Can you share a particularly disturbing brownfields horror story?
Sure. There was a brownfields site that had once housed a battery - manufacturing plant. The land was full of lead and other toxic substances. When a community garden was proposed for the area, no one knew about the contamination. People started growing vegetables and fruits. Later, when some of the produce was tested, it was found to be highly contaminated with lead. Some children who ate the produce had elevated lead levels in their blood, which is a very serious health risk.
There was a former military base that was a brownfields site. It had been used for various military operations and had a lot of unexploded ordnance and chemical contaminants. When the base was decommissioned, a company thought it could turn it into a recreational area. But during the initial survey, they found that the area was riddled with dangerous chemicals and explosives. One wrong move during the cleanup process could have led to a major disaster. The cost of cleaning up and making it safe was astronomical.
Can you share a particularly disturbing clique horror story?
There was a clique in a high school. They targeted a girl who was a bit different. They would steal her things, scribble mean words on her locker, and laugh at her in the hallways. It got so bad that she started having panic attacks every time she had to go to school.
Can you share a particularly disturbing pharmacist horror story?
Sure. A pharmacist once had a patient who was allergic to a certain ingredient in a medication. But the patient didn't know it, and neither did the doctor who prescribed it. The pharmacist, in a rush, didn't double - check the patient's allergy history. When the patient took the drug, they had a severe allergic reaction. Their face swelled up and they had trouble breathing. The pharmacist felt extremely guilty for not being more careful.
Can you share a particularly disturbing tweaker horror story?
Sure. There was a case where a tweaker was so out of it that they dug holes all over their yard at night, thinking they were hiding drugs from imaginary enemies. The next day, the yard was a mess of mounds and pits, and they were still acting crazy, scaring the neighborhood kids who used to play there.
Can you share a particularly disturbing 'Myspace Horror Story'?
Sure. There was a case where a teen met someone on Myspace who claimed to be a famous music producer. He convinced the teen to meet him in person. When they met, the 'producer' turned out to be a dangerous predator. Fortunately, the teen managed to escape, but it was a terrifying experience.
Can you share a particularly disturbing caregiver horror story?
A disturbing caregiver horror story is about a caregiver in a nursing home. He was physically abusing the elderly residents. He would push them around and sometimes even hit them when they couldn't move fast enough. It was a nightmare for those poor old people who were supposed to be taken care of.
Can you share a particularly disturbing 'mesh horror story'?
A construction crew was using a mesh - like material for reinforcing a concrete structure. But the mesh they used was of poor quality. As the concrete was being poured, the mesh started to warp and bend in strange ways. When the concrete dried, the structure was weak and full of cracks. This not only led to the building being unsafe but also cost a huge amount of money to repair. It was a horror story of a construction project being derailed by a faulty mesh component.
Can you share a particularly disturbing chinchilla horror story?
A chinchilla was in a cage that got knocked over by a cat. The chinchilla was terrified as it tumbled around inside the cage. The cat then pawed at the cage, trying to get to the chinchilla, and the little rodent was just huddled in a corner, shaking with fear.
Can you share a particularly disturbing baptism horror story?
There was this one time at a baptism in a rural area. The baptismal pool was an old - fashioned stone structure outdoors. Unbeknownst to anyone, there was a large snake that had made its nest near the pool. As the person was about to be baptized and stepped into the water, the snake slithered out. People screamed and ran in all directions. It was a terrifying situation, and it took a long time to calm everyone down and ensure the snake was gone before they could attempt the baptism again.
Can you share a particularly disturbing icu horror story?
There was a story where a patient was in the ICU after a major surgery. In the middle of the night, a stranger in hospital scrubs entered the room. The stranger seemed disoriented and started fiddling with the patient's IV lines. Before the nurses could stop him, he had managed to disrupt the flow of important medications. It turned out he was a confused patient from another floor who had wandered into the wrong room.
Can you share a particularly disturbing nicu horror story?
Yes. There was a story where a baby in the NICU was accidentally given the wrong blood type during a transfusion. The baby immediately started having a severe reaction. The little one's body was rejecting the wrong blood and it was a terrifying situation. The medical team had to act very quickly to try and reverse the effects and save the baby's life.