2 days ago
I woke up in intensive care wondering what I was doing there
I woke up in intensive care wondering what I was doing there
Anthony Crothers was enjoying a walk in Gower with his two friends when he suddenly collapsed and nearly lost his life
Anthony Crothers meets a member of the Wales Air Ambulance. The charity helped save his life
(Image: Wales Air Ambulance )
A man who had been enjoying a nice walk in Gower has described how he woke up in intensive care without a clue how he got there.
Anthony Crothers, a 66-year-old father-of-three and grandfather-of-five, had been out walking with two friends when he suddenly collapsed and stopped breathing outside the shop in Three Cliffs Bay. His friend Glyn Dewis, with the help of two other bystanders, Dean and Jamie, rushed to his aid. They called 999, started chest compressions and attached a community defibrillator, which delivered one shock.
By sheer chance, four off-duty doctors were at the scene and assisted with resuscitation while awaiting the arrival of paramedics.
The doctors performed five rounds of CPR and Anthony received five shocks from the defibrillator. Miraculously, his heart restarted just as the paramedics arrived. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here .
The paramedics swiftly assessed Anthony, provided him with oxygen, supported his airway and connected him to their monitoring equipment. G
iven his condition, the Wales Air Ambulance was summoned to provide hospital-grade care in the car park.
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Upon the air ambulance crew's arrival, Anthony remained unconscious and required assistance with his breathing. His pulse was notably slow and weak.
The EMRTS (Emergency Medical and Retrieval Transfer Service) medics aboard the Wales Air Ambulance, Consultant Dr Iain Edgar and Critical Care Practitioners Derwyn Jones and Rhyan Curtin, stabilised him by inserting a breathing tube and connecting him to a ventilator.
Taking control of Anthony's breathing ensured sufficient oxygen reached his brain, thereby preventing potential brain damage.
Anthony was airlifted to Morriston Hospital's Intensive Care unit, where he underwent the placement of cardiac stents. After spending a week at Morriston, he was moved to the University Hospital of Wales Intensive Care Unit in Cardiff, nearer to his home.
Following a stint on a ventilator for nine days and a nearly four-week hospital stay, Anthony returned home, where he continued to recover fully. Now on daily medication, Anthony is faring exceptionally well.
Anthony recalls nothing of the episode, describing it as a 'blur'. Even the photos on his phone, taken by him, seem unfamiliar.
"I have zero recollection of what happened to me," he said. "It may be the brain's safety mechanism of wiping away the trauma. The first thing I remember is waking up in the intensive Care Unit in Cardiff and wondering what I was doing there."
Anthony also noted that before this health scare, he never faced any serious medical challenges., but has several family members who have experienced heart issues.
He stated: "From a personal point of view, I've tried to keep fit. I have a problem with my knee, which is from playing football. But the only other time I had been in hospital, apart from a knee operation, was when I had my tonsils out at 21."
Recently, Anthony and his wife paid a visit to the Wales Air Ambulance Charity headquarters in Dafen, Llanelli. There, he met Dr Iain Edgar, one of the Wales Air Ambulance medics who treated him. The poignant day saw Anthony reconnecting with the off-duty doctors and bystanders.
His friend Glyn recalled: "What I remember about the actual day, when it all happened, was that it was the second day of a two-day road trip that we'd been on. The weather was great, we went down onto the beach at Three Cliffs Bay and we were just walking back.
"He turned his back to me as we got to the boot of the car and it was just surreal. I just heard him say the words, 'oh God'. I said 'what's the matter, mate', and he fell backwards and I caught him."
Reflecting on the significance of the service for both locals and visitors to Wales, Glyn expressed: "I'm just really grateful that there is a service in place like the Wales Air Ambulance, and that there are people who are willing to put themselves in that incredibly stressful position to fly out and treat people. It's just amazing, absolutely amazing."
Glyn, who has undergone emergency first aid training intermittently for over 30 years, added: 'It is incredible to have played a part in Anthony's recovery. It is surreal! How often does someone go through their life and be able to say they've helped save another person, unless they're in the medical profession?'
Anthony added: "My recovery has been going well. I say 'going' because it is ongoing and I intend to keep fit, keeping on with the fitness regime. Coming to terms with what has happened has been a little surreal because you think you're invincible, until something like this happens.
"When I was discharged from hospital, I had a little bit of medical anxiety, where I was scared to go to sleep in case I didn't wake up. When my bladder woke me up early in the morning, I was relieved to think 'I'm still here then'.
"I'm getting there. I don't get any anxiety anymore but visiting the Wales Air Ambulance headquarters has been a privilege and it has also helped me put things into place by meeting the people who helped me along the way. It has been a pleasure.'
Bystander Dean Adams, who said he feels fulfilled by helping save Anthony, was delighted to be part of the reunion. He said: 'It felt surreal, I guess, in loads of ways. It just happened in front of me and I think most people would react that way because there's no other way to react. It's been amazing meeting Anthony.'
The bystanders on the day have since been presented with certificates for helping to save the life of another from Save a Life Cymru, who promote public awareness of CPR and defibrillator use, for providing lifesaving care.
Julie starling, Clinical OHCA programme manager for Save a Life Cymru said: 'It's important that we recognise the action of those people willing to give CPR a go regardless of the outcome, doing something is so much better than doing nothing at all.
"This story highlights how taking action can save a life and that we all have a role to play as part of a wider team in that chain of survival. It's important that everyone in Wales is familiar with the process of performing CPR, which can be easily achieved by watching a short video. The 999 call-taker will tell you how to do CPR, but we all need to be prepared to act fast so we can help each other.'
Mark Tonkin, paramedic and learning and development Manager, said: 'I truly believe that without the quick-thinking actions of Anthony's friend, Glyn, and the bystanders, the outcome could have been very different, and Anthony might not be here today."
'The chain of survival worked exactly as it should. From calling 999, retrieving a defibrillator and starting CPR, those at the scene played a vital role in saving his life.
'Senior Paramedic Nathan Amos and Cymru High Acuity Response Unit Paramedic Gavin Williams arrived just before myself and Emergency Medical Technician Holly Batcup, and we were able to provide further care until EMRTS arrived. This incident shows what's possible when a community is prepared - immediate action and CPR awareness can save lives."
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Anthony said: 'Firstly, a massive thanks for what they did for me and what they do on a daily basis. They are an incredible crew of people.
"Thank you for what you did and everything you do. I cannot express my gratitude enough. Without them, and the people who helped me, I wouldn't be here. My feeling towards the Wales Air Ambulance is eternal gratitude.'
