Elizabeth Corbett was at work when she received a distressed video call from her children to say her husband David, 51, had fallen ill.
By the time she got home, paramedics had arrived but could not explain to Mrs Corbett what had happened.
She's deaf. And apparently illiterate, because no-one appeared to consider the option of writing 'He's dead' on a piece of paper...
East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) said it was deeply sorry.
As expected. So...how did she finally get the news?
Mrs Corbett, 43, from Chellaston in Derby, eventually learned of her husband's death via a video call to her employer.
Hmmmm, something not right here.
"The children were amazing, they performed CPR until the paramedics arrived.
"But when I got there the kids were stood on the lawn crying and the emergency services wouldn't let me in the house.
"Not one of them could communicate with me and I couldn't explain who I was."
Couldn't your children explain for you, then? Did you have no ID, since you'd come from work? Why do I get the feeling we aren't being told the full story here?
"I wanted to know what was happening and the police were asking me questions, but they were all wearing facemasks so I couldn't tell what they were saying.
"Eventually I contacted work and the receptionist spoke to the paramedics who told her that David had died. So I found out over FaceTime that he had gone."
And, of course, this is an OUTRAGE! and SOMETHING MUST BE DONE!
Mrs Corbett, who was born without hearing, is now calling for all emergency workers to have sign language training and a fully charged iPad so that they can connect to a qualified interpreter instantly.
Oh, FFS!
H/T: asiaseen in comments at David Thompson's blog
Draws index finger across throat.
ReplyDeleteSo what is a distressed video call?
ReplyDeleteHow does she manage the rest of her life? All those interactions. Why does she not carry a fully charged pad? Or two.
And she is more worried about the comms problem than the death of her dearly beloved.
Er, what did she think she was watching?
ReplyDelete"Draws index finger across throat."
ReplyDeleteThat was my first thought too!
"How does she manage the rest of her life?"
Well, quite!
"Er, what did she think she was watching?"
Has she never seen 'Casualty'? The subtitles are always good!