I took a friend to the emergency room at 3am Saturday morning.

[Daemonaquila]

43. Don't second guess yourself - you were spot on!

Misjudged? Been out of line? No, no, no. The symptoms you describe could match a variety of potentially fatal problems, as well as much less severe ones. Nobody knows until they check her out appropriately.

I keep saying it over and over - at least 70-80% of my disabled clients are disabled not because of their underlying illness or injury, but because of terrible medical care that exacerbates the condition or allows it to ravage the patient before someone finally gets a clue. You did the right thing. Without someone to advocate for her, what might have happened? She might have been sent home with antacids and pain meds. That's anything but far-fetched. That's been the fate even of a client of mine who was bleeding heavily into an ostomy bag, while shaking with pain and vomiting. Another client with type I diabetes kept being written off as a "noncompliant" (well obviously, since his glucose wasn't in control - it couldn't possibly be the doctors' fault or treating it wrong!) type II diabetic, and was sent home from ER or early from an admission with raging pancreatitis and a galloping infection. I could write stories of medical incompetence all night, so good on you! You did perfectly. Don't ever let the "expertise" of the medical establishment stop you fom saving a friend - if not thir life, per se, at least weeks or months of suffering.