I have a strange request. I had a seizure today, and I need to say thank you. The trouble is, I don't know who I need to thank.
You see, I was on my own in town, and I felt a seizure coming on. Since it had addled my brain a little, the only thing I could co-ordinate myself to do was to grab my epilepsy card out of my bag, and head towards a place I could sit down. I was sat slumped on a bench for a minute or so before the seizure took hold, and I flopped forward. My eyes were open, but I couldn't focus, so I could only see vague shapes walking past some way off. I remember wondering how many people would walk straight by.
Then I heard voices coming closer. Someone put their hand on my arm and asked if I was okay; a question I couldn't answer. They got more concerned - a man and a woman, it sounded like. More people approached. Someone found my epilepsy card. Immediately I heard a woman call 999. Meanwhile, the man was telling people I needed to be put in the recovery position. I was lifted from the bench, and lain on the floor. Someone said: "She's so young." (Now that I'm back to normal, I'm flattered, let me tell you that!) A man's hand came into view, and gently squeezed my wrist - taking my pulse, which was faint, as he said to the others.
He was worried; I could tell that much. My eyes were open and glazed, he kept saying my pulse was faint, and asked me to stay with them. In the background, someone was talking to the emergency services. The man rubbed my hands to keep them warm - he kept saying how cold they were, and checking my temperature on my forehead. Someone laid a coat over me. I finally got enough control over my eyes to blink a little, and I could hear relief in people's voices.
The paramedic arrived, and reassured the crowd that I was okay. They went on their way, after being told I would be fine. I wasn't back to normal at the point they left though, which means I never got to see what the people who helped me looked like, or to say thank you for what they did.
They were unaware that I could hear everything that was going on - or that I had a vague, fuzzy window on the whole sequence of events, and that I was touched by their concern and their kindness.
This is why I'm going to take a leap of faith, and ask for the internet's help. All I have to go on was that the man's hair was greying slightly, and he was wearing a waterproof coat, with (I think) red and black sleeves, but I'd like to try and track them down. So if you know (or you were!) the people who helped a woman having a seizure at around midday today in the Fremlin Walk, Maidstone - on the bandstand opposite the museum - please let them know that the woman in question is indeed okay now, and wants to say a heartfelt thank you for that kindness; the kindness of strangers.
