Latest news with #IntensiveCareUnit
ABC News
27-07-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Burns survivor wants to use second chance to teach others about fire safety
It was less than week to Christmas and only two days away from finishing his barley crop harvest when farmer Tim Haslam came face-to-face with a bushfire in 2023. Unable to escape the flames, he incurred burns to 38 per cent of his body. Two years on from the incident, Mr Haslam realises he made critical mistakes and wants to ensure others do not follow in his footsteps. Mr Haslam said on the day of the fire the conditions were not particularly bad, with winds around 12 kilometres per hour. But he said everything changed in an instant. "It was harvest and we were at the closing stages of our 10,000 acre cropping program, we probably had two days to go," he said. "I was harvesting and had just finished a run line. I looked in the rear-view vision mirror and saw flames, so it was then that I went and got a fire unit. "All I could see out of my windscreen was orange flames. "I immediately turned the ute left and I then got bogged. I also realised I had a flat tyre." Mr Haslam said it was then that he made the first of several mistakes. "I got out of the ute and I just ran, probably four or five steps. I tripped and landed hands-first into the [burning] barley stubble," he said. After being found by an employee, he was flown to Fiona Stanley Hospital in Perth, where he spent 10 days in the Intensive Care Unit. For seven of those days, he was in a coma. When Mr Haslam woke, he was told he had suffered 38 per cent burns to his face, arms, legs, hands and feet. "I was extraordinarily lucky to be in Fiona Stanley, it is by far the best burns unit in the world," he said. "[Plastic surgeon and burns specialist] Fiona Wood has done an enormous amount of research since and prior to the Bali bombings. "They developed spray-on skin, and on top of that, I'm also wearing compression garments that I have to wear for 24 months." Mr Haslam said the support from his wife Sally and the wider farming community during his treatment and rehabilitation had been unwavering. "Undoubtedly, I was given a second chance. I've had 15 surgeries, I've lost all the ends of my fingers, the corners of my mouth have also webbed together," he said. When asked how day-to-day operations had changed for him on his farm in Popanyinning, Mr Haslam said they had changed enormously and also very little. "I do all my farm jobs. I do them fairly slowly and it is quite painful, but is that age, arthritis or burns-related?" he said. The farmer echoed this year's Farm Safety Week message of second chances and using them as powerful learning opportunities. "Now while I am harvesting, I will always look at the wind direction and where it is coming from. "On December 20, 2023, I had a pair of shorts and a short-sleeve shirt on. "I urge people for the period of harvest just wear long pants and a long-sleeve shirt. "I just simply reacted. What I should have done is sat there for a second and just assessed, 'What are my options?'" Mr Haslam admitted that stepping out of his vehicle during the fire was a mistake others should learn from. "My employee who picked me up could have quite easily run me over, but fortunately the smoke had cleared by then," he said. The family was just two days off finishing their harvest when Mr Haslam was injured. Already a busy time of year for other farmers trying to finish their own harvest, one of his neighbours organised a working bee to get the rest of the crop off. "There were four or five headers, trucks. They all turned up to finish off the harvest, and drink my grog," Mr Haslam said. "My local bowling club also turned up. They were all such incredible support. I refer to them as my bowling family. "I had the photos of the harvest hanging in my hospital room. It was a way of keeping me connected to home."
The Hindu
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Tamil director Velu Prabhakaran passes away at 68
Tamil filmmaker and actor Velu Prabhakaran, best known for helming films such as Nalaya Manithan, Puratchikkaaran, Asuran, and Rajali, breathed his last today, July 18, at a private hospital in Chennai. He was 68. The director was suffering from a prolonged illness and had been receiving treatment over the last few days. Sources say that Velu was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit and was put on ventilator support yesterday; however, unfortunately, the filmmaker passed away earlier this morning. Velu began his career as a cinematographer in 1980, working under director Mouli on films such as Ivargal Vidhiyasamanavargal and Matravai Neril. He made his directorial debut with 1989's Nalaya Manithan, starring Prabhu, Ajay Rathnam, Amala, and Jaishankar, which, interestingly, also got a sequel the following year, titled Adhisaya Manithan. His films, popular for their controversial subjects, were largely laced with themes of revolution, anti-casteism and sensuality. Notably, a song from Velu's 1995 film Asuran, called 'Chakku Chakku Vathikuchi', found a new audience recently after director Lokesh Kanagaraj used it in his hit 2022 action film Vikram, starring Kamal Haasan. After appearing in small roles in his own directorials, Velu transitioned into a full-time actor over the last six years, having acted in films such asGangs of Madras, Jango, Cadaver, and Weapon. His last on-screen appearance was in the Vedhika-Yogi Babu starrer Gajaana. According to reports, the director last helmed a film titled Yaar Antha Sir?, starring Mansoor Ali Khan, which has yet to see the light of the day. Velu's professional and personal lives were marked by many controversies. The director was married to the late actor P. Jayadevi, who had previously acted in his films Kadavul and Puratchikkaaran. In 2017, Velu married actor Shirley Das, who starred in his 2009 film Kadhal Kadhai. The news about Velu Prabhakaran's death has come as a shock to many. Fans and industry colleagues have been expressing their condolences on social media. The director's mortal remains will be kept for public homage at his residence in Valasaravakkam, Chennai, from Saturday evening (July 19) to Sunday afternoon (July 20). The cremation will take place on Sunday evening.
CBC
14-07-2025
- Health
- CBC
‘We're still on target': Prince County Hospital planning for ICU to reopen in Summerside by Aug. 12
We have an update tonight on two critical health care services at Prince County Hospital in Summerside. The Intensive Care Unit is poised to reopen and some cancer treatments are returning. Rob Philpott, the administrator at the Summerside hospital, talked to CBC's Louise Martin.
West Australian
13-06-2025
- Health
- West Australian
A mother's worst nightmare: Yasmine's story and the reality of preterm birth
Born 15 weeks early, Ava weighed little more than a tub of butter when she came into the world. Her tiny hands were no bigger than her parents' wedding rings and her fragile little body could fit in the palm of their hands. Born weighing 580 grams, she was small yet mighty enough to tackle the complex challenges a marathon 101-day stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit would bring for the brave micro preemie. Ava's sudden introduction to the world was a life-and-death decision made by the world-class team of experts at Perth's King Edward Memorial Hospital. Up until three days prior to her hurried delivery via emergency classical caesarean section under a general anaesthetic, her mum Yasmine Phillips had experienced a smooth pregnancy where the expected side effects like morning sickness brought much comfort. But a sudden onset of excruciating rib pain that would come and go, and bouts of vomiting, prompted Yasmine to visit a Geraldton emergency department while visiting relatives for Christmas. Doctors hoped it was merely festive food poisoning but warned they were preparing for a worst-case scenario of HELLP Syndrome, an uncommon and severe form of pre-eclampsia that can lead to life-threatening complications for both mother and baby. For the safety of the unborn baby and mother, the pair were flown to Perth via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and transferred to KEMH where Yasmine's condition quickly declined, a HELLP Syndrome diagnosis was confirmed and a life-saving decision was made to deliver Ava. 'Those early days and weeks in the NICU were some of the most terrifying moments you can imagine,' Yasmine said. 'There was so much uncertainty and fear, and many worrying thoughts as we watched Ava breathing through a ventilator, covered in wires and confined to an incubator.' Ava is one of more than 26,000 premature babies born in Australia every year with one in every twelve pregnancies ending too early. 'During Ava's three-and-a-half months in the NICU, it became like a second home to us and we felt so blessed to have had such an amazing team of people caring for our daughter who really celebrated every milestone and felt deeply every low,' Phillips said. Chair of the Australian Preterm Birth Prevention Alliance Professor John Newnham explains that preterm birth is the leading cause of death and disability in children up to five years of age in the developed world. 'Preterm birth is defined as birth before 37 weeks of pregnancy whilst early term birth is the 14-day period between 37 and 39 weeks of pregnancy,' he said. In March of this year the Australian Government announced it was continuing its investment in Australia's world-first national program to safely reduce rates of early birth with $5.3 million to expand the Every Week Counts National Preterm Birth Prevention Collaborative. 'This program, which has been adopted in maternity hospitals all over Australia, brings together health professionals, First Nations leaders, quality improvement experts and those with a lived experience, to improve pregnancy outcomes for more women across the country,' Professor Newnham said. Driven by the potentially life-long consequences of prematurity and HELLP Syndrome, Yasmine has joined the effort to help raise awareness of preterm birth. Almost four years after the early arrival of Ava, she welcomed another little girl into the world. Sage spent a week in the NICU in the bed right next to where Ava spent the first few months of her life. Due to the complications from her first pregnancy, doctors deemed it safest for Yasmine's second baby girl to be delivered at 37 weeks. But even with her experience, she stresses that nothing quite prepares you for a newborn baby being taken away to the NICU while you are stuck in recovery from a caesarean section. 'When we made it to our planned delivery date at 37 weeks, I thought everything had gone to plan this time around, so I took Sage's transferto the NICU really hard,' Yasmine said. 'Whether a baby spends one day, a week or 15 weeks in the NICU, there is an all-consuming worry that will not rest until everyone is hopefully home safe and under the one roof together.' Identifying the early warning signs and providing timely interventions are critical to preventing preterm birth and its far-reaching impacts. To learn more about The Every Week Counts National Program, and the strategies being implemented to lower rates of early birth and make pregnancies safer for all women and babies, you can visit the Every Week Counts website .
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Boy reunites with lifesaving helicopter at Selinsgrove Airport Open House
SELINSGROVE — Four-year-old Liam Rising was reunited on Saturday with the type of medical helicopter that saved his life. Liam, who was visiting the Penn Valley Airport fourth annual Open House in Selinsgrove with his family, was born with a rare genetic disorder called congenital myasthenic syndrome, which caused him to have trouble breathing. He was transported within the first hours of his life by Life Flight from Evangelical Community Hospital to Geisinger in Danville. "It was 48 hours until I got to see him again. I was stuck at Evan and he was at Geisinger NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit)," his mother, Samantha Dock, of Selinsgrove, recalled on the tarmac of the Selinsgrove airport while her two sons sat in the Life Flight helicopter. "It's emotional being here. I'm grateful. He probably wouldn't be alive if not for Life Flight." Dock said she was taken to Evangelical for an emergency C-section. It wasn't known at the time, but the genetic disorder caused low muscle tone and weak crying as well as respiratory distress. "It's nice that he's four now and thriving, and he's able to see it (Life Flight) for himself," Dock said. "He loves planes and helicopters. I swear he'll be an EMT or something like that someday. And that's amazing because the first year of his life was just survival." Chester Atherton, the Life Flight and critical care base manager at Penn Valley Airport, said having Life Flight stationed at the airport and available for open house events are important to build relationships with the community. "Sometimes it can be big and scary for kids, but this lets them know we're right in their back yard and we're here to help, we're not here to hurt," he said. Dock, who is also the mother of 2-year-old Kamdem Rising, visited the airport during its fourth annual open house with hundreds of other visitors. Presented by the Penn Valley Pilots Organization, the event featured local hobbyists, nearby Experimental Aircraft Association chapters, airline recruiters, aircraft manufacturers, BigFoot Country Radio, local fire companies and food vendors. The event showcased aviation groups, vendors, exhibitors, fire companies, full-motion simulator, airline recruiters, aircraft fly-ins, and static displays, including an AutoGryo Cavalon gyrocopter owned by Ron Andres. "I can't take it anywhere without someone wanting to see it," Andres said. The Harold family, of Selinsgrove, and their grandfather James O'Brien, of Fort Myers, were fascinated by the gyrocopter as well as the whole event. "This is awesome," Paul Harold said. "We live across the creek, and we see airplanes coming in all the time." His daughter Alyvia Harold agreed. "Our whole house shakes sometimes," she said.
