Tuesday, March 22 is a day I’ll never forget. I parked at the Publix supermarket located at Southern and Crestwood boulevards, as I planned to pick up a prescription. I walked behind my car and the one next to it when I could not continue breathing. A wonderful Publix customer saw me struggling and offered his arm to help me into the store. As soon as we got into the store, Mr. John Miller of Publix had a chair pulled over for me to sit on as he immediately asked for my license to write down my personal information. At the same time, another Publix employee called 911. Mr. Miller even asked for the names and phone numbers of family he could call, but before I could answer, the Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue team was there and moved me onto a stretcher and into their ambulance. No less than four paramedics worked to get me breathing and stable before leaving for Palms West Hospital. The ER staff at the hospital was waiting and ready to take over.
I remained a patient in the hospital until Good Friday, March 25. I don’t know what triggered the very bad bronchial cough I had been experiencing and the eventual pressure it exerted on my heart, but I will always believe that I could have died were it not for the help I received from so many strangers on that day, including the kind gentleman who helped me into the store. The residents of our area can rest assured that our emergency responders and the Palms West Hospital doctors and staff are first rate. I was especially pleased to learn that more than a few of them who cared for me throughout this experience received their training at Palm Beach State College. I retired from PBSC in 2005 and always knew the quality of the training the first responders, nurses and other healthcare personnel received there. Now I know it more personally and am even more grateful for it.
Nancy A. Buhl, Wellington
