NEED TO KNOW
\nA quick bathroom break for Alison Doyle became a medical emergencyShe documented the experience on TikTok, prompting viral concern from viewersHer ER visit for rabies shots highlighted the importance of autism accommodations in healthcare<\/p>\n
When Alison Doyle flushed her downstairs toilet one afternoon, she expected the usual swirl of water \u2014 not the lifeless body of a tiny bat. The discovery would send her from a quiet laundry day to a Canadian emergency room, and eventually into the center of a viral TikTok moment.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cI went downstairs to do laundry after literally a month of living in this new place,\u201d Alison tells PEOPLE. \u201cI looked down and it was a baby bat, it was deceased.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Doyle says she rarely uses that bathroom and wasn\u2019t sure how long the animal had been there. Still, she pulled out her phone and hit record before flushing the unexpected guest away.\n<\/p>\n
Posting the clip to TikTok felt natural for Alison, who has been documenting her daily life online for two years. The response was immediate and urgent. Hundreds of viewers filled her comments, warning her to seek medical attention in case of rabies exposure.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cI had like 100 people telling me that I should get a rabies shot,\u201d Alison says. Surprised by the concern, she called paramedics for advice.\n<\/p>\n
They told her she needed to head straight to the ER. \u201cThe likelihood of me contracting rabies is extremely low,\u201d she recalls being told, \u201cbut the percentage of you dying if you do contract rabies and don\u2019t actually get help is wildly high.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
Alison Doyle flushing dead bat in toilet.<\/p>\n
Alison Doyle\/Tiktok<\/p>\n
That warning was enough to push her through the hospital doors, despite the sensory challenges she faces as an autistic person. \u201cIf you don\u2019t think I need to be here, I would rather just go home,\u201d she remembers telling a nurse.\n<\/p>\n
Navigating a busy emergency room is never easy for her. The bright lights, close quarters and constant chatter can make the experience overwhelming.\n<\/p>\n
The nurse\u2019s reassurance made a difference. \u201cShe told me that it was good that I came in,\u201d Alison says, adding that the validation helped ease some of her anxiety.\n<\/p>\n
Medical staff determined she should start rabies post-exposure prophylaxis immediately. \u201cThe first day you get five shots\u2026 then a few days ago I got another shot,\u201d Alison says.\n<\/p>\n
Her treatment would require multiple visits, but in Canada, she had an option that worked better for her needs. \u201cA paramedic can come to my house, and it\u2019s free,\u201d she says. \u201cThat\u2019s the best thing that\u2019s ever happened to me.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
Despite feeling sick after the shots, Alison focused on the positives. \u201cI\u2019m very grateful for the level of care,\u201d she says. \u201cI can\u2019t honestly believe how beautifully accommodated I was.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
Alison is autistic level one, meaning she has lower support needs \u2014 but, she says, that doesn\u2019t mean no support needs. \u201cI wanted the takeaway for people to be\u2026 lower support needs doesn\u2019t mean no support needs,\u201d she explains.\n<\/p>\n
Her transparency about her needs led to accommodations she calls \u201cthe best I\u2019ve ever gotten.\u201d Staff placed her in a private family room, where she could wait in a calm environment away from the crowd.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was a sofa, an armchair, and I just chilled in there for five hours in the dark,\u201d she says. \u201cIt was the best level of care I\u2019ve ever received in my entire life.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
Before leaving, she was handed a gluten-free banana popsicle \u2014 a small but thoughtful touch for someone with celiac disease. The kindness stuck with her long after she got home.\n<\/p>\n
She also noticed the support pouring in online, particularly from other autistic people. Still, she points out that the most visible representation in the community tends to be white, like her, and she believes more Black, brown, and Indigenous voices need to be heard.\n<\/p>\n
Alison Doyle TikTok.<\/p>\n
Alison Doyle\/Tiktok<\/p>\n
\u201cSome visibility is better than no visibility,\u201d she says, \u201cbut I think there needs to be a lot more representation within the autistic community.\u201d Her viral moment, she hopes, can spark more awareness.<\/p>\n
\u201cAutism is a spectrum,\u201d she says. \u201cIt looks different on everybody and it doesn\u2019t have a look.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
Her experience reinforced the value of self-advocacy, especially in healthcare settings. \u201cAdvocating for [myself] ended up being the best possible thing I could have done,\u201d Alison says.\n<\/p>\n