0:00:02 > 0:00:04Racing to treat a patient in need of critical care.
0:00:04 > 0:00:06Yeah, 5-2, can I have a crew, please?
0:00:06 > 0:00:09This is the West Midlands Ambulance Service.
0:00:09 > 0:00:11This could've been a fatal incident, 100%.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14A dedicated team of doctors and paramedics.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17- Hi there, your ambulance. - Don't like it when they cry.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20They respond to a million 999 calls every year.
0:00:21 > 0:00:23SHE GROANS Fighting to save lives.
0:00:23 > 0:00:27Basically, went straight up in the air, crashing down.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29Because some emergencies are so severe...
0:00:29 > 0:00:33- He's fractured his femur. - ..treatment must begin...
0:00:33 > 0:00:35- Take a deep breath in, mate. - ..out on the road.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37I am grateful to every paramedic.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40If I could give him a medal, I would.
0:00:40 > 0:00:41AMBULANCE SIREN
0:00:45 > 0:00:47Today, a near fatal motorbike crash.
0:00:47 > 0:00:53I basically went straight up in the air, about 20 to 25 feet.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56A toddler needs help after a seizure.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58It's a real pressure, dealing with children.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01And the smaller they are, the more pressure you feel.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04And John treats a woman in unbearable pain.
0:01:04 > 0:01:08I've had very dark days - and I have cried and cried.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10AMBULANCE SIREN
0:01:16 > 0:01:20Working alongside the West Midlands Ambulance Service paramedics
0:01:20 > 0:01:23is a voluntary organisations called BASICS.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25BASICS stands for the British Association
0:01:25 > 0:01:27of Immediate Care Specialists.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29- BEEP - Roger, many thanks. Out.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32It's purely charitable, what we do. It's all in our own time.
0:01:32 > 0:01:34Just aiming to bring the skills that we've learned
0:01:34 > 0:01:36and use every day in the hospital,
0:01:36 > 0:01:38and taking those out to work alongside paramedics,
0:01:38 > 0:01:41and just assist them in these more complicated injuries.
0:01:46 > 0:01:47OK, we're going to a two-year-old girl,
0:01:47 > 0:01:49who's been found by her mum, fitting.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52The most common cause of fitting in young children is having a high
0:01:52 > 0:01:55temperature, or being diagnosed with epilepsy.
0:02:05 > 0:02:09Around one in 50 children will have a febrile convulsion or fit
0:02:09 > 0:02:10before they turn five.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13- How do we get in to you? Round here? - Round this way.- Okey doke.
0:02:13 > 0:02:17In the worst case scenario, a fit can be life-threatening.
0:02:17 > 0:02:19INDISTINCT SPEECH
0:02:19 > 0:02:22Ben needs to quickly assess the toddler.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25- OK, hello there. - Hiya...- How are we doing?
0:02:25 > 0:02:27INDISTINCT SPEECH
0:02:27 > 0:02:30Has this young one been diagnosed with fits before?
0:02:30 > 0:02:32She's had a fit before, cos of a high temperature.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36- OK.- But she hasn't been diagnosed with epilepsy or anything like that.
0:02:36 > 0:02:37OK. Let's have a quick...
0:02:37 > 0:02:41'Ashanti's temperature was way above 39 degrees,
0:02:41 > 0:02:43'so she was very, very hot.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45'Much too hot for a baby.'
0:02:45 > 0:02:47And that's almost certainly why she fitted.
0:02:47 > 0:02:48So what was she doing earlier?
0:02:48 > 0:02:50She was lying on the sofa with me, then, next minute,
0:02:50 > 0:02:53- I just noticed that she was fitting.- OK.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56Fine. And when you say fitting, what do you mean by fitting?
0:02:56 > 0:02:59- Foaming from the mouth a bit. - OK, OK.- Shaking.- Shaking.
0:02:59 > 0:03:00And she's stopped shaking since then.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03- Yeah, she's stopped shaking. - How long did the shaking last?
0:03:03 > 0:03:06- About ten minutes.- Big stretch.
0:03:06 > 0:03:07Hello there, sweetie.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09Aren't I horrible?
0:03:09 > 0:03:11Let's pop your finger in there.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17So, sometimes people do fit again, OK?
0:03:17 > 0:03:20So don't be worried, she's got the right people here now,
0:03:20 > 0:03:24and we've got an ambulance on the way, and we will be going in. OK?
0:03:24 > 0:03:27It's a real pressure, dealing with children.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30And the smaller they are, the more pressure you feel.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32ASHANTI BREATHES HEAVILY
0:03:32 > 0:03:35Well done. Thank you very much. So this is just a little bit of oxygen,
0:03:35 > 0:03:38because her oxygenation isn't perfect.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41It's nothing that I would be worried about, but I can...
0:03:41 > 0:03:43Oh, look at that.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45One of the causes of a fit could be not enough
0:03:45 > 0:03:48oxygenation in the brain. So we give it for that reason.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51The other reason is we want to make sure there's plenty of oxygen
0:03:51 > 0:03:52getting to the brain,
0:03:52 > 0:03:55because there's increased brain activity during a fit.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57I've never seen a child have a fit.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01Oh, dear. It's not nice, is it? Especially not when you're Mum.
0:04:01 > 0:04:02All right.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05All right, sweetie... Hello there. Let's just leave you where you are.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07Well done.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11The ambulance team arrive and Ben updates them on Ashanti's condition.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14She's coming round a bit. She's eye-opening.
0:04:14 > 0:04:15We'll just see what the BM is.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18Do you mind taking over the head end and just...?
0:04:18 > 0:04:19She's maintaining her own airway.
0:04:19 > 0:04:24The respiratory rate's 24, erm, and GPS is picking up as we go along.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26She's just eye-opened spontaneously.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28I'll just have a quick word with your crewmate
0:04:28 > 0:04:29and I'll give him a hand getting
0:04:29 > 0:04:32- everything prepared so we can get her into hospital.- Smashing.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36Concerned Ashanti may have another fit in the ambulance,
0:04:36 > 0:04:39the crew need to be ready to deal with it.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42We want to have intravenous access, so we can give the necessary drugs
0:04:42 > 0:04:45in order to stop any further fitting.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48But hopefully, if we can get her temperature down,
0:04:48 > 0:04:50we can reduce the risk of that.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52- ASHANTI CRIES - OK.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54Ben, if you... The head end is at the far end,
0:04:54 > 0:04:57so if you want to lay her down here.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00That's great. And if you want to sit next to her.
0:05:00 > 0:05:01OK. Well done.
0:05:01 > 0:05:06Ashanti's dad, Rich, has rushed home to be with her.
0:05:06 > 0:05:10What you been doing? Hiya. What's happened? It's all right.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12Sometimes they get a bit confused after a fit,
0:05:12 > 0:05:15so she might not be recognising you particularly much,
0:05:15 > 0:05:18but that's just cos she's had a fit. OK? Nothing to worry about.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20What's happened?
0:05:24 > 0:05:26Now, I'm going to try to put a little plastic needle in her hand,
0:05:26 > 0:05:28so if you want to concentrate on leaning over that side,
0:05:28 > 0:05:30so she can see you over there.
0:05:30 > 0:05:32- Asha.- OK.- Over here, babe.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35- Well done. Well done.- Well done.- OK.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37- It's all right. - I need to pop a cannula in.
0:05:37 > 0:05:41If she is going to fit again, I need to be able to give her drugs.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44Erm... And the only way we can reliably give drugs
0:05:44 > 0:05:46is by giving them into her vein,
0:05:46 > 0:05:48so if we can easily get access, we'll get it.
0:05:48 > 0:05:52OK, so a horrible scratch coming up for her, so...
0:05:52 > 0:05:55VOICES TALK OVER EACH OTHER
0:05:55 > 0:05:56Nasty scratch.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58ASHANTI CRIES
0:05:58 > 0:06:00- OK, my love. OK.- It's all right.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03A bit of a high temperature and a bit of a high sugar,
0:06:03 > 0:06:06so what we're doing, we'll just run her in, just to make sure that everything's OK.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09Erm, there could be 101 things, especially with children.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11They can do really well and then crash really easily,
0:06:11 > 0:06:15but it don't seem the case, so it's all just playing it safe for the moment.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17AMBULANCE SIREN
0:06:17 > 0:06:19What's our ETA?
0:06:19 > 0:06:20BEEPING
0:06:20 > 0:06:21- It's OK.- Ooh, dear.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23Eight minutes. Brilliant.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26She has a temperature, initial temperature of 40,
0:06:26 > 0:06:29which has come down to 37.8 now.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31She hasn't fitted since
0:06:31 > 0:06:35and her level of consciousness has improved since then,
0:06:35 > 0:06:38so she's now eye-opening spontaneously.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41A little bit confused, not particularly attentive to Mum.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44But I think she's probably someone who'd benefit
0:06:44 > 0:06:47from either coming to resus or the children's area,
0:06:47 > 0:06:51just to be kept an eye on, maybe some intravenous paracetamol,
0:06:51 > 0:06:54erm, you know, et cetera.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57Our ETA is six minutes from now, OK?
0:06:59 > 0:07:01'Mum was really quite distressed by this,
0:07:01 > 0:07:03'but she did an absolutely excellent job.'
0:07:03 > 0:07:05Yeah, go on, follow alongside, hold her hand if you want to.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09'I want to reiterate to her what a great job she did.'
0:07:09 > 0:07:11At Royal Stoke University Hospital,
0:07:11 > 0:07:13Ashanti is taken into the children's area.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15- Hello, hello, hello.- Hello.
0:07:15 > 0:07:17- How are you doing?- Hiya.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19This is young Ashanti.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21- She's two years old.- Mm-hm.
0:07:21 > 0:07:27She's had one previous episode of a, erm, febrile convulsion.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29ASHANTI CRIES
0:07:29 > 0:07:31- Oh, dear.- Oh, no...
0:07:31 > 0:07:32I don't like it when they cry.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37Hopefully she won't fit again,
0:07:37 > 0:07:39but if she does, she's in the right place.
0:07:39 > 0:07:40They've got better lighting,
0:07:40 > 0:07:42they've got full equipment, they've got more pairs of hands.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44So if she fitted again,
0:07:44 > 0:07:46we'd be in the right place, pop some IV access in
0:07:46 > 0:07:48and give her any appropriate drugs.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52- OK? Right, take care. - Thank you for helping.- Bye-bye.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55Today, she was just lying down on the sofa, behind her mum's legs.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58Her mum felt a couple of kicks, thought she was playing,
0:07:58 > 0:08:00and she turned around and saw that she was having
0:08:00 > 0:08:02a convulsion...
0:08:02 > 0:08:04and then got on the phone to me,
0:08:04 > 0:08:06and I had to go, get back sharpish, type of thing.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09So...scary. Very scary.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12You know. I'll have a little cry about it later.
0:08:12 > 0:08:13Off camera, of course.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18The good news is that Ashanti was given the all-clear
0:08:18 > 0:08:20and discharged from hospital the next day.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25AMBULANCE SIREN
0:08:30 > 0:08:32The rapid response vehicles were set up
0:08:32 > 0:08:35because we can get through traffic quicker.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37Every second counts when somebody's critically ill,
0:08:37 > 0:08:40and we can get there and stabilise the patient
0:08:40 > 0:08:42before the ambulance gets there.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44I used to have my own business, I did hair and beauty,
0:08:44 > 0:08:47and also I worked for Richard Branson on Virgin Atlantic.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50I was an in-flight beauty therapist for six years.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55It's not much different, I still deal with the public,
0:08:55 > 0:08:57erm, still have interesting days,
0:08:57 > 0:09:01but unfortunately, not going to the exotic locations that I used to.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04Today, Simone is heading to the scene of a motorbike accident.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07We're going on the way to Kidderminster,
0:09:07 > 0:09:10and it's a motorcyclist versus a car.
0:09:10 > 0:09:15All the information we have at the moment is the car driver
0:09:15 > 0:09:19is very shaken and the motorcyclist seems badly injured.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30So, obviously with the nice weather, a lot of motorcyclists are about,
0:09:30 > 0:09:32especially on this stretch of road.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36It tends to go out into the country a little bit more.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39It's a fast road and it's obviously very straight,
0:09:39 > 0:09:41so we do have quite a few.
0:09:48 > 0:09:52Hi there. Who is the driver of the vehicle?
0:09:52 > 0:09:55Were you on your own? Are you OK? Yep.
0:09:57 > 0:10:01A consultant paramedic and a passing nurse are already on scene.
0:10:01 > 0:10:05The worst thing to see is somebody on the floor and they haven't moved,
0:10:05 > 0:10:07cos most people will get themselves up.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10But if you see a motorcyclists lying on the ground, you know,
0:10:10 > 0:10:12you fear the worst.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14Whereabouts is it? Is it below your elbow?
0:10:14 > 0:10:16- On the elbow.- On your elbow. - Just on your elbow.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19We're going to have to cut your jacket, OK?
0:10:19 > 0:10:21Can I move this arm? I'm just going to put some sticky dots on...
0:10:21 > 0:10:25'We checked his full vital signs to make sure there was no other injury,
0:10:25 > 0:10:27'cos it can be distracting, cos you're in pain,
0:10:27 > 0:10:30'but other things, more serious, are going on.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32'Neck, back-wise, spinal injuries.'
0:10:32 > 0:10:33We're looking, erm,
0:10:33 > 0:10:36obviously for life-threatening injuries, for bleeds.
0:10:39 > 0:10:43The biker was on his way to work when the accident happened.
0:10:43 > 0:10:45As I came round the corner,
0:10:45 > 0:10:47I saw a car.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49It was indicating to turn,
0:10:49 > 0:10:51so I started to slow down a little bit.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54And as I got to the first entrance of the pub, he decided to go.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58From what I've been told, when I impacted,
0:10:58 > 0:11:03I basically went straight up in the air, about 20 to 25 feet,
0:11:03 > 0:11:06and then I came crashing down,
0:11:06 > 0:11:08headfirst, straight into the tarmac.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10I don't remember the impact.
0:11:10 > 0:11:14I remember looking up and seeing blue, bluey-grey sky.
0:11:14 > 0:11:18The next thing I remember is waking up to the paramedics working on me.
0:11:18 > 0:11:22Do you remember everything, Simon? Everything that happened?
0:11:22 > 0:11:24- Not exactly, no.- Not exactly.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26INDISTINCT SPEECH
0:11:26 > 0:11:27HISSING SOUND
0:11:29 > 0:11:31Still no pain anywhere else?
0:11:31 > 0:11:34- Just my left arm.- Just your left arm, still your left arm, all right.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36When we go into a high impact job,
0:11:36 > 0:11:39we do expect broken-boned people can bleed
0:11:39 > 0:11:42and lose excessive amounts of blood,
0:11:42 > 0:11:45so we are very aware that we do need to make sure
0:11:45 > 0:11:47that this isn't going to cause
0:11:47 > 0:11:50catastrophic haemorrhage for the patient.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52There's a bit of blood on your...
0:11:52 > 0:11:55coming from your jacket. Can you ascertain where that's from?
0:11:55 > 0:11:57I'm cutting your jacket.
0:11:57 > 0:11:59I was just saying, he's got the right kit on, chaps.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02- He has...- We were just was saying that as we were coming.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05'I do remember hearing the paramedics talking.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08'The things that I could hear didn't sound good.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10'I was concerned about internal bleeding.'
0:12:10 > 0:12:13Although I've got my bike gear on,
0:12:13 > 0:12:16there is the nickname of bike gear as the body bag.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21To hear the Air Ambulance in the sky,
0:12:21 > 0:12:26when I heard that, I was quite scared for how bad, injured I was.
0:12:26 > 0:12:32I thought at first it was just my arm, and just cuts and bruises.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34But to hear the Air Ambulance,
0:12:34 > 0:12:37it made me think that I'd had a lucky escape.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39All right, sweetheart.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41OK.
0:12:41 > 0:12:43Do you think you lost consciousness, at all?
0:12:45 > 0:12:47- You don't know what's happened. - Don't worry.
0:12:47 > 0:12:52The paramedics decide to take Simon to hospital by road ambulance.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54Hi there.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57Just can we get the stretcher? And we'll get the thing and everything, yeah.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00- That's great.- That's great. - It's really, really hurting.
0:13:00 > 0:13:01- OK?- All right.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04I'm going to give you some oxygen, that will help.
0:13:04 > 0:13:05It is going to be a bit painful,
0:13:05 > 0:13:08cos we're going to put this splint on your arm, Simon.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11- That's the morphine. Keep breathing that gas.- Deep breaths.
0:13:11 > 0:13:15'Any broken bones that we find, we want to immobilise them.'
0:13:15 > 0:13:19It will help with the flow of oxygen, the flow of blood.
0:13:19 > 0:13:20Unfortunately, it is going to hurt.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23- SIMON GROANS - Sorry, sweetheart.
0:13:23 > 0:13:24- Sorry.- Deep breaths.
0:13:24 > 0:13:28With Simon, there was a high probability that he might have spinal injury,
0:13:28 > 0:13:30so we have to immobilise him,
0:13:30 > 0:13:32and then we use head blocks and try to...
0:13:32 > 0:13:35Limited movement for him, so there's no more damage,
0:13:35 > 0:13:38if there was any damage to his spinal cord.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41- OK. Ready?- Yeah.- Steady, roll.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44Well done, Simon. Well done, well done, well done.
0:13:44 > 0:13:48When he gets to hospital, Simon will be given a full body scan.
0:13:48 > 0:13:50We're just going to lift you now, Simon.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53So if you just put your arm there, that'll be great.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58- OK? Ready?- Ready, steady, lift.
0:13:59 > 0:14:00There we go.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05Simon suffered some serious injuries,
0:14:05 > 0:14:07but something positive also happened
0:14:07 > 0:14:09because of his accident.
0:14:09 > 0:14:10Prior to the accident,
0:14:10 > 0:14:13me and my wife were going through a separation.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15The day of the accident,
0:14:15 > 0:14:18it made me realise, and I remember being...
0:14:18 > 0:14:21laying on the road, just asking for my wife.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25I heard that he'd been in a full bike accident and he was going
0:14:25 > 0:14:28for a full body scan. I was thinking, I need to get to
0:14:28 > 0:14:30the hospital, I need to get to him. When I finally got there,
0:14:30 > 0:14:33I just couldn't believe the sight I saw.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35I'll never get that image out of my head,
0:14:35 > 0:14:36where he was covered in blood.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40His mouth was just... You couldn't see his teeth for blood.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43When my wife turned up, she just walks in,
0:14:43 > 0:14:47takes my hand and gives me a cuddle and says, "You're going to be OK."
0:14:47 > 0:14:50And it was the words I needed to hear.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56Scans revealed no internal bleeding or spinal damage, but Simon has
0:14:56 > 0:14:59shattered his elbow in five places.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03He believes he's lucky to be alive.
0:15:06 > 0:15:07Looking at my bike gear,
0:15:07 > 0:15:10it looks like I've put my left arm out
0:15:10 > 0:15:14against my forehead, which saved my life.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17Although I've broken my elbow,
0:15:17 > 0:15:20if I hadn't have put my arm up,
0:15:20 > 0:15:24then potentially, I could've bent my head back
0:15:24 > 0:15:25and snapped my neck.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29Sorry, sweetheart.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31OK. Whereabouts is it hurting?
0:15:31 > 0:15:33My arm is really, really hurting.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35- RACHEL:- Just seeing it, seeing all that blood.
0:15:35 > 0:15:40- Going to give you some oxygen, that will help.- I knew it was bad...
0:15:40 > 0:15:42Seeing it like that is...
0:15:42 > 0:15:43- Oh, my God. - SIMON GROANS
0:15:43 > 0:15:45Sorry, sweetheart. Sorry.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48The accident may have saved their marriage.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51Whee!
0:15:51 > 0:15:53Choo-choo!
0:15:53 > 0:15:56Yeah, we're going to try to make it work for our daughter and for ourselves,
0:15:56 > 0:15:59cos it's obvious that there's still a lot of feelings there.
0:15:59 > 0:16:03It has brought us closer, put things into perspective with
0:16:03 > 0:16:07what's important, and hopefully we'll see if we can sort things out.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10Obviously, I won't be getting on another motorbike again,
0:16:10 > 0:16:11because of Mary.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15I don't want to risk the next time something happens
0:16:15 > 0:16:18to not survive it and then leave Mary without a dad.
0:16:21 > 0:16:22AMBULANCE SIREN
0:16:28 > 0:16:31I have been in the Ambulance Service for 16 years now.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34I've been a paramedic for just nearly ten.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37The worst thing about being a paramedic, it's the strain
0:16:37 > 0:16:40within the service. The amount of jobs that we do.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42They're escalating, they're getting bigger and bigger by the day.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45The best thing, it's the ultimate, it's saving someone's life.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48Being there and the actions you do actually saves someone's life.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51I don't think there there's any other feeling that you can have.
0:16:51 > 0:16:55In 16 years, it's done me fine, fingers crossed.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00Today, John is going to treat a woman experiencing extreme pain.
0:17:00 > 0:17:05Currently on our way to a lady who is suffering with severe
0:17:05 > 0:17:09abdominal pain. Said it's going into her back and into her groin.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11Could be a multitude of different things, really.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14Anything from kidney stones to a water infection.
0:17:14 > 0:17:16We'll see what the history is before we get there
0:17:16 > 0:17:19and see if we can help her out.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32- Down here.- John's a regular visitor to this patient.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35- Oh, hello. I've met you before! - HE LAUGHS
0:17:35 > 0:17:38So, what's been going on again? Remind me.
0:17:38 > 0:17:42- I've slept since.- Keep getting this pain in me stomach.- Yeah.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45- Me groin and me leg.- OK. - I keep having flare-ups.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48I was great, I've been down the park with the kids,
0:17:48 > 0:17:50I've done nothing strenuous, have I?
0:17:50 > 0:17:52It's just come on with a vengeance.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55SHE GROANS
0:17:55 > 0:17:57'It started off three years ago.'
0:17:57 > 0:17:59I had this really intense pain.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02I thought it was appendicitis,
0:18:02 > 0:18:06and so did the doctors when I got to hospital, but it wasn't.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09They did every test imaginable.
0:18:09 > 0:18:13I was in there for four days and they couldn't find out what it was.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16And after that, it seemed to be every week
0:18:16 > 0:18:20I was calling an ambulance for this pain, excruciating.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23I can't explain how bad it was.
0:18:23 > 0:18:25I'm in agony.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27I've had three children
0:18:27 > 0:18:31and I would rather give birth five times than go through that pain.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35- And it comes in spasms. - BEEPING
0:18:35 > 0:18:36Oh...
0:18:37 > 0:18:39It's me back.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41- Right.- I've lost two discs in me back.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44- Right.- And me bones are crumbling.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47- And it's dust hitting the nerves. - BEEPING
0:18:47 > 0:18:49- OK... It's all right.- Ah...
0:18:49 > 0:18:51Wendy's condition is chronic.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56All John can do is offer her relief from her pain.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58Get a cannula into her hand.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00- Give her some morphine, we'll pop up to... - INDISTINCT
0:19:00 > 0:19:03- This lady... She's known to me. - HE LAUGHS
0:19:03 > 0:19:06She's, erm, had a long standing issue with this, problems,
0:19:06 > 0:19:08with the pain going down to her arm.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10She's waiting to see the pain clinic.
0:19:10 > 0:19:12Basically, long-term chronic pain relief.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16- Needle in.- Ah... - BEEPING
0:19:16 > 0:19:18Ooh...
0:19:18 > 0:19:20Let's have your right hand, sweetheart.
0:19:20 > 0:19:22Yeah, but wait till this goes.
0:19:22 > 0:19:23Ooh!
0:19:24 > 0:19:25BEEPING
0:19:27 > 0:19:29- Sorry.- That's all right.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31I hate these.
0:19:31 > 0:19:32'You do get used to seeing people in pain.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35'That's definitely part of the job.'
0:19:35 > 0:19:38It's worse to deal with when you can't do anything about it.
0:19:38 > 0:19:42We've got quite significant pain killers we can give intravenously,
0:19:42 > 0:19:46but when you've given all that you can give and they're still in pain,
0:19:46 > 0:19:49it's quite hard to deal with.
0:19:49 > 0:19:50You can have...
0:19:50 > 0:19:53All you can offer them is sympathy, really.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57It shouldn't take three years, should it, to be pain free?
0:19:57 > 0:20:00The problem is, we don't really know what's causing it, do we?
0:20:00 > 0:20:03- No.- If you don't, it's...
0:20:03 > 0:20:07When you don't know what's wrong with you, but you're in constant,
0:20:07 > 0:20:11constant pain, you do get angry and frustrated.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13You know, what the hell is going on?
0:20:13 > 0:20:16Am I going to die? And you do think that a lot.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19I've had very dark days - and I have cried and cried,
0:20:19 > 0:20:21and it's an awful thing to say to your children,
0:20:21 > 0:20:24but I've even said to my children,
0:20:24 > 0:20:28if this is the rest of my life, I don't want it.
0:20:29 > 0:20:30BEEPING
0:20:30 > 0:20:32How are you feeling now?
0:20:32 > 0:20:34- A bit better.- Anything kicking in?
0:20:34 > 0:20:37Anything making you feel funny?
0:20:37 > 0:20:39- Sorry?- Anything making you feel funny?
0:20:39 > 0:20:41No, I'm all right. Just itching.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44- Just my arm's itching. - And that's normal for you?- Yeah.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50It's instant, as soon as the morphine goes in, me arm itches.
0:20:52 > 0:20:54It's ever such a funny sensation.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57- What is?- Oh, you can feel it all up here.
0:20:57 > 0:20:58BEEPING
0:20:58 > 0:21:00It's a good job I've hit the right one, then.
0:21:00 > 0:21:01WENDY LAUGHS
0:21:04 > 0:21:0718 minutes after being given the morphine,
0:21:07 > 0:21:11Wendy is on her way to hospital, to be given even stronger pain killers.
0:21:15 > 0:21:19And from that day on, things finally started to improve.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22I changed doctors - and she was marvellous,
0:21:22 > 0:21:25and got me to see different specialists.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27And things started to really move, then.
0:21:27 > 0:21:31And I had an MRI scan, and I finally had a diagnosis.
0:21:33 > 0:21:34After three years. It was amazing.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36WENDY LAUGHS
0:21:36 > 0:21:39I've been diagnosed with disc degeneration.
0:21:39 > 0:21:45After the diagnosis, I went in for a procedure, which I think,
0:21:45 > 0:21:49hope, has worked. I had injections in my back, into my nerve endings,
0:21:49 > 0:21:53and I've only had the pain once since.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56- So, we might be getting there now. - WENDY LAUGHS
0:21:57 > 0:22:00It feels absolutely amazing.
0:22:00 > 0:22:01It really does.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04I feel like I've got a life again,
0:22:04 > 0:22:07cos my life was put on hold for three years.
0:22:07 > 0:22:11In those days, I just felt that life wasn't worth living.
0:22:11 > 0:22:15I am so grateful to every paramedic I have seen.
0:22:15 > 0:22:17They are worth their weight in gold.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20They really are. If I could give them a medal, I would.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22WENDY LAUGHS
0:22:22 > 0:22:23AMBULANCE SIREN
0:22:29 > 0:22:34The West Midlands Ambulance Service has 100 rapid response vehicles,
0:22:34 > 0:22:37all crewed by single paramedics with advanced skills.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42We drive a fast car,
0:22:42 > 0:22:45and we tend to get there first on scene.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49We're used in different ways. If it's a real serious job,
0:22:49 > 0:22:52they will respond us, as well as an ambulance.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55With a job with less priority,
0:22:55 > 0:22:58Control will tend to wait on our say,
0:22:58 > 0:22:59so if we need any backup.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05Today, Kathryn is on her way to treat a teenager,
0:23:05 > 0:23:07suffering from a debilitating illness.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10We've got a 15-year-old with Crohn's disease,
0:23:10 > 0:23:12and he's got severe abdominal pain.
0:23:23 > 0:23:24Hello!
0:23:24 > 0:23:26- Straight through? - Yeah, straight through.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29- There you go. - What's been going on, then?
0:23:29 > 0:23:30Hello, young man.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34- He's been vomiting.- Right. - And he's just not well today.
0:23:34 > 0:23:36He said, "Mum, I'm not well, I don't feel well."
0:23:36 > 0:23:38I didn't feel right that day,
0:23:38 > 0:23:40cos I got out of the car and I was sweating.
0:23:40 > 0:23:45I just felt dizzy. I went as white as a ghost.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48And then, all of a sudden, I just started being sick.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50He's got Crohn's disease.
0:23:50 > 0:23:55- Yes?- So, it's in his stomach, his large colon and his genitals.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59Right. I'm just going to do a few little observations on you.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02Is that OK? Yeah? Kyle?
0:24:02 > 0:24:08If we had a score of one to ten, one being a little pain,
0:24:08 > 0:24:12ten being a massive pain, what would you put it at?
0:24:12 > 0:24:14- Ten.- So, it's that bad. All right.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16The pain felt like someone was
0:24:16 > 0:24:20just repeatedly kicking me in the stomach, over and over.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23I gave Kyle a drug called Entonox,
0:24:23 > 0:24:27which is basically gas and nitrous oxide.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29Have you ever had any gas and air before?
0:24:29 > 0:24:31Entonox, yeah?
0:24:31 > 0:24:36It is brilliant as a first-line pain reliever.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38- Is that OK?- Mmm...
0:24:38 > 0:24:40- Is that OK, Mum? - Yeah, that's fine.- OK.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43And then, we'll get some little observations done on you.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45All right.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47Let me just get you some transport.
0:24:47 > 0:24:5152, thank you, we'll have an amber response, please. He needs to go in.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55- What was that, mate? - I'm really cold.
0:24:55 > 0:24:57Oh, no. Let's get you covered up a bit,
0:24:57 > 0:25:02and then we'll do some observations on you. Has it been this bad before?
0:25:02 > 0:25:04It has.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10Kyle was diagnosed three months ago, after suffering for two years.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12All right, and just have a...
0:25:12 > 0:25:14You need to make a noise.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17- RASPING SOUND - That's it. That's the noise.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20When a child is quiet,
0:25:20 > 0:25:23it's usually an indication that they're poorly.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26Keep going with that. It might make you go a little bit light-headed,
0:25:26 > 0:25:30sweetheart, but it'll help with that pain, all right?
0:25:30 > 0:25:31And with Kyle, he was listening,
0:25:31 > 0:25:36and he was talking to me, but not really making conversation.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39But as he was taking the gas and air,
0:25:39 > 0:25:42he started to relax a lot more and talk to me a lot more.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47You're not supposed to be bad in the school holidays!
0:25:47 > 0:25:49It's term time to be bad!
0:25:51 > 0:25:55- Oh, do you? Because of your condition?- Yeah.- Dear me.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58I'm just going to pop this in your ear, my love.
0:25:58 > 0:25:59Keep sucking on that.
0:25:59 > 0:26:00HISSING SOUND
0:26:03 > 0:26:04OK.
0:26:04 > 0:26:06Temperature's OK.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09Is it just taking the edge off it a little bit for you?
0:26:09 > 0:26:11Suck a bit harder.
0:26:11 > 0:26:13That's better. That's better.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15All right. It will help.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17- All right, Mum?- Yep.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19OK.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21I've never seen my son like that, ever.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23I thought I'd lost him.
0:26:23 > 0:26:27I always say, trust Mum's instinct, they know best.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30And she knows that Kyle's quite poorly today,
0:26:30 > 0:26:33and she's had the good sense to ring an ambulance,
0:26:33 > 0:26:35so we're going to pop him up the hospital.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37All of his obs are OK,
0:26:37 > 0:26:41but he's not OK, so we need to get this sorted.
0:26:41 > 0:26:45The Entonox really seemed to help him and relax him.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48By the time the crew got there,
0:26:48 > 0:26:50he was a lot more relaxed in his stance, as well.
0:26:50 > 0:26:54You could see. You've got one of the best paramedics in the world here.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56- All right, then. Hello.- Hiya.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59This is Kyle. He's always in pain. Right?
0:26:59 > 0:27:02- But today, he's been in a lot of pain...- Vomiting...
0:27:02 > 0:27:04And he's been vomiting.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07Not while I've been here. All of his obs are perfect.
0:27:07 > 0:27:08OK?
0:27:09 > 0:27:11Lost quite a bit of weight.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14Now the crew are here, we're going to go down the line of giving him
0:27:14 > 0:27:16some paracetamol, but in a drip.
0:27:16 > 0:27:18- Yeah.- Is that OK with you?
0:27:18 > 0:27:22- Is that OK with you?- As long as it gets me better, I'm happy.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24- That's it.- It will help take the pain away and then we'll get
0:27:24 > 0:27:28the doctors to get you better, all right? Just pop them in.
0:27:28 > 0:27:30- And the other one. - VOICES TALK OVER EACH OTHER
0:27:30 > 0:27:32It's quite hard on your bottom.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34- All right.- All right.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37It was awful. He couldn't stand.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39He didn't know where to go.
0:27:39 > 0:27:40He was so thin.
0:27:40 > 0:27:42He'd lost so much weight.
0:27:42 > 0:27:43A bit of a bump, OK?
0:27:48 > 0:27:50Backwards all right?
0:27:50 > 0:27:51Nice and steady.
0:27:51 > 0:27:53Ready?
0:27:54 > 0:27:57Bring your feet up.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01At least I've got some smiles now.
0:28:01 > 0:28:02Smiles from Kyles!
0:28:04 > 0:28:06Later at hospital,
0:28:06 > 0:28:09they found the source of Kyle's pain was not his Crohn's.
0:28:09 > 0:28:13They took bloods from him, they came to us and they said
0:28:13 > 0:28:19Kyle was given a tablet called Azathioprine, for Crohn's disease,
0:28:19 > 0:28:23but the trouble was, there is side effects with this drug.
0:28:23 > 0:28:25Now, it doesn't affect everybody, but unfortunately,
0:28:25 > 0:28:27Kyle was one of the people that it does affect.
0:28:27 > 0:28:32When I got to the hospital, they found what was upsetting me,
0:28:32 > 0:28:33which was the tablets.
0:28:33 > 0:28:37They gave me morphine, paracetamol,
0:28:37 > 0:28:39and everything, cos I was in too much pain.
0:28:39 > 0:28:42The drug that Kyle was on for Crohn's
0:28:42 > 0:28:46caused him to have inflammation of the pancreas.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48It can be fatal if it bursts.
0:28:49 > 0:28:52So, in one respect,
0:28:52 > 0:28:57I was glad Kyle collapsed, because everything came to a head then.
0:28:57 > 0:29:02Thank you to them for finding it, otherwise it could've been fatal.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05Cos, as my pancreas was swelling, it could've burst,
0:29:05 > 0:29:06which could've killed me.
0:29:06 > 0:29:08He was lucky. He was so lucky.
0:29:10 > 0:29:12Kyle continues to work with consultants
0:29:12 > 0:29:14at Birmingham Children's Hospital
0:29:14 > 0:29:17to find ways of dealing with his Crohn's.
0:29:17 > 0:29:18How have you been?
0:29:18 > 0:29:20It could be better.
0:29:20 > 0:29:22All the swelling's come back,
0:29:22 > 0:29:24the redness, and it's weeping again, so...
0:29:24 > 0:29:29- OK.- And it's hard to walk again, so...- OK.- ..I don't know what to do.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31He's got a great group of doctors
0:29:31 > 0:29:34who are helping him, and they get their heads together,
0:29:34 > 0:29:38and I know somewhere down the line, they will sort him out.
0:29:38 > 0:29:40I'm pretty confident that day will come.
0:29:40 > 0:29:44It might take a few more years, but at least it will be gone,
0:29:44 > 0:29:47and I just wish I could be normal, like everyone else.
0:29:47 > 0:29:48AMBULANCE SIREN
0:29:54 > 0:29:59More than 3.5 million people in the UK are living with diabetes.
0:29:59 > 0:30:01There are quite a large amount of diabetic patients
0:30:01 > 0:30:04within the population, but people manage themselves.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07They know how to manage it on a day-to-day basis.
0:30:07 > 0:30:09We only get called when it becomes a crisis,
0:30:09 > 0:30:12when the blood sugars are too low, or too high.
0:30:12 > 0:30:15For diabetic patients, the best thing is routine.
0:30:15 > 0:30:17You can do whatever you want, really, in your life,
0:30:17 > 0:30:19as long as it's kept in a routine.
0:30:19 > 0:30:23John's in Stourbridge on his sixth job of the day.
0:30:23 > 0:30:26We're off to a 76-year-old lady.
0:30:26 > 0:30:29Just says she's got diabetic problems at the minute.
0:30:29 > 0:30:30There's no further details.
0:30:30 > 0:30:33I'm assuming the call's still in progress,
0:30:33 > 0:30:35and they're trying to ascertain what's going on.
0:30:44 > 0:30:46We've just had an update come through.
0:30:46 > 0:30:48The lady is what they call a hypo,
0:30:48 > 0:30:51so her blood sugar's gone too low for her to function properly.
0:30:51 > 0:30:53If the blood sugar just keeps dropping,
0:30:53 > 0:30:55basically, the body shuts down.
0:30:55 > 0:30:58'Just ahead, turn right.'
0:30:58 > 0:31:00So it really just depends quickly we can get there.
0:31:00 > 0:31:03'You have reached your destination.'
0:31:06 > 0:31:11Left untreated, a hypoglycaemic incident, or hypo, can be fatal.
0:31:19 > 0:31:21- Hiya.- Hiya.- How we doing?
0:31:22 > 0:31:24- She's managing to swallow. - Excellent.
0:31:24 > 0:31:27- So I'm giving her a bit of Lucozade.- Super-duper.
0:31:27 > 0:31:30- But I'm just wondering, you know, whether she's had a stroke.- OK.
0:31:30 > 0:31:33What we'll do, because they present in a similar way,
0:31:33 > 0:31:36- we'll make sure the blood sugar's all right and deal with that.- OK.
0:31:36 > 0:31:40The best way to tell the difference between a stroke and a hypo
0:31:40 > 0:31:43episode is basically we do a blood sugar test.
0:31:43 > 0:31:46So a pinprick on the end of the finger.
0:31:46 > 0:31:48If it's below four, we know the patient is hypo,
0:31:48 > 0:31:50so we treat them for that.
0:31:50 > 0:31:52How often does she have a hypo?
0:31:52 > 0:31:55She hasn't had as many recently, but she's not been very well.
0:31:55 > 0:31:58- She's on antibiotics for pneumonia at the minute.- Right.
0:31:58 > 0:32:00We'd just come up to visit my mum.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03My dad said she'd been asleep for a couple of hours,
0:32:03 > 0:32:06so my daughter came up to see how she was,
0:32:06 > 0:32:08and she couldn't wake her.
0:32:08 > 0:32:11All right. I'm just going to do your blood sugar again.
0:32:11 > 0:32:13Come here, chicken. There we go.
0:32:13 > 0:32:14Sharp scratch, my darling.
0:32:18 > 0:32:20- 2.1.- That's a bit better.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23- It was 1.6 when I did it. - Okey dokey.
0:32:23 > 0:32:27With the reading below four, a stroke is ruled out.
0:32:27 > 0:32:30John prepares to raise Pat's blood sugar levels.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33Has she had a Glucagon injection lately?
0:32:33 > 0:32:35- No.- She's quite well managed, then?
0:32:35 > 0:32:37Well...
0:32:39 > 0:32:41We can give an injection in the arm called Glucagon,
0:32:41 > 0:32:45which is a synthetic hormone, which releases the body's own stores.
0:32:45 > 0:32:46Well done, darling.
0:32:46 > 0:32:52We can also give an intravenous drip of glucose 10%,
0:32:52 > 0:32:55which is basically the body's rocket fuel.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58As long as it's blood sugar, we know we can fix it here.
0:32:58 > 0:32:59That's always the bonus with it.
0:32:59 > 0:33:01That's all right.
0:33:01 > 0:33:04Her blood pressure's fine, oxygen levels are OK.
0:33:04 > 0:33:06Her ECGs are all looking good.
0:33:06 > 0:33:07How we doing, Pat?
0:33:09 > 0:33:11Are you with us yet?
0:33:11 > 0:33:14- Is there a hint of realisation going on here now?- Yeah.
0:33:14 > 0:33:16Filthy looks.
0:33:16 > 0:33:17We've given her the injection now,
0:33:17 > 0:33:20so hopefully it will start to build up,
0:33:20 > 0:33:23but obviously as the brain's getting more oxygen into the system,
0:33:23 > 0:33:25Pat's becoming more aware of everything.
0:33:25 > 0:33:28But Pat's blood sugar level has dropped, rather than risen.
0:33:28 > 0:33:310.9. You're going the wrong way!
0:33:31 > 0:33:33Are you trying to play me up?
0:33:33 > 0:33:36So John decides to try a different method.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39Because the blood sugar's still going down,
0:33:39 > 0:33:41so we'll just pop a needle in her vein
0:33:41 > 0:33:43and give her some glucose intravenously,
0:33:43 > 0:33:44and we'll take it from there.
0:33:44 > 0:33:46Come on then, trouble.
0:33:48 > 0:33:50I've got a sneaking suspicion,
0:33:50 > 0:33:52- it's because she hasn't been eating well.- Yeah.
0:33:52 > 0:33:56Before John can put in a drip of more concentrated glucose,
0:33:56 > 0:33:58Pat starts to come round.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01- You're cold? We've got you talking. - That's all right.- That's better.
0:34:01 > 0:34:05Well, I came up here to have a sleep.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08- Yeah? You did. - You did well, you succeeded!
0:34:08 > 0:34:11What's been the matter with me?
0:34:11 > 0:34:14- You've had a hypo.- A hypo?
0:34:14 > 0:34:17Yep, a good one this time.
0:34:20 > 0:34:22John re-checks Pat's blood sugar levels.
0:34:24 > 0:34:26She's sweating to death.
0:34:27 > 0:34:28Oh, I was sweating.
0:34:31 > 0:34:35- The blood's running.- 5.5 now. - That's better.
0:34:35 > 0:34:38It's taken 23 minutes for Pat's blood sugar level to return
0:34:38 > 0:34:41to a healthy level since John first tested it.
0:34:41 > 0:34:46- How long have you been here? - Oh, hours!
0:34:47 > 0:34:51When we've given the medication and they suddenly come out of this
0:34:51 > 0:34:54unconscious and confusing state and look at you, it's quite nice,
0:34:54 > 0:34:57because someone could die from that, but you've treated them,
0:34:57 > 0:35:00and nine times out of ten, they're lovely people.
0:35:00 > 0:35:01They're nice jobs to do.
0:35:01 > 0:35:05Lift your arms up for me, Pat, can you? Excellent.
0:35:05 > 0:35:09Pat's blood sugar has miraculously spiked up to a normal level.
0:35:09 > 0:35:12We're going to give her something to eat, jam sandwiches and sweet tea,
0:35:12 > 0:35:15hopefully that will bring the sugars up even more, so...
0:35:19 > 0:35:2315 minutes later, Pat's almost back to her old self.
0:35:23 > 0:35:27I can't ever remember anything like this.
0:35:27 > 0:35:34I've had a hypo, but it's only like a small one, as you'd say.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36She doesn't do what she's told,
0:35:36 > 0:35:39but she doesn't seem to think that it's a problem.
0:35:39 > 0:35:42She can eat when she wants, and drink when she wants,
0:35:42 > 0:35:44and not check her blood sugars when she should do.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50She's back to normal again now, making jokes and laughing,
0:35:50 > 0:35:52so, that's my mum back again, yeah.
0:35:52 > 0:35:55Initially, I thought I was going to have to give her some intravenous
0:35:55 > 0:35:58glucose, because that blood sugar didn't come up,
0:35:58 > 0:36:01but then she just suddenly spiked, and perfectly back to normal.
0:36:01 > 0:36:03She admitted she hasn't been eating very well
0:36:03 > 0:36:06and taking her meds as she should, so she's going to speak to the GP,
0:36:06 > 0:36:09and get the district nurse to sort her out.
0:36:09 > 0:36:12The daughter's a nurse as well, so we'll leave her to sort her mum out
0:36:12 > 0:36:13and give her a telling-off!
0:36:13 > 0:36:15But, yep, ultimate result was ideal.
0:36:15 > 0:36:19Four months later, Pat has recovered from her episode,
0:36:19 > 0:36:21but it seems she still hasn't learned her lesson.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24I mean, she's been diabetic for a long time,
0:36:24 > 0:36:27and she's got very blase with things that she eats
0:36:27 > 0:36:30and how often she does her blood sugars.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33Very often, she'll have a piece of chocolate,
0:36:33 > 0:36:36and instead of having one piece, she'll have three pieces,
0:36:36 > 0:36:37and the same with biscuits,
0:36:37 > 0:36:40and she's very partial to a piece of cake, now and again.
0:36:40 > 0:36:42John, the paramedic, was fantastic.
0:36:42 > 0:36:45He was very reassuring.
0:36:45 > 0:36:47He spoke to Mum continuously.
0:36:47 > 0:36:51Without John, definitely, Mum wouldn't be here.
0:36:51 > 0:36:55It was touch-and-go at that point, because her blood sugar was so low.
0:36:55 > 0:36:59So it was the quick response of them getting round here,
0:36:59 > 0:37:02and being able to act on her blood sugar quickly,
0:37:02 > 0:37:04saved her life.
0:37:11 > 0:37:15The profession of a paramedic is all about helping people.
0:37:15 > 0:37:16When the elderly call for us,
0:37:16 > 0:37:19it appears that they're quite brave-faced sometimes.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22They seem to shrug off the sort of problem that they have at that time,
0:37:22 > 0:37:24their long-term condition.
0:37:24 > 0:37:27They almost treat us as sort of,
0:37:27 > 0:37:30or treat themselves as being a hindrance to us,
0:37:30 > 0:37:32which certainly isn't the case.
0:37:34 > 0:37:38In Stourbridge, paramedic Ste Hill is working the late shift.
0:37:38 > 0:37:42We're on the way to a 999 call to a gentleman
0:37:42 > 0:37:46who looks like he's fallen on the floor and he's got a back injury.
0:37:46 > 0:37:48The chances are he's just tumbled at home,
0:37:48 > 0:37:50but particularly in the elderly, there's a chance of fractures,
0:37:50 > 0:37:55which is greater than it would be in a healthier, younger, fitter person.
0:38:06 > 0:38:07Hello?
0:38:08 > 0:38:09Ambulance.
0:38:10 > 0:38:12Hello there, young man.
0:38:13 > 0:38:14Right, what's your name, mate?
0:38:16 > 0:38:18- What's your name?- Leonard.
0:38:18 > 0:38:22- Leonard, hello. Do you like to be called Len?- Len.- Len. Hello, Len.
0:38:22 > 0:38:25- What happened to you? - I've fallen down and I can't get up.
0:38:25 > 0:38:29- I've got a dicky leg, won't support my weight.- OK.
0:38:29 > 0:38:31Where have you fallen from, Len?
0:38:31 > 0:38:34- Just off the chair.- Have you injured yourself at all?
0:38:34 > 0:38:36- No.- Have you got any pains anywhere?
0:38:36 > 0:38:38- No.- All right. What I'm going to do, if it's OK,
0:38:38 > 0:38:40I'll check you over top to bottom,
0:38:40 > 0:38:43- to make sure you haven't hurt yourself.- Fair enough.- OK, mate.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45All right, anything on your head at all?
0:38:45 > 0:38:47- No.- Any pain down your neck or your back?- No.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50Can you pop your legs flat on the floor?
0:38:50 > 0:38:52- Very awkward. - Can you move your legs for me?
0:38:52 > 0:38:54Can you bend them up? OK.
0:38:54 > 0:38:56All right. Let's just have a feel of your wrist.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59I've got COPD and a dicky heart.
0:38:59 > 0:39:00All right.
0:39:00 > 0:39:03Did you just slip? Is that the reason you ended up on the floor?
0:39:03 > 0:39:04OK.
0:39:04 > 0:39:08COPD stands for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,
0:39:08 > 0:39:12a lung condition which makes breathing difficult.
0:39:12 > 0:39:14All right, then. Thank God for that.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17No problem. Can we do a few observations?
0:39:17 > 0:39:19Check your blood pressure and whatnot?
0:39:19 > 0:39:21- No problem.- OK, mate.
0:39:21 > 0:39:25Following Len's fall, we've got to rule out with Len's age,
0:39:25 > 0:39:27any further injuries or medical conditions
0:39:27 > 0:39:30that maybe could have caused his fall.
0:39:30 > 0:39:32We're just going to do a routine sequence of checks now,
0:39:32 > 0:39:35and make sure that everything's as it should be.
0:39:35 > 0:39:38All being well, he'll stay here, I don't think he'll go to hospital.
0:39:38 > 0:39:41OK, mate, it's just going to tighten your arm, OK.
0:39:41 > 0:39:43Just pop these on your wrists and your ankles.
0:39:43 > 0:39:45Right then, Len, this machine picks up any big movements,
0:39:45 > 0:39:48so I just want you to relax for me, OK?
0:39:56 > 0:39:58That's OK. Everything's OK.
0:39:58 > 0:40:01We've done a full set of observations, everything is normal,
0:40:01 > 0:40:03normal for him.
0:40:03 > 0:40:07His ECG, his blood pressure, his oxygen levels, everything's good.
0:40:07 > 0:40:10I think it's just a case now of making sure he's happy here at home.
0:40:10 > 0:40:13- All right, Len? - Can't grumble for 86.
0:40:13 > 0:40:18It turns out that Len's fall was down to a war injury.
0:40:18 > 0:40:22I got wounded in the Army in Korea
0:40:22 > 0:40:25in that knee,
0:40:25 > 0:40:27and it won't bear any weight.
0:40:27 > 0:40:30Yeah. How did you get injured in Korea? What happened?
0:40:30 > 0:40:33I was a clerk, believe it or not,
0:40:33 > 0:40:37and the Brigade Major came to me and said,
0:40:37 > 0:40:39"Corporal, can you read a map?"
0:40:39 > 0:40:42And I said, "Yes, sir."
0:40:42 > 0:40:45So he said, "Right, take these two trucks
0:40:45 > 0:40:48"to 1st RAR and 2nd RAR."
0:40:48 > 0:40:50- Yup.- Which was up north,
0:40:50 > 0:40:53where the Nationalists was,
0:40:53 > 0:40:56and we was going across country to 2nd RAR
0:40:56 > 0:41:01when the Chinese opened up with a heavy machinegun.
0:41:01 > 0:41:04And they killed the driver.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07- Yeah.- And the round bounced off a rock,
0:41:07 > 0:41:10and a piece of it hit me in the knee.
0:41:10 > 0:41:12A piece of the rock, or a piece of the round?
0:41:12 > 0:41:14- A piece of the round.- Oh, right.
0:41:14 > 0:41:20I drove the wagon myself up to 2nd RAR,
0:41:20 > 0:41:22even with a bad leg.
0:41:22 > 0:41:26- Were the Aussies grateful that you got the vehicle there?- Oh, yeah.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29Yeah? Did they know the trauma you'd gone through to get it there?
0:41:29 > 0:41:32- I didn't tell them, did I? - You kept that to yourself.
0:41:32 > 0:41:35I told them about the poor driver being killed.
0:41:35 > 0:41:37- Yeah.- And falling out the wagon.
0:41:37 > 0:41:39Yeah, of course.
0:41:39 > 0:41:41I think you want a cup of tea, don't you?
0:41:41 > 0:41:45- I'd love one.- How do you take it? - Three sugars, but not a full cup.
0:41:45 > 0:41:46Three sugars, but not a full cup.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49I dread to think how much sugar you'd have in a full cup, then!
0:41:49 > 0:41:52Well, I've got a sweet tooth!
0:41:52 > 0:41:54Let me get the kettle on.
0:41:54 > 0:41:58Part of being a paramedic is how make a good cup of tea.
0:41:58 > 0:42:01Our job's not always about sort of, like, patching up the injured
0:42:01 > 0:42:03and really unwell people,
0:42:03 > 0:42:05it's quite nice having a chat to the senior generation,
0:42:05 > 0:42:08because they've got lots of life experiences.
0:42:08 > 0:42:10I think he's enjoyed telling us the tale,
0:42:10 > 0:42:11and we've enjoyed listening.
0:42:11 > 0:42:15So it was nice to have a chat to somebody and you know they're OK.
0:42:15 > 0:42:16Here you go, Len, tea's up.
0:42:16 > 0:42:18Sweet, three sugars.
0:42:20 > 0:42:22All right, Len. Lovely to meet you.
0:42:22 > 0:42:24All right. I'm glad you're OK.
0:42:24 > 0:42:26- OK.- That's a fair old handshake.
0:42:26 > 0:42:29You enjoy your cup of tea, all right?
0:42:29 > 0:42:30- Yes.- Goodnight to you.
0:42:30 > 0:42:34- All right, we'll lock up as we leave. Bye-bye.- Goodbye.
0:42:35 > 0:42:36That was quite a nice story.
0:42:36 > 0:42:40He's sustained an injury, and that's how we've come to meet him tonight.
0:42:40 > 0:42:42So, obviously, he's survived the injury,
0:42:42 > 0:42:44but that's how we've crossed paths tonight,
0:42:44 > 0:42:46an injury sustained in the Korean War.
0:42:49 > 0:42:53Sadly, seven weeks later, Len passed away, peacefully.
0:42:55 > 0:42:58His family were happy for his story to be told.