My First Ride In An Ambulance.
By Jabo
@jaboUK (64354)
United Kingdom
April 1, 2016 10:19am CST
I just read a post from @mysdianait about her first experience of riding in an ambulance, and it reminded me of my own experience.
I was out riding when a hare ran out in front of my horse and he jumped sideways and lost his footing. As he fell he slammed me into a large tree and landed on top of me.
Half a ton of horse on top of you is bad enough in itself, but there happened to be barbed wire wrapped around the tree, which caused numerous puncture wounds to various parts of my body.
The horse got up and ran away unhurt, and my riding companion rushed to the nearest house about a mile away in order to call an ambulance.(There were no mobile phones in those days).
When you ride horses regularly you are bound to have a few falls, but as I lay there unable to move I remember thinking that I was really hurt this time.
The ambulance came after about 20 minutes, and the ride to hospital was interesting, to say the least. I felt every bump and jolt.
However things were not so bad as I feared and nothing was broken. They were able to patch me up and send me home after a few hours. A couple of weeks on crutches and I was perfectly alright.
So that was my first experience of an ambulance - what's yours?
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Very old photo of me about 55 years ago.
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Here is the link to @mysdianait 's post: http://www.mylot.com/post/2909662/a-first-time-for-everything
60 people like this
63 responses
@xFiacre (12970)
• Ireland
1 Apr 16
@jabouk Never been in one on my own account but accompanied my baby daughter when she was two weeks old. She had to be moved from the part of the hospital where she was born to another part which was a whole 100 yards away for surgery (Downs Syndrome with cardiac complications). I still don't know why I couldn't have pushed her in her pram!
5 people like this
@xFiacre (12970)
• Ireland
1 Apr 16
@jaboUK In the aftermath of bombs going off in Belfast in the 70s when I worked in A&E in a hospital I was often in ambulances that arrived with body parts in them - most disturbing, and that's what came back to me when I accompanied my daughter. Same hospital.
3 people like this
@Shavkat (139694)
• Philippines
1 Apr 16
My first ride in an ambulance 2 years ago. I was not injured or anything. But I accompanied my comatose father and transported him to another hospital facility. It was traumatic experience for me to see my late father in such a comatose state.
3 people like this
@LadyDuck (471294)
• Switzerland
3 Apr 16
@jaboUK What happened to you and your sister? I hope your injuries were not too serious. My father did the right thing, but in the Italian hospital I had to wait 8 hours before someone took care of me... a long story, but that finally ended well.
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@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
3 Apr 16
@LadyDuck I did write about the incident with my sister on Bubblews - perhaps I'll re-write it for here. Basically I was responsible for us getting scalded, and she was scarred for life.
That's terrible that you had to wait so long - have you written about it?
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (50188)
• United States
1 Apr 16
I was hit by a car when I was a child. I don't even remember the ambulance ride
3 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
1 Apr 16
@Tampa_girl7 I'm surprised you don't remember such a traumatic experience - were you really young?
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
1 Apr 16
@Tampa_girl7 Yes, I would have thought that 8 was old enough for you to remember it.
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@Tampa_girl7 (50188)
• United States
1 Apr 16
@jaboUK I was eight. I remember being hit , but not the ambulance ride. That is a bit odd I suppose.
1 person likes this
@mysdianait (66009)
• Italy
1 Apr 16
Thank you for the mention and I am pleased that you were inspired to post and tell us about your very unfortunate fall. You were really so lucky that no really bad damage was done. It must have been awful waiting for the ambulance to arrive and having to be there alone, even for a short time. Did that fall put you off riding again?
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
1 Apr 16
@mysdianait No, it didn't put me off - I made my living from riding horses until I was in my fifties.
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@mysdianait (66009)
• Italy
1 Apr 16
@jaboUK Oh really? I am out of the loop as I had no idea. That is your own horse too? You were a rider in races, competitions?
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
1 Apr 16
@mysdianait Lol - there's no reason why you should know that about me.
. I mostly worked with racehorses, and when I was young girls weren't allowed to be jockeys. (They are now). Anyway I was a background worker, taking young untamed horses and 'breaking' them in. I always hated that term as I never 'broke' them, I just made them into decent racehorses.
I travelled with them all over the country and felt great pride when they won.
The horse in the picture was not mine, just one of my charges.
. I mostly worked with racehorses, and when I was young girls weren't allowed to be jockeys. (They are now). Anyway I was a background worker, taking young untamed horses and 'breaking' them in. I always hated that term as I never 'broke' them, I just made them into decent racehorses.
I travelled with them all over the country and felt great pride when they won.
The horse in the picture was not mine, just one of my charges.1 person likes this
@besweet (9859)
• Ireland
1 Apr 16
I have only seen the outside of the ambulance so far and I am glad that I didn't have a ride so far. Your experience sounds painful, you were lucky to avoid major injuries.
I have attended a horse riding class once, it was a few months ago, and I was terrified.
It was embarrassing because in my first lesson, I was with two young children (aged around 10 years old), who already had experience in horse riding. I remember I was so scared of falling from the horse but at the same time I didn't want to complain because the children had more courage than me! I also remember that my whole body was in pain after the horse riding but I am planning to try again soon!
Are you experienced in horse riding?
1 person likes this
. Good luck when you try again.
Yes I am very experienced with horses - I worked with them practically all my life.
@msiduri (5687)
• United States
2 Apr 16
That's a great pic, @jaboUK. I love it.
But what a story about getting caught between a horse and a tree w/barb wire on it. OUCH.
I've had the pleasure of never having to ride in an ambulance, but we've followed my mom-in-law a couple of times. Not fun.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
1 Apr 16
Wow that sounds scary, I'm glad you were not seriously hurt. I think you were extremely lucky. I have never been in an ambulance.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
1 Apr 16
@fishtiger58 Yes, I was very lucky, and I was glad to see that ambulance when it turned up. I'm glad that you've never needed one.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
1 Apr 16
@fishtiger58 Yes it did, especially as I thought I was seriously hurt and I was worried about my children - my husband was working away.
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@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
1 Apr 16
@jaboUK I'm sure that 20 minutes seemed like an eternity.
1 person likes this
@Dena91 (16587)
• United States
1 Apr 16
I've never been a patient in an ambulance. However as an EMT I rode many times helping people on the way to the hospital. The first patient I worked on was an elderly gentleman who suffered a heart attack. I was in training so I was given the job of preforming CPR on him. I was so nervous. I found out if you do CPR right, the right amount of compression, you will break one's ribs and I did. I felt bad but knew what I did helped him live a little longer.
Glad you were okay after your accident. Hope you don't need anymore rides in ambulances any time soon. Have a blessed evening.
1 person likes this
@Daljinder (23236)
• Bangalore, India
8 Apr 16
I have read that post too and your response there too when it was written. I didn't have any such experience. I think I told you somewhere way back that I am wary of needles and such. I had been pinched for blood and injected enough times in my childhood and had swallowed enough pills to ever imagine putting myself in that position.
Yikes! That sounded like one hell of a fall. You were lucky you didn't get crushed or it would have been more fatal. I am shuddering while imagining you lie there all injured and waiting for help to arrive. 
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@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
8 Apr 16
@Daljinder It did seem an eternity waiting for the ambulance to arrive, but it was only about 20 minutes. I was very lucky not to be more seriously injured.
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@Daljinder (23236)
• Bangalore, India
8 Apr 16
@jaboUK Lucky indeed! All's well that ends well, right?
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
1 Apr 16
My girlfriend had to ride in one on Sunday. She was in pain, so she probably felt every bump too. No barbed wire involved, though.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
1 Apr 16
@teamfreak16 Was this just this last Sunday? I hope she's alright.
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@msiduri (5687)
• United States
2 Apr 16
@teamfreak How's your girlfriend doing?
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@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
1 Apr 16
@jaboUK -Yes, Easter Sunday. She's still got pain, but it's not nearly as bad as it was.
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@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
19 Apr 16
Just for some laugh - it would have been nice if the horse went to get help LOL!
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@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
19 Apr 16
@sunrisefan Lol - that would have been something!
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@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
19 Apr 16
@sunrisefan Laughter makes the world go round!
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@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
19 Apr 16
@jaboUK Not just something - that would have made your horse famous LOL! Well, just wanted to have some laugh for you and me :)
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@changjiangzhibin89 (16756)
• China
2 Apr 16
It was a horrible accident !Obviously the hare ran out out of the blue stampeded your horse .You should thank your lucky stars for not being badly injured in that .
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@changjiangzhibin89 (16756)
• China
3 Apr 16
@jaboUK I never have thought that ,because I haven't ridden on a horse .
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@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
3 Apr 16
@changjiangzhibin89 Thoroughbred racehorses can even be frightened of their own shadow, they are so temperamental.
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@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
1 Apr 16
I have only ridden in an ambulance one, just over 30 years ago. I was not the patient, but the mother of a six year old who had been struck by a car as she crossed the road to her bus stop. Fortunately she was not seriously injured. Me I may never recover from that scare.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
1 Apr 16
@Morleyhunt It's far worse for us mothers when our children are hurt than if we are hurt ourselves, isn't it? I'm really glad that your daughter's injuries were not serious.
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@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
1 Apr 16
@Morleyhunt Oh my, it might have been funny if the situation wasn't so serious.
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@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
1 Apr 16
@jaboUK I was seven weeks from my due date for my youngest daughter. The paramedics and nurses in the hospital were not even aware that I was pregnant until they asked me if I wanted to accompany her for her X-rays. I took off my coat, to watch everyone's shock.
1 person likes this
@VivaLaDani13 (60794)
• Perth, Australia
12 May 16
Oh my goodness! Gave me chills the way you described you getting hurt.
Awesome photo though. :) I've never been in an ambulance actually. Never been hurt or sick enough to be taken away to the hospital.
1 person likes this
@VivaLaDani13 (60794)
• Perth, Australia
12 May 16
@jaboUK Very true! Last year when dad, nan, pop and I went on a little holiday. My nan was very sick that she fainted. Which was very terrifying because we didn't know what was wrong at the time. Seeing an ambulance made me feel relieved instantly.
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