Depression Understood Forums

I believe I could have helped save someone. He was having a heart attack and I didn't know it. Nor did the people who were around him. He had no chest pain, but felt bad and was cold and clammy. I work with intellectually handicapped people and he was high-functioning. We took him home instead of the ER because we thought it was low blood sugar. Well his blood sugar was high. The last thing his caretaker said was that he'd take him to the ER but they didn't. We left him there, and he smoked a cigarette, took a nap, woke up, said he felt better and then died. His caretaker called 911, did cpr frantically. I know he feels great guilt, as I do. I knew being cold and clammy was a sign of a heart attack but I didn't know it could be the biggest sign. I don't know how to forgive myself. I feel like punishing myself is somehow honoring him. Has anyone dealt with severe guilt here?

Hi, I know what it's like to feel guilty, so guilty that you think you no longer deserve to be happy. But that isn't true, you made a mistake, yes a big one, but you're human. You can't live your life thinking about what if, that man may have died either way. I understand why you feel terrible because I know I would too. But you have to learn to forgive yourself or not only will he no longer be living but neither will you. Ask God for forgiveness and comfort and from there that is all you can do.