Hey Pandas, What Is The Worst Experience You Have Ever Had In Your Life? (Ended)

I once fell in love harder than I ever had before. We were just friends for a while but soon realized that we both felt more than just friendship for each other. But we lived 500 km apart. We tried to ignore our feelings because we didn't want to be in a long distance relationship. After a few months however, we couldn't take it any longer and became a couple. I was so happy. I finally found a guy, I felt that I could be with. He even considered moving here for me.

One day he came for a visit because we wanted to go to a concert together on a sunday evening. He had to work on monday morning and decided to drive home after the concert was over. He dropped me off at my place and we said our goodbyes. I told him that I loved him for the first time and that he should text me when he got home ok. I went to bed and he drove home.

The next day I woke up. No message. I instantly started panicking. I called his cell. No answer. I called his work. They hung up on me. One hour later his mother called me and she didn't have to say anything because I knew the worst had happend. He was almost home but then a truck cut in in front of his car with no lights on and it was a pitch black night. A witness stopped her car and did CPR on him for half an hour but it was no use. He died due to his severe head injuries.

Part of me died too that day. It took me years to get over it. Today, I try not to think about it and leave it in the past. But whenever I do think about it, the pain is as real as it was 15 years ago. But I was "just" his girlfriend. I can't imagine how much worse it must have been for his parents. I believe the worst thing that can happen to anyone is losing a child.

One, my husband having an affair when my kids were 5, 3, and less than 1, and the divorce Two, when my sister and brother died 9 months apart at only 61 and 63.

the coronavirus

So I was a 19-year-old girl travelling around Armenia with my friend. As we didn't have money we used to hitchhike and sleep in a tent. We had been in Georgia for a month, going from one place to another and we never had to use our tent or sleep in a hostel because every last driver of the day offered us to sleep at their places. It is a custom there and very normal so we never had any problems. In contrary, every evening we were fed well and had a great time meeting the neighbours and family members as everybody would come around and see the travellers. Just in case we used to say that we are married, just to avoid anything unpleasant, plus we always asked the drivers that do they have wife and kids as this would give us a vague image of the person. So this went on for a month, we reached Armenia and headed south. In a remote area my wallet, passport and phone were stolen, which was scary, but in 24h I got everything back! Shout out to the amazing Karabakhi police who did an amazing job. But, well we were shaken and decided to return to Georgia. So by the end of the night we reached the Georgian-Armenian border, it was dark already so we decided to try one last car and then set up camp. Well, the last car stopped, he offered us to sleep at his house, he had a wife and kids, and everything seemed safe. We had a great dinner, started drinking, all the neighbours came over and it was just a great night. There were some moments that made me feel a bit weird like when the man of the house said that in this house the women do what he says. Well, the night reached an end, we went to bed and were told that we have to sleep on different beds (but still in the same room). And one point the man tried to get into my bed, but luckily went away. But soon after tried again and again went away finally. I was freaking out so I went to my friends bed and tried to wake him up, but he was piss drunk and just would react. The man came the third time and this time he started to get angry and really pin me down, but went away again. After that I slapped my friend awake and told him the situation. Then the wife came and told me that I have to do what his husband wants. Now we were scared as fuck! Then thw man called for me from the next room and my friend went instead as I sneaked downstairs. As I was leaving I saw into the room where I had a view of the man sitting in a chair and his wife standing next to him (like a scene from The Godfather). My friend came downstairs and all he said was we have to go, now! So we grabbed our things and ran into the pitch darkness of this small village. We reached a house, knocked on the door and asked for help. Luckily they took us in and we were able to have a safe night.
It was a bloody scary night, but I'm stronger now and can use my experience to help others. And the last thing I want to see is anyone thinking badly of Armenia or Georgia. They are amazing countries and I still love them to death.

Sepsis/septic shock. I was out grocery shopping last summer and got real dizzy and fatigued, my muscles were aching, I just didn't feel "right". Later, at dinnertime, I couldn't eat even though the food was really good. Then I got the chills, was hypotensive and had a low temperature, and became disoriented. My parents used a call-a-doctor service and the doctor said I should go to the ER immediately as I was displaying signs of meningitis. We got there and waited for the doctor. I'm so grateful that my mom refused to leave when the doctor told us to, saying I was "taking up valuable space and resources" when the waiting room was empty. I had a spinal tap with no anesthetic and couldn't pass urine. I began to sweat so badly I soaked through my clothes and the bedsheets. At 3 AM, I spiked a fever and the machines all around me went off. I was soon admitted into the ICU and sent 5 days there and about 4 in recovery. We still don't know what bacteria caused me to go into septic shock. The mortality rate for septic shock ranges from 20%-50%. Pandas, I am begging you to stand your ground when you know something is wrong. Please know the symptoms of sepsis and act ASAP if you display any of them.

My dad had abdominal cramps the night before I had surgery to remove 3 retained adult teeth. The next morning I found my dad in a lot of pain. I woke up my mom, who was understandably panicking, for my father was in so much pain he could not walk without support. We had to rush him to a different hospital and check him in before I could go to my hospital, where we learned he had appendicitis. I still remember crying outside of my dad's hospital room while a nurse was trying his best to comfort me. I then had to go to my scheduled surgery. When I woke up, I learned that my dad was ok. My father meant the world to me, and I was relieved. It was still a scary and stressful experience.

My Uncle - who I was very close to - kept getting burgled as he ran his business from home. The last time he got burgled they threatened him with a gun. Needless to say, he was under a lot of pressure and one day, collapsed and died while posting a letter. He was only 57. The same year my dog died, my girlfriend left me and I lost my career after being diagnosed with depression. Not a great year.

This actually happened pretty recently. We were driving through Reno (We own a second home up there) and a big ol' white dude gives us the finger. We reason, since we were driving normally, what it was probably the "JUSTICE FOR GEORGE!" sign we have painted on the back. Shook it off. Fast forward about an hour later, we're driving of a sheer mountain road. A motorcyclist pulls up behind us, and sees our sign. He starts riding our tail and making all sorts of obscene gestures. He follows us for a long time, then he starts driving like a maniac, pulling in front of us and slamming on the breaks, driving in the shoulder next to our car like he's gonna hit us, pushing us towards the cliff edge, and all together trying to make us wreck. He got close to pushing us off the road. Everyone was shouting and crying. I thought we were going to die. He eventually turned around, to crawl back under whatever sad, dank hole he lives in. We were fine, but it was an eye-opening experience, and needless to say, TERRIFYING. We are white, and lucky enough to come from a very liberal town where there are very few people like that. Its crazy to think a stranger could have the will to harm you or even end your life simply because of your political stance. Stay safe every one. #BLM

I realized reading all these posts that I have had an extraordinary life. Extraordinary for the adventure, the opportunities and the privileges on one hand, but I have also suffered so many terrible things, things like rape and murder of a loved one, death of a spouse, a child nearly dying, actually dying myself and being revived, witnessing a couple of horrific accidents, seeing a friend commit suicide, seeing multiple people die, witnessing an attack during war where a whole bunch of people I knew were gunned down. It's a long list, a really long list. Here's what I actually want to say. Whatever the worst thing is that has happened to you, you CAN get past it. With time and/or therapy and/or different ways of thinking about it, and/or reflection, and/or forgiveness, you can get over things that seem impossible and life destroying at the time. Don't ever give up and don't give in. I am a happy, well adjusted person who loves life. There is nothing in this world so bad that you can't come out the other side.

It was my daughters VERY first day of school, my hubby took the day off so we could take her, meet the teacher and settle her in etc. Well I started having bad cramps that morning (was 7 weeks pregnant), we took our daughter to school but had to leave earlier than planned so I could go to the hospital. Whilst I was waiting for an ambulance to transfer me to a different hospital, I collapsed (sign of fallopian tube rupture). I was transferring to a different hospital because the hospital had a more advanced ultrasound machine.

My hubby had to go and pick our daughter up from school as the first day was a half day, he took her to his brothers so they could care for her. During that time I got to the other hospital and as I was waiting to check in my brother saw me. He was at the emergency department with my Poppa and Aunty, it was a coincidence he was there (Poppa had a TIA). My brother kept me company whilst waiting for hubby.

I was in so much pain and it was getting worse except it was my neck and shoulders that were hurting the most. I was literally screaming and asking to die, it was the most excruciating pain I have ever experienced (even worse than childbirth). The doctor just said I had pulled a muscle, he was a dickhead. After being in hospital for 8 hours they eventually gave me the ultrasound. The technician said almost immediately that I was full of fluid (bleeding internally) and needed surgery immediately. I had my fallopian tube removed and needed blood transfusions. The surgeon said it was touch and go at one point.

During the hospital stay I was moved 3 times in 4-5 days due to lack of beds. As they were moving me to a 4 bed room I saw a woman listening to her babies heartbeat. As you can imagine after my ordeal the last thing I needed was to see/hear that. I literally broke down. I was taken to the waiting room so they could sort something out and they ended up forgetting about me.

I rang my dad to see if he was going to visit me especially as the hospital was on the way home from work. He said he couldn’t because of Chinese New Year. He almost lost his daughter yet Chinese New Year with his wife (mail order bride) was more important. My brother was with me and was furious so he rang my dad to have a go at him. An hour later he shows up, this is just ONE time my dad has disappointed and hurt me. But that’s a story for another day.

Anyway 2 days later I was waiting for the Dr to come check on me so I could be discharged. Whilst I was waiting I decided to have a shower. I asked a nurse for some towels and a flannel. I got in the shower and realised the flannel was in fact a baby singlet. A f***ing baby singlet, that I was supposed to use to wash the blood caused by a failed pregnancy. I ended up sitting on the floor in the shower with the flannel laid on my abdomen and bawled my eyes out.

When I rang my hubby and told him what happened he was absolutely LIVID. He rang the hospital and demanded I see a DR now to be discharged and he will be making a complaint. Finally the Dr saw me, filled out the discharge papers and left. I was not given any post op advice or after care instructions and no one came to take my IV’s out. I had to go to the nurses desk to take out all 7 IV’s. I ended up organising my after care with my GP.

It’s been a bit over 9 years since then and I am okay. I had my rainbow child 6 years ago and now my family is complete.

Once, I was a child. My grandmother was an alcoholic. My mother and my father divorced, so I lived with my grandmother and my mother. And many times, my grandmother was put in the hospital for drinking. She lied, she went up to the store, and she bought wine. One time, On Halloween, she crashed the car into our house and then went backwards and crashed into another neighbors fence. I thought she would die. I was really scared, but my grandmother lived. and now she knows not to drink again

About a year ago we hatched 4 chickens out of eggs, and 3 turned out to be roosters. Where we live, roos are not allowed because of their morning displays. We gave the first one away, and it was terribly sad for the whole family because this guy was so sweet and we loved all of our chickens, and the second one was murdered by a raccoon which I will never forgive. So we only had one roo left, named Brownie, and nicknamed Brownie Boy. This guy was my absolute favorite and he was such a gentleman. Soon, the neighbors complained about his loud 5 a.m. crowing, and it was time to give him away. The day he was taken, I came home from school completely distraught, and went straight to the basement because my hamster is very therapeutic and I knew he would help. But it turned out my little hamster had died, this really took its toll. My mom was getting my sis from school, so I called her and explained the situation. She came home soon with my sister and also my grandma who she had picked up from the airport as a surprise. My grandma had bought my sister and I some stuffed animals, and she gave me one as consolement. The stuffed animal turned out to be a raccoon. :(

The Persian Gulf War, also known as Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

Burying my best friend when I was 15 or 16 and realizing, as a 34 year adult in therapy for various things, that the reason I have trust issues, religious issues, self-worth issues, and am otherwise a cynical ass of a human 99.99% of the time is because the ONE person that actually cared enough to listen to me and give me the time of day... is dead.

I am italian so most of my family are very old and are at the end of their lives right now so mine is probably my two great grandparents going to an aged care centre. Then within a month one of them went to hospital and while we were there we got a call saying my great aunt passed away. Then, about a month later one of my great grandparents passed away.

my foster care dad(I was moved to foster care when I was 15) died when I was 17. it was senior year and 2 weeks before my birthday. I felt like he was the only one who got me and really loved me. he was about to adopt me and it destroyed me when he died. I asked my social worker(she came to the funeral) to be moved to a different family because his wife was now really depressed and it was too painful to be in that house and she said no, she had other things to do and then I called my favorite cousin to see if she could do anything about it and she just told my mom, who told me that he died because I was such a horrible person. she blamed it ALL on me. and then I got really depressed because his heart had been restarted 7 times and I had to watch, and it was all too much. my grades dropped and I had to be very grateful that I had already been accepted to a decent colleges I could still have a future. its because of him that I am currently studying journalism because he always told me I had a way with words.

the first time I got period cramps... man that was tough

About 30 years ago I was 8 years old. I woke up in a bed being pushed through a hospital hallway. I was taken to a room where a doctor told me I had suffered a stroke, and would never be able to walk again. Coming back from that was hard.

Giving up my career (that I absolutely loved) to move to another state to take care of my family. In a very short amount of time, less fourteen months to be exact and in this order, my sister, mom, brother and dad all died of various cancers. They all wanted to die at home with only me caring for them with the exception of my brother who was in another state. I essentially became a full time hospice nurse and have much respect for them. Laying beside my family as they took their last breath was devastating. Taking care of then having them all die in such a short period of time coupled with my career in law enforcement left me, according to my doctor, with severe PTSD. Didn't realize it at first but it hit me hard and I'm still trying to deal with it. Seeing this question really resonated with me as my sister died early in the morning the day after my birthday which is June 21st.

my grandad got cancer. he died about 10 weeks after diagnosis