Calling Hatzalah (Spinoff from "Trust your gut")

amother

Silver

Thu, May 10 2018, 8:36 pm

Notsobusy wrote:

Why can't you take out the tick yourself? I've done it plenty of times, we have a lot of ticks where we live. It's really not so difficult.

Because if not done properly part could be squeezed which is very dangerous or part left on the body. When I was upstate last summer I was also too scared to remove them. If it’s not something you do often I can see why one would hesitate

tweety1

Thu, May 10 2018, 8:56 pm

amother wrote:

I am not talking to people like you. I am talking to the people who call for a bandaid.

And no, the hatzalah volunteers do not "resent it when people call for help". They resent it when people call when they DONT need help. Thats where the resentment comes from.

When the hatzalah member runs out of a business meeting, runs out in middle of a workday, runs to a call in middle of shabbos afternoon learning with his son, and is greeted with PURE STUPIDITY of removing a tick or a splinter, then yes, they resent it. Yes they do. And why shouldnt they?

FYI, n my opinion a tick is an emergency! A very serious one. I say that cuz I have a very close friend with a serious case of Lyme disease. You never leave a tick in! Never! I once almost went to the er a few min before the zman until I decided to try my non Jewish pharmacist and he taught me how to remove it.
And btw I reported your post. How dare you call somebody who calls Hatzalah stupid?! Who are you to decide which calls are " stupid" and which ones aren't?? Maybe you don't deserve to be the wife of a Hatzalah member?!

amother

Mauve

Thu, May 10 2018, 8:58 pm

As a teenager I had several instances where I felt my throat swell and had difficulty breathing. By the time I told my mother and she called Hatzalah (it took them up to 3 min to come) I was breathing ok and my oxygen was normal. Each time they took me to the ER to be monitored and to see if the symptoms would return. It took me a few months until I went to an allergist. I was told I was highly allergic to grass, pollen, dust, mold among a few minor things as well. All those episodes were allergic reactions. Only now do I realize how severe it was. Hatzalah took me seriously even though the episode was over when they arrived. They put on oxygen as a precaution.

My brother is a doctor and a member of Hatzalah. I see how busy he is. He always says better to be safe and call

amother

Red

Thu, May 10 2018, 9:04 pm

PLEASE do not hesitate to call Hatzola if you have an emergency or if you think your situation may be an emergency.

Signed-
A Hatzola Dispatcher

I have so much hakoras hatov to our Hatzola volunteers. For their advice, their patience, their gentleness, their reassurance and for saving lives.

Signed-
Daughter, sister, wife, neighbor and mother of people helped by Hatzola

amother

Taupe

Thu, May 10 2018, 9:09 pm

Notsobusy wrote:

Why can't you take out the tick yourself? I've done it plenty of times, we have a lot of ticks where we live. It's really not so difficult.

I called them twice for a tick. The second time, the guy showed me how he did it and since then I already removed another tick from a different kid.

amother

Maroon

Thu, May 10 2018, 9:19 pm

I only read op's post and must say im very surprised because I had to call hatzalah for my son this week and we had to sign a waiver that we are refusing transport to the hospital. They explained that their job when called is to transport.
My son was having a severe allergy attack and he was coughing nonstop and his chest hurt so I wanted to be sure his lungs were clear and they were bh.
They were extremely nice and told us what to do at home and if that didnt work to go to the hospital for a breathing treatment.
This is in Lakewood and I must say they are extremely professional.
I believe they can get into trouble if they dont transport and a situation ends up being serious.

creditcards

Thu, May 10 2018, 9:29 pm

amother wrote:

I don't understand where the resentment would come in here. My daughter once had a tic. I wasn't sure what to do so I called Hatzalah. They have a dispatcher. I spoke to the dispatcher and explained that my daughter had a tic. The dispatcher said on the radio that the call is for a tic. Any Hatzalah member that came running from his business knew that it's for a tic before they came. They usually announce on the radio what the call is about and how emergency it is. Code 1 means you gotta run someone's life is in danger...otherwise they know to go only if they are available. The guy that ended up coming said he is very experienced with tics. And they even had another guy show up that wanted to learn how to remove tics safely. It looked nicely coordinated. They knew what they came for...
Regarding Shabbos, if it's emergency enough to use the phone it's emergency enough for Hatzalah to drive on Shabbos. But Hatzalah in my neighborhood has non Jewish drivers for Shabbos. If there is a chance that it's an emergency it's a mitzvah and not chilul shabbos.

Last edited by creditcards on Thu, May 10 2018, 9:39 pm; edited 1 time in total

amother

Sienna

Thu, May 10 2018, 9:32 pm

This made me think that I called hatzolah when I shouldn't. my finger was stuck and I could not get it out so I had think quickly what to do. The first thing that came to my mind was hatzolah and that's what I did. They didn't make me feel stupid at all when it was really something that I should of called a neighbor or chaverim

amother

Powderblue

Thu, May 10 2018, 9:33 pm

amother wrote:

Sorry, but I think this is an inappropriate use of hatzalah. Call your doctor for something like that, especially if you are refusing further medical care.

Mommyg8

Thu, May 10 2018, 9:36 pm

amother wrote:

Sorry, but I think this is an inappropriate use of hatzalah. Call your doctor for something like that, especially if you are refusing further medical care.

I once called hatzaloh on Shabbos because my son had an asthma attack. The hatzaloh guy told me that any kind of breathing problem is ALWAYS an emergency, and we should have called even earlier than we did! He said this a few times - breathing problems are always an emergency and not to hesitate to call on Shabbos!

trixx

Thu, May 10 2018, 9:42 pm

This whole conversation makes no sense.

Hatzalah will decide what to do with your call. BUT YOU NEED TO CALL. I'm sure they would prefer "silly" calls than the one time a mom didn't want to bother them and suffered a tragedy.

You don't like your husband running out, take it up with him. I have two brothers-in-law in Hatzalah and their wives know exactly what they signed up for.

amother

Wheat

Thu, May 10 2018, 10:05 pm

amother wrote:

Ohhhhhh YES some people absolutely should feel bad for callig hatzalah. Oh yes they SHOULD.

I am talking about the idiotic mothers who call for hatzalah to remove a TICK (im not making this up. multiple times, different people), to look at a weird looking bump, rash etc. The ones who call, on shabbos, because she is in labor-JUST started, NO history of rapid labor, but its time to go to the hospital and why call a cab if you can call hatzalah? People have called to remove splinters! I don't CARE how deep the splinter went, I dont CARE if its embedded at a weird angle, this is not an emergency!!
Hatzalah is not a taxi service, nor are they doctors on wheels. If its not an emergency, go to the ER or doctors office by yourself. Do not interrupt our amazing Hatzalah volunteers' workdays (yes! They leave work to run to you! What do you think, theyre tanning at the beach??)or their shabbos tables for stupid situations like I mentioned above.

I totally feel your anger, frustration and upsetness. I totally get you. You are unfortunately so right.

I have a brother in law who's also a member, people knock on her door just for a bandaid on shabbos. Is she a pharmacy too? She's so frustrated. Bec her dh is so good they take advantage. How sad.

amother

Indigo

Thu, May 10 2018, 10:14 pm

amother wrote:

I'm the OP of the other thread.

I was also very surprised by the comment about calling Hatzalah.

I am not a big caller. Aside from this episode, I called once when I got sliced on my eyeball and was alone with my children and obviously couldn't drive like that, and once when my son appeared to have broken his leg right before shabbos and needed an X ray.

According to halacha it's better to have them drive shabbos then to drive urself. We looked it up, it's not made up.

Obviously don't call for a bandaid but seriously, why volunteer for an amazing organization and then resent when people call for help? Some calls will be more severe then others. That's the way an ambulance service works.

I feel very justified for calling for a child whose intestines where literally folded in on themselves.

Why is it better for them to drive? You could always take a car service or uber. If no taxi is available why is it more ok for them halachically than for you or anyone else?

amother

Wheat

Thu, May 10 2018, 10:20 pm

Dh once cut himself severely at work. He's in construction. He called me to ask me to come over(I live closely to the job site) and I should tell him if it's necessary to call hatzala, it turns out that yes it's good I did. But dh refused hatzala to take him to er, he drove all by himself. I don't drive.

Because he said that he's fully capable his other arm was fine. Honestly it's hard to always know when things are emergencies and when not. It's always better safe then sorry.

Mommyg8

Thu, May 10 2018, 10:34 pm

amother wrote:

Btw according to dr, fenster, in Lakewood most ticks do not cause Lyme disease. 90% of it is not a problem.

So google how to remove a tick and you will be iyh" ok. Everyone should calm down, we all need to calm down to have a productive conversation

That's right, the doctor told us that the tick my son had is not a carrier for Lyme's disease. Until my son developed Lyme's disease three months later.

I think that all of you ladies who say that a tick is no big deal have no idea how devastating a disease Lyme's disease actually is.

creditcards

Thu, May 10 2018, 10:38 pm

amother wrote:

The 10% is not a big enough risk? The Hatzalah guy that took out my daughter's tic said he suffered a lot from a tic and insisted I take the tic to be tested. Even though it's rare it's irresponsible to ignore the fact that it can be dangerous.

amother

Wheat

Thu, May 10 2018, 10:57 pm

amother wrote:

my sister's baby of a few months old had the same thing. It was the first time it happened and she didn't know what it was that made her whole little body swell. She called hatzole. After ten (yes 10!!!) minutes she called again (by then she was crying already) and the lady on the phone told her be calm it's probably nothing and asked her if she couldn't give her some cream for the swelling!? Her dh took the phone and screamed at the lady she should send a hatzole right away

This story doesn't make sense. Hatzolah never tells you what to do over the phone they are not allowed to.

amother

Oak

Thu, May 10 2018, 10:58 pm

Wife of Hatzolah coordinator again.

Hatzolah is purposely set up so that when you call it does not bother anyone! The dispatcher has already cleared his or her schedule already and this is what he or she is sitting around available to do for that shift. The job of the dispatcher is to then determine what type of a response is necessary.

The dispatcher puts out the call according to its importance. He or she will say if it’s a tick, stitches type of situation, life or death emergency etc. There are different codes for different types of calls and the response is sent out accordingly. So once again, there is NEVER a reason to hesitate to call. The dispatcher will then make a judgement. You don’t have to.

There is obviously a disgruntled wife here who has some issues to work out with her dh. Please don’t let that influence you in any way.