Train Adventure- Part 2

I'd like to share a little about a somewhat distressing experience that occurred on the return train trip.
Friendly Warning- don't read this if you are eating/drinking. as this post is somewhat gross to read!

We left Indiana a little after 9:30P, the train was late. On the return trip from Indiana to DC, I had the window seat and honestly felt crammed in (clasutrophobic). My seat mate was also traveling all the way to DC too.
My seatmate had her seat tray down, and I felt especially crammed in. A little after 3A, she awoke and closed up the seat trap, thus I decided to get up and go to the observation car.

So I got up and went to check if seats available there! There were! Happy Day!! So I returned to my seat to grab my blanket, book, and my bag.

As you  enter the observation car, you first pass an area with restaurant type booths (ie there is a table and a bench on each side). As I entered that car, on the right side, I saw a passenger sleeping with herarms and head resting on the table. Her face and hands were in her own vomit! Yikes!! I hadn't seen that on my first trip. I tried to awaken her by saying "Ma'am, you've thrown up." But she didn't hear me.

Not to be too gross but this lady's face and hands were in it, her clothes were covered with it. This is a very sad sight, to see someone lying face down in their own emesis (or anyone else's). As a healthcare worker and human being, I couldn't leave her. But why of all the people on the train did I have to be the one to walk by her at 3:30 AM? In recent weeks, I've wanted to be better at helping  those I meet along the path of life, so I guess this was part of that desire. So in truth I didn't mind,  I hope to be a person that will do what Heavenly Father wants me to do- even if it helping this stranger. Hopefully one day I will get the chance to do more of what I truly want to do! It would be more glamerous to have a fun family to love and serve. But as a single person, this was my opportunity to help for that moment in time. Anyway.

I needed supplies to clean- I went to the train workers and notified them that there was a passenger who had thrown up. The worker gave me a breif physicl description of the person and said she'd "had one too many". I didn't know if that meant this occurred before or after the lady boardered the train. And maybe he was wrong. Heck at work we are dealing with Noro. Anyway. Based on what he said and how it was not possible to rouse the lady, it seemed that this was due to her drinking.

He told me to wait and then brought a couple soapy towels, plastic bags and rubber gloves. And handed them to me. I was surprised, I thought he would help me clean her but he didn't. (I later learned it was due to "liability").

I went back to the lady wiped her face and hands even though she didn't awaken. I was able to wipe off part of her shirt and pants as well as the vinyl of seat. 

I moved my stuff to an area slightly closer to her, where I could keep an eye on her. At that point, I was too  rattled to try to fall asleep. So I read my book, and glanced at her from time to time. At one point she moved to lie down on her right side, I covered her w/my sweatshirt..thought she could change to that later. An hour or so after that, a lady came and sat with her on the opposite bench of the booth. I went over and told her what had happened, the daughter didn't refute what train worker had said. In retrospect, it made me wonder why the train workers hadn't sought the daughter out earlier- there is probably a fair chance they had travel records that showed they were together. Maybe not though. About an hour later, they got up and left, the mom was staggering somewhat and the daughter was behind her guarding her.
I felt sad for this daughter and what things might be like at times. 
In thinking of this lady, it made me wish she could turn to Savior for help in overcoming whatever led her to do this. I wish I'd had pass along cards or perhaps written a letter to her. It is sad to see this fellow human being that way.

In applying to me, even though I've never had even a sip of alcohol, I totally realize I have my own challenges and problems to overcome. I am acutely aware that I need to do better at turning to Savior for problems I face in my own circumstances. Listening to hymns, attending church, reading General Conference talks, attending institute, performing service when I can are all great and help me in their own way.  I have conforting pictures of the Savior around my place and those pictures provide me with some peace.

But still I don't do enough to turn to the Savior for help when I need it. I need to be better at reading scriptures and engaging in sincere prayer. I don't go to the temple as I should, which is another great weakness, I need to improve that attendance. I need to do better at asking for Priesthood blessings for comfort when I need them. I need to do better at talking/counseling with my Priesthood leaders in some areas instead of just feeling like I don't wish to bother them. Most of all,  I need to reach out better to Him,  I need to trust Him more. I don't trust enough. I want to.. but this is where I am sort of like that lady on the train.

I hope I can do better at truly turning to Savior for help.

The other part of this experience  is concern I have with the train policy. I worry about things not my place to worry. I would have thought the train personnel would have assisted in cleaning up the lady. But apparently liability prevents this- they would call a hospital if needed or police. I just felt bad as I didn't watch the lady's respirations, what if she was really in dire situation- ie websites talk of alcohol poisoning if vomiting and incoherent/passed out. I think that the train personnel should have been more proactive in assisting her. The attendant handed me the towel/gloves but to me he should have walked back w/me. Also to me they should have "checked" on her more-

Upon getting home I did call the train company, they said they will clean the table but not help clean up a person, due to the liability involved. The customer personnel lady said if needed they will stop the train and send the ill passenger to the police or the hospital.

From my alcohol topic googling upon returning home, my concern is the lady had vomited, and was sleeping/passed out. She had no idea she had vomited- though at one point she did bring the towel to catch more stuff. She answered one question but other than that she was totally out of it. Per what I read, this indicates alcohol possible alcohol poisoning.

It just seems like due to the risk of aspiration of the passenger, the train employees should have been more vigilant in checking on this person. The websites I saw said it is not good to assume someone will "sober up/sleep it off". You have to stay with the person and watch them. My concern with myself is that while I stayed nearby (a cabin length away, I could see her), I did not monitor her respiration rate which is something the websites say should be done.

And I think the train employees possibly need a simple way of monitoring inebriated passangers. While it wasn't "life threatening", maybe one of their employees perhaps should have sat nearby?) (of course I realize in hindsight that maybe one of their staff did go locate the daughter- though the daughter didn't seem to know what had happened until I mentionned it)
The customer personnel lady also said they could have tried to locate a family member. (of course it is in the middle of the night so maybe they wouldn't make a loud annoucement over the pa system)

Anyway, I hope that lady will be OK, that things will get better for her and her family. I hope all of us who struggle with our own challenges and concerns can remember the Savior is there and turn to Him for help to get through the hard moments of life.