Grateful for emergency response

On Sunday, Sept. 4, around 6:30 p.m., my husband and our niece who was visiting from California had just finished a delicious meal at the Whitefish Lake Golf Course restaurant. I suddenly felt myself passing out and my world went dark.

The next thing I know, a lady’s voice was sharply encouraging me, “Nancy, stay with us,” over and over and over. I then felt cold water and ice on the back of my neck. I also realized my legs had been propped up on a chair. I was continuing to float in and out — more out than in. This lady continued to sharply encourage me and was doing her best to get me to respond.

I started to regain some consciousness. I then opened my eyes to discover yet another lady with a very nice smile in a uniform and in encouraging words instructing me to breathe and moving me from the floor to a stretcher and being wheeled out to an ambulance. Then others in the ambulance with genuine concern began an IV and began administering all forms of medical procedures. I was fading in and out but aware of voices encouraging me to talk.

I was then wheeled into the North Valley Hospital emergency room where a group of nurses converged on me, they also started taking vitals and nursing me back from that place I had floated to.

My family was unable to obtain the name of the lady who was a customer at the restaurant, things were happening quite quickly. But we want to extend a very, very big thank you to her. I will forever remember her encouraging voice that was not allowing me to fade away. My family said she was amazing and stayed on the floor with me until the paramedics arrived. This amazing lady, we truly consider to be a true angel.

We would also like to give a big thank you to the paramedics — they were so kind, compassionate and caring. Needless to say, all the ER staff were also very gentle, caring and professional, but yet openly showed their concern for me.

We sometimes get a bit jaded in the world and complain, “No one cares or gets involved anymore.” But my family and I refuse to believe this after our experience and my very frightening health issue. Our community is full of very amazing and caring individuals.

— Nancy Mackin, West Glacier