Mom fell in her bedroom earlier this week, during the night. I could not lift her and had to call 911 for assistance. they showed up after 3 hours: two guys and a student. they took Mom to the hospital as a precaution. (we only spent the night, nothing broken)
In order to get Mom out of her room and out of the house, the ambulance guys had to (a) make crass remarks about our belongings and our housekeeping style, and (b) shove her stuff all over the place, without regards for tidiness or fragility. Example 1: In the bedroom doorway there was a mini hamper / footstool that had clothes on top and sewing patterns etc. inside. It was tipped upside down onto her bed. Example 2: A naked Michael Jackson doll (in the doorway of another room) was picked up and waved around, with much laughter. Example 3: An end table that has not been moved in literally 50 years was picked up, the items on top (lamp, alarm clock, books, silver cutlery case, and much dust) thrown onto the bed, and it was replaced at a 90 degree angle, the leg through a cardboard box containing handmade items I made in the 70's and 80's. (This was allegedly done in order to shift the bed, to make more room for the carrier.) Also despite my being in a great deal of pain, and repeated requests for help, very little effort was made to help me clear the hall completely of stuff, in order to get the carrier down the hall.
The only reason I did not completely lose it (of which I have done an awful lot these days) is because I had taken a couple of Tylenol, which dull my emotions as well as the physical pain. I noted rather firmly to the clowns that I had spent the past two months cleaning by myself while Mom was inthe hospital, but they were unmoved.
When we did come home later that morning, it took the entire day to clear off Mom's bed, strip it, change the sheets, put back the end table (you can imagine the colony of dust bunnies behind it) and clear enough of the floor for her to stand safely. (lots of small things on the floor like lipsticks, batteries, easy things to trip on.)
While I appreciate that some items had to be shifted in order to help get Mom out, I'd like to know if this is normal behavior. Especially in front of a student. Mom doesn't want me to file a formal complaint. So far, besides the damaged box, I have found one broken figurine and the barrel of a cookie press was trampled.
Their other behavior I don't understand. But, from experience, I can tell you if they just came from say a dead child, or something equally horrible, sometimes their way of coping is not socially acceptable. Not an excuse, just an observation.
Or where the nearest pharmacy is
Or where can they take their dog who is sick
Or someone stole my milk last week (Trust me thats not a 911 ever let alone 3 days later)
Now it is difficult for me to explain what I mean but we have a dialect that seems to belong specifically to stupid idiots usually just over the minimum drinking age limit and under 25 who don't actually know that you can have a relationship with a man that doesn't involve sex. I would normally call them bottom of the Darwinian gene pool. One of these delightful women rang to ask where she could buy panties because she had said her boyfriend could keep hers as a souvenir. Hic Hic - oh that would be a drunk female then grrrrrrrrr
Even on the phones emergency staff dealing with incidents especially incidents involving children or of significant severity have people that they can lay off their concerns to - but not until the shift finishes - meanwhile they cope as best they can.
R Warren
As for being professional no perhaps they weren't but what did you expect that they would say 'and where would you like us to put this'? They were responding to a 911 that means an emergency of some sort and quite frankly in a choice between possessions or Mum why on earth would you think that they would choose possessions? That was your job YOU should have cleared the way. I imagine that they were just venting their frustrations at not being able to do their job effectively because you hadn't done yours.
rwarren, please dear, get some help with your house. I know it can be overwhelming and sometimes you don't know where to start. Vstefans gave you some good advice.
Phoenix, you made my day! I'm still chuckling and grinning from ear to ear as I think of this apt description of some of humanities less stellar specimens.
Here in the States there's an occasional program on tv featuring all the strange and weird calls the police get on the 911 emergency line ....to unplug someone's toilet...b/c someone didn't get the burger she wanted at McDonald's....neighbors won't clean up after their animals....unbelievable.
Use the anger and that energy to clean up your home instead of dwelling on your embarrassment. Sorry, but if you need help, get help right away-there is no shame in getting help.