What we found...

As I drove closer to my son's address, the phone rang.
His brother told us that Josh had just called another ambulance...

We arrived before the ambulance crew.
Josh was sitting in the kitchen, as white as a sheet, shaking and telling everyone that he was close to death

He told us that this began the previous night while at work
He had become unable to walk
His legs turned to jelly...

And I wondered how he had got home?
But his legs had been OK for that...

So he called an ambulance this morning
And another just now
He was convinced that he was about to die.

I just saw someone having a massive panic attack.
So I could be reassuring, and it was easy not to be caught up in his story...
But I have never seen anyone so far gone before.

The ambulance crew arrived
Spoke to him kindly
Reassured him that this is panic
Took his blood pressure and temperature...
Filled in forms...

His brother stayed outside, the flat smelt of damp and everywhere was dirty.
Periodically a little mouse would peep out from behind the cooker.

His Friends hugged him, shook his hands, wished him well
His brother hugged us and left.
We led Josh down stairs and into the car telling him that we couldn't leave him to die alone and yes, we understand that he isn't going to make it to sunrise...but we would rather be with him in the car as he died than abandon him.

I set off on the journey home
Arriving at 4 am.

And no...
He didn't die.