10 minute read
Patient stories
Spike Sampson
Having recently moved to Great Amwell, Hertfordshire, Spike Sampson (14) and his mother Carrie Courtney, had barely settled into their home when a horrific accident occurred, leaving Spike with devastating injuries and “a 3 per cent chance of survival.”
Spike, an avid longboarder, was also getting to grips with the road layouts near his home. On 11th April 2021, he rode down Cautherly Lane, but as the hill steepened and curved, he was soon travelling at 50mph – avoiding an oncoming car before hitting the curb and crashing into a 400-year-old stone wall.
“All I remember is getting up and looking at my hands. It felt like a really, really bad nosebleed, but that was it. It just goes blank from there.”
When EHAAT arrived, the team quickly stabilised Spike and placed him into a medically induced coma at the roadside before intubating and ventilating him. He was airlifted to the Major Trauma Centre at Royal London Hospital. Spike was rushed to theatre with a fractured skull, cheekbone and eye socket, with severe damage to the right side of his brain. The team of neurosurgeons removed part of Spike’s skull in order to relieve pressure and allow the brain to swell. After five days in hospital, Spike woke up but an MRI scan confirmed his brain was damaged on the right frontal lobe – the part that controls emotions and inhibitions. After 16 days in hospital, Spike underwent a number of operations in order to repair the many fractures he had sustained, including a full facial reconstruction. After a month, family members could pay Spike a visit with covid restrictions easing, and by July, he was able to return home. He began his rehabilitation placement at The Children’s Trust in Surrey in August and continued to make tremendous improvements.
Spike said: “I’ll never stop saying thank you. The air ambulance have been amazing, every step of the way.”
Pete Morris
Friday 20th November 2020 began like a usual workday for Pete Morris, his wife Jackie and their colleague Danny. It was a cold, wet and dreary afternoon, but their house clearance in Harlow was all going to plan – until disaster struck.
Pete (72) was in the horsebox trailer just in front of the property when he began clutching his chest. Showing obvious signs of discomfort, he was spotted by Andy Jenkins, a hairdresser who was walking to the local pharmacy to collect his mother’s prescription.
“I saw Pete in the horsebox, and you know when there’s something wrong with the picture in front of you, he just didn’t look right. I was about 50 yards away but saw he had his hand up to his chest, and then he quickly fell to the floor.” Rushing over to the horsebox, Andy could see Pete was unconscious. At that moment, Danny appeared from inside the house and, seeing the dreadful situation, ran back to get Jackie.
Jackie said: “It was so frightening because without giving CPR, I knew he didn’t stand a chance. I could see his face turning blue, and he was frothing at the mouth – I knew he was dying and that I had to start CPR.”
Jackie was recovering from surgery to her shoulder, and although she tried, she did not have the strength required to give effective chest compressions, but Andy took over whilst Danny called the ambulance.”
The emergency services and EHAAT’s Critical Care Team arrived promptly at the scene via rapid response vehicle. Pre-Hospital Care Consultant, Dr Matt O’Meara, Dr Clare Anderson and Critical Care Paramedic, Scott Wallman, stabilised Pete by taking control of his breathing using an anaesthetic and a ventilator. He was safely transferred to Lister Hospital in Stevenage. EHAAT provided a prehospital anaesthetic, and he remained in an induced coma for two weeks. Pete had an internal cardiac defibrillator (ICD) fitted to continuously monitor his heartbeat and after three weeks of receiving treatment, he was discharged on Christmas Eve with no severe side effects.
Pete said: “He could have just as easily seen what was going on and carried on with his day. He was a really good Samaritan and saved my life. We wake up every day and thank him, the doctors, nurses and paramedics. We want to shout from the rooftops what everybody’s done for us.”
Laura Francis
It was a run-of-the-mill day for nurse Laura Francis (39). Having just finished her night shift on the Accident & Emergency ward at Colchester Hospital, Laura made her way to Ardleigh on 22nd November 2020 to take her horse for a jumping lesson. The training was going to plan, but as Laura gained momentum and approached a routine jump, her 15-year-old horse D’Artagnan stopped in his tracks and rose up, sending Laura crashing to the ground.
“Normally, I would jump up and get back on, but I just remember laying there thinking something’s really wrong. My instructor kindly ran my horse back to the yard whilst I called an ambulance. At first, I just thought I needed some gas and air, but the panic soon began to set in.”
Pre-hospital Care Doctor Jess Payne and Critical Care Paramedic James Mullett arrived at the scene via the MD902 helicopter, making a safe landing once the riding instructors had secured all of the horses. They were joined by the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust. Doctor Jess Payne administered ketamine to relieve Laura’s pain and allow her to be moved comfortably from the field to the ambulance. The air ambulance crew went with Laura in the ambulance to provide further pain relief on route to the hospital. “I remember thinking there was clearly something wrong with my arm. I was in agony – but I don’t recall getting from the field to the ambulance, which was three fields away.”
Upon arriving at Colchester Hospital – the same hospital Laura had worked at for six months in A&E – she was greeted by familiar faces.
“I knew all of the nurses in RESUS and had my friends looking after me, but also my boyfriend James, who was a staff nurse. It was daunting being on the other side, but the whole team were fantastic!”
After being given pain relief and some initial tests, Laura had broken the top of her left arm and was required to wear a brace and a sling for 21 weeks, returning to work at full capacity seven months later.
“I was very much aware of air ambulances and the amazing work they do, but I felt so bad knowing how
stretched frontline workers were at the time, so I’m immensely grateful I was able to get the care I needed quickly. I just wanted to say a massive thank you to everyone involved!”
Andrew Bord
Andrew Bord was the star of our Air Ambulance Week campaign. Air Ambulance Week took place from 6th to 12th September 2021, and it was fantastic to see bucket collections return in many areas, albeit on a smaller scale than usual due to the pandemic. During the national awareness week, organised by Air Ambulances UK, we joined the other 20 air ambulance charities in a campaign called ‘Every Second Counts and Every Penny Matters.’
The campaign highlighted how air ambulance charities such as EHAAT rapidly deliver advanced life-saving pre-hospital care directly to the side of patients with life-threatening injuries or medical emergencies, essentially bringing the A&E department to the patient when every second counts. Throughout the week, we shared a series of short videos across our social media channels, including Andrew Bord’s story, which highlighted the importance of supporting your local air ambulance and their life-saving work.
Andrew was taking a shower when he blacked out, fell, and had a seizure. When EHAAT’s team arrived, they quickly identified that they had to treat the large wound on Andrew’s head and give him a pre-hospital anaesthetic in order to take over his breathing. This would start the process of reducing his brain injury and prevent, as best as possible, any further harm. Once stabilised, Andrew was airlifted to The Royal London in six minutes.
In the video, Andrew’s wife Emma said: “It proved to us that life can change in a single second. Everyone needs to know they are there; they need support because they support us.”
LOOKING FORWARD TO THE YEAR AHEAD
APRIL 2021 – MARCH 2022
FROM OUR CEO
Looking Forward to The Upcoming Year
Like many charities across the country, we have been challenged by the lasting impact of the pandemic. That said, each hurdle of change and uncertainty has opened doors to exciting opportunities, historic milestones and ambitious plans to reach the highest possible standards of prehospital clinical care.
We are proud of how our team has stepped up and adapted to meet the needs of our patients, their families and our communities. The return of faceto-face events, fundraising initiatives and close working relationships with our partners has raised our spirits and further emphasised our team’s outstanding strength and the power of collective action.
There was no better opportunity to showcase our inclusive environment than hosting a visit by Their Royal Highnesses the Earl and Countess of Wessex on the 1st March 2022. It was a historic moment we’ll savour for decades to come. Still, it also allowed us to reflect on how we have navigated the last 12 months working collaboratively with many hospitals, emergency services and supporting organisations across the region.
It’s fantastic to see how well our staff and volunteers have settled into our North Weald airbase, which gives us the security of tenure and facilities for training, mentoring, patient liaison and fundraising. Combined with the newly extended and refurbished Earls Colne airbase, which also sits at the heart of our clinical care, we have the first-class infrastructure in place to support our life-saving work.
We will soon be accelerating our plans to create a Centre for Excellence – a world-leading community through which pre-hospital care is developed to achieve the best outcome for people in our region and beyond. This exciting initiative will enable us to work collaboratively with pre-hospital care clinicians, to drive innovation and share knowledge for the benefit of all.
On a personal note, I’d like to say a huge thank you to the University of Essex for awarding me with an honorary degree. It’s always a privilege to lead Essex & Herts Air Ambulance to huge milestones, but this achievement wouldn’t be possible without the amazing people I have around me. Each day, I work with true experts in their fields, and I trust and value their knowledge and ideas, always driving forward to improve care for our patients, ensuring we continue to be there for the people who need us most.
I am so immensely proud of Essex & Herts Air Ambulance and our work over the past year. We have risen to every challenge with creativity, enthusiasm and determination. From our 400-strong army of volunteers who devote their time, energy and passion to our cause, to the incredible support we receive from the public, and our people, who have adapted rapidly to meet the needs of patients and their families – you all play a pivotal role in keeping the charity operational, saving lives across Essex and Hertfordshire.
I am looking forward to the year ahead with confidence and excitement, safe in the knowledge that Essex & Herts Air Ambulance is more resilient, agile and collaborative. Thank you for your continued support.
Jane Gurney
Chief Executive Officer
