A steelworker from Scunthorpe has been reunited with the ambulance crew who saved his life after he unexpectedly suffered a cardiac arrest while at work.
John Jackson, 63, informed his colleagues about the pains in his chest after arriving to work at Tata Steelworks on Brigg Road, Scunthorpe on 30 November. His colleague, Keith Grey made a 999 call and within minutes Paramedic Stephen and Technicians Sharon and Stuart were on scene to help.
The crew assessed John but while transferring him into the ambulance John’s heart stopped working and he went into cardiac arrest. Stephen, Sharon and Stewart acted quickly to re-start his heart and maintain his airway to save his life.
John says he can remember seeing himself in the ambulance while Stephen was doing CPR and shocking him.
He said: “It was like an out of body experience. I can remember seeing myself and Stephen. I can remember all the sounds and Stephen shouting ‘Stay with us John’.”
When arriving at hospital John was conscious and talking. Technician Sharon said:
“I was driving, when Stephen shouted ‘he’s arrested’, meaning John had gone into cardiac arrest. I immediately pre-alerted Scunthorpe County Hospital. When we arrived, I opened the doors of the ambulance and John was sat up talking. Unfortunately he then arrested again once we took him in.”
Once in Scunthorpe General Hospital John’s heart stopped again and the ambulance and hospital team immediately started to resuscitate him again; taking seven shocks to get his heart back into a normal rhythm. John was then transferred to Castle Hill Hospital, where he spent a further two weeks in intensive care.
Paramedic Stephen said he remembers the incident well.
He said: “I have never attended a patient like this before. It is great to hear John is doing well; there is no better outcome than being able to see him and his family today.”
John was in the right place at the right time, and says things could have been very different if it happened five minutes before as he was driving to work on busy roads.
He said: “I want to thank the ambulance staff for saving my life, and coming to meet me and my family. A series of fortunate events meant I received the care exactly when I needed it.
"There are not enough words to be able to say thank you.”
Wife Marilyn added: “I am so happy that we have been able to celebrate our wedding anniversary and I am so thankful that I we can hopefully spend many more together.”
Part of John’s job involves checking the defibrillator at Tata Steelworks every week to ensure the battery and pads are ready for action, should they ever need to be used. He never thought he would need shocking.
Today, John and his family were reunited with Paramedic Stephen, Technicians Sharon and Stewart and 999 call taker Reema at Scunthorpe Ambulance Station.
