LETTER: Four Tickets on Way to Hospital

I was driving to the hospital in my landlord’s extra car because I was short of breath and had crushing chest pains.

I didn’t call 911 because last time it took them 15 minutes to take me about a block away. Then they didn’t do anything except take a 10-second pulse count.

They told me  I was fine and sent me home.

My dad died an hour after an ER doc said he was fine.

I took off toward the hospital and got pulled over. I told the cop I was having a medical emergency—chest pain and I couldn’t breathe.

He said he could get me to the ER way faster.

The ambulance got to me 10 to 15 minutes later and the same thing happened—they said I was fine, this time without even touching me.

I demanded he take my pulse. His count was maybe over 5 to 10 seconds.

He sent me back to the car.  Ten minutes later, the cop lets me go to the hospital, but not until he issued me four citations for driving my landlord’s car for no proof of insurance (which I had), expired tax (which wasn’t expired), a safety check (which did expire) and a failure to stop at a red signal… 

Add to that, I got to the hospital way later than if he would have let me go or had the ambulance take proper action.