Almost a week after the facts, Nancy Gobeil is still in shock. The woman has agreed to testify publicly, hoping to raise awareness of these gestures which can have physical, but also psychological consequences.
“I wonder what is going through their heads to get people in prickly,” she says from the outset.
Quickly, the situation has been won over for the victim. She started to feel sudden and intense discomfort, to the point of having to be taken care of by emergency services in the heart of the city-city Thursdays.
“For me, it was a Maringouin or something that had bitten me. I did ouch! When I think about it, it was too strong to be a Maringouin. A given moment, maybe 5 or 10 minutes maximum after, I told my sister that I do not feelais Really not. I started to see confused and to make a kind of vagal shock. I had soft legs. There, you wonder what’s going on. They sat me so that I did not fall to the ground and they called the ambulance, ”she says.
“In the hospital, they have examined me, but I don’t remember. It was my sister who told me. My heart made waves, my pressure like. They put me oxygen, they made me blood and I had several vaccines, “she said, adding that she must also take a series of drugs for the next 28 days.
It was to the urgency that she told hospital staff to have felt a bite shortly before the appearance of symptoms. After having shown approximately where the injection site was identified behind the back by the professionals, she said.
“It’s really scary,” she says.
Even today, all the scenarios come to the lead, since we still do not know what substance could be injected with him. The Sûreté du Québec is investigating the case after the filing of an official complaint. Currently, this is the only case to have been reported to the authorities, we were told. Police are still awaiting results from analyzes of the samples provided.
“We are going to be long without knowing what was injected to me. Was the needle soiled? It’s stressful. I’m afraid, I don’t know what to expect. I hope it won’t be serious. It looks like GHB symptoms, “she says.
She still says she was lucky to have been surrounded by that evening when he could have happened to her.
Nancy Gobeil wants to raise awareness among people, whom they redoubled in prudence, even if they can have a feeling of security by being in a small environment like the Tuque.
“It’s made serious and it’s scary. It is as worse as elsewhere. You have to be careful, it can happen to La Tuque. I am proof. […] I find that there is not much surveillance. Could it have happened to a child, a pregnant woman? It’s dangerous. “
The event has certainly made the female fearful on her next outings in crowds. It will no longer be the same.
“It is certain that there will be fears, I will no longer be able to go out as before. It is a trauma ”.
Act quickly and be vigilant
The integrated university health and social services center of Mauricie-et-du-Center-du-Québec (CIUSSS MCQ) cannot comment on a particular case, but it is assured that anyone who presents himself in his establishments with signs of intoxication in GHB or any other substance is taken care of quickly.
“Our teams are there to support the person, regardless of the situation,” insists Julie Michaud, spokesperson for the CIUSSS MCQ.
We first assess the patient’s state before intervening according to his needs to stabilize it. Different care and analyzes can be offered; Rehydrations, medication, blood tests, urinary tests …
When the patient is able to consent, reports may be made to the authorities.
It is recalled that, since December 2023, all emergencies in Quebec have been equipped with a legal urinary kit. A kit that makes it possible to detect more than 200 intoxicating substances, including the GHB. It can be requested by anyone who believes he has been intoxicated, but the event must have occurred in the last 48 hours.
“After this period, it becomes difficult to identify the substances that could have been used. To make this kit, the person must also be able to give their free and enlightened consent. ”
The analyzes are then done by an external laboratory, mainly by the laboratory of judicial sciences and legal medicine, and can take several months.
It is indicated that GHB poisoning can be the cause of neurological disorders that can go as far as coma, cardio-respiratory disorders, hypothermia or even cause death. It is also specified that the GHB is a substance that very quickly eliminates from the organism.
“There is a small window in the blood which is 8 hours and in the urine which is 10 to 12 hours. If we have a suspicion of poisoning in the GHB, it is important to consult quickly, “recalls Julie Michaud, spokesperson for the CIUSSS MCQ.
The CIUSSS MCQ calls for vigilance and recalls that a whole page of health advice on the GHB is on its website; Identification of symptoms, prevention advice, explanation of the legal urinary kit, etc.
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