by what I found out years later.

Re: Have you ever saved someone's life?

No I have never saved a life, but I have created a couple.

Re: Have you ever saved someone's life?

I was on my daily walk, a year or two back, when a young teenager on his way to school, crossed the road not looking both ways as he was too intent on texting on his phone. I grabbed him just as he was nearly hit by a car! I gave him a good talking too, not that it probably made any difference. So many kids are too busy on their phones to notice what is going on around them. It is a miracle there aren't more accidents.

Re: Have you ever saved someone's life?

There are more accidents since mobile phones really took off. If it's not drivers behind the wheel texting, it's teens and youngsters glued to their screens heedless of any hazards.

Re: Have you ever saved someone's life?

I agree. I have a phone, but it is switched off, I carry it in case of emergency when I am driving. I can't text and have no wish to learn, much to the annoyance of my kids. I have absolutely no wish to be in constant contact with people. Before his illness my husband used to text like a flipping teenager!

Re: Have you ever saved someone's life?

No I have not

Re: Have you ever saved someone's life?

Does calling an ambulance count when the person insists it is just gas but it was really a heart attack.

And once reported a neighbor that I felt might be physically harming her kid, there was an investigation and the child was removed from the home.

Re: Have you ever saved someone's life?

Yes I have and the person concerned related the story to everyone. However if I had known that I was condemming her to 8 months of living hell, I'm not sure I would do the same again.

Re: Have you ever saved someone's life?

I haven't, but my daughter-in-law has three times done CPR on people. The last was about eighteen months ago when a man in a taxi had a heart attack. She managed to get him back, but he died two days later in hospital.

The first one she did was very traumatic for her, when a young man choked at a dinner. She performed a Heimlich manoeuvre and then did CPR, but sadly he died, only in his twenties.

Thank goodness she had first aid instruction as a Girl Guide.

Re: Have you ever saved someone's life?

No but I have had my life saved.

I was choking to death on a sweet - I had gone blue in the face and was gasping for breath. I really think I'd have been a gonner if my granddad hadn't come at that minute and saved me by pushing his fingers down my throat.

Thank you granddad.x