1 week Ago
A woman who fell headfirst down the stairs has thanked the paramedics who helped save her life. Mary Cole, from East Grinstead, visited South East Coast Ambulance Service's (SECAmb's) Gatwick Make Ready Centre to personally thank paramedics Josie Bishop and Lilly Hook after her fall last year. Mary explained the events that unfolded on the night of October 3 when she was feeling unwell from a cold and had gone to bed early.
She said: "After a while I got up to go to the bathroom but after getting to the landing, suffered a dizzy spell and couldn’t find the bathroom. "The next thing I knew was that I was flying head-first down the stairs." Mary suffered multiple severe injuries including a haematoma to her head, a broken neck, spine, six ribs and her pelvis in two places.
Her husband Alan quickly called 999 and Josie and Lilly arrived at their home to treat Mary before the arrival of critical care paramedic Carl Tocknell. Mary said: "I couldn’t move because of the pain and apparently, I was bleeding profusely from my head. "I remember being in such terrible pain before Josie and Lilly arrived but when they did it was such a relief.
" Mary was taken to East Surrey Hospital and then transferred to St George's Hospital in Tooting. Remarkably, she began walking to the bathroom on her own within a week of the accident and was discharged to go home after 15 days. Within five weeks, Mary was able to walk her dog, Sasha.
Mary said: "I’ve been amazingly fortunate. "No one can understand how I have made such a good recovery. "I’m so grateful to Josie, Lilly and Carl and everyone who cared for me at the hospitals.
"It was lovely to meet Josie and Lilly again and thank them in person for everything they did." Josie said: "It was lovely to meet with Mary and Alan and it was a fantastic opportunity to see the recovery she has made. "I feel privileged to have been a part of the team that helped this.
"Meeting with Mary reaffirmed to me the importance of delivering high-quality patient care. "On behalf of the whole team, I wish Mary and Alan all the very best for the future.".
