Video: Grandad thanks amazing paramedic and emergency team for saving his life

An Edwinstowe grandad has thanked an '˜amazing' paramedic and medics for saving his life when his heart almost stopped in an ambulance.

Brian Elgie, 69 said he cannot thank enough the King’s Mill emergency team who rescued him when he collapsed at home recently and hit his head on a radiator.

Mr Elgie visited King’s Mill Hospital and thanked paramedic Craig Priestnall and emergency Department Staff Nurse, Rebecca Parsons in person today.

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His daughter Kerry Elgie said: “On that morning our whole world came crashing down upon us.

“In the early hours of Thursday morning Dad collapsed and split his head open on the radiator.

“We called for an ambulance, in the mean time dad collapsed for a second time and then for a third when his heart actually stopped in the ambulance.

“If it wasn’t for the fast acting, calm and collective skills of the most wonderful human being, Paramedic Craig Priestnall, we would never have captured his heart failure on the monitor, never known how fatal Dad’s unknown heart condition actually was and Dad would never have been fitted with a pacemaker the following day.”

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Mr Elgie said:“Evidently - not that I knew - there was blood everywhere when I fell.

“The paramedics arrived in record time and were absolutely excellent.

“I can hardly remember anything but my wife said everything was done that could possibly have been done to help me

“When I was in the ambulance evrything was wired up - it was excellent service and that service continued throughout my whole stay at King’s Mill.

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“I want to give Craig my heartfelt thanks because as far as I am concerned he saved my life.”

Paramedic Craig Priestnall, 30, said: “When we arrived his condition was perfectly normal .

“But people don’t just collapse there’s always an underlying cause.

“On the way into hospital he had another funny turn, his heart virtually stopped. We caught that on the monitoring equipment he was hooked up to We pulled up, popped a canula in, in case we had to give any life saving drugs, then we transferred him to the emergency department.

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“Because we had captured the information, the emergency department were able to use it to diagnose what was wrong.

“This is what we all come to work for - it is a privilege to be in that position and it is nice to hear the decisions we make have had a positive impact on family . He is looking a lot better than the last time I saw him.”

Mr Elgie and his family also thanked the emergency team who treated him when he arrived, including nurse Becky Parsons and Mr Fazal’s team on the cardiac ward 23.

Emergency Department Staff Nurse, Rebecca Parsons said: “I am really pleased that Brian made such a quick recovery.

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“It is always really scary for the family when patients have heart problems, but at the end of the day I was just doing my job and making sure that Brian was ok.

“I am glad that I was able to explain everything to the family and reassure them about everything that was happening.

“We always work hard to provide our patients with outstanding care, so it is lovely when we hear such high praise from them. I wish Brian and his family all the best.”

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