Years ago my poor father was diagnosed with serious depression and was admitted to a psychiatric hospital on the other side of town from where I lived. We had had a not so great relationship up till then but I felt duty bound to visit, and one evening I was free though the rest of my family wasn't so I elected to go alone. The hospital was a bus ride away and set in extensive grounds. I had gone to the main building, given my name and explained I was there to visit my dad but I had forgotten the name of the ward he was in. The woman at reception went to check and came back looking concerned. She explained there was no one of that name at the hospital. I felt a wash of horror going over me, thinking 'god, all those films are right, they're admitting people then doing away with them!'. I got quite panicky and insisted she check again, spelling my name carefully and fortunately it was a clerical error and he was located. The woman gave me directions to get to the ward, through the grounds - it was dark and wintery and I was afraid, but decided my love for dad should be greater than fear.
I set off, it was creepy and very frightening and I began to sing to myself to zhuzh myself up. Then I heard footsteps, and to my absolute horror, a white wailing figure was coming towards me, out of the dark, calling 'help me! Help me!'.
I swear, I nearly had a heart attack right there and then, I could feel the blood pounding in my head, and at that point the figure grabbed me. It turned out she was a poor lady who had got out and got lost in the grounds, in her bare feet and nightie. I don't know how I did it, but I screwed my courage to the sticking point, took her arm, calmed her (and myself) and chatting all the time to her, led her to a nurses' station near by. After delivering her, I went to see my dad, although I was like a wrung out cloth.
However, a few weeks later when my dad was recovering I was back at the ward when a lady came over to me saying 'oh! This is the girl who saved me when I was lost!' and said all sorts of kind things. I was delighted to see she was better but didn't let her know how close she'd inadvertently brought me to cardiac arrest!
(resurrection_mary cannibal_ferox, Wed 13 Apr 2011, 11:30, 2 replies)

Awww
what a lovely story. Have a well-earned click, you kind thing, you.
(Juan Quar is clinging to her front teeth on, Wed 13 Apr 2011, 11:48, closed)

Thank you - my relationship with my dad really picked up after his treatment - turned out he'd been depressed for years. :(. He died 2 years ago but we had ten great years since he recovered and I really miss him. X
(resurrection_mary cannibal_ferox, Wed 13 Apr 2011, 12:07, closed)