Episode 17

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0:00:03 > 0:00:08If you're critically ill or seriously injured in a place like this,

0:00:08 > 0:00:12there's only one thing that can save you, and that's speed.

0:00:12 > 0:00:15It doesn't matter where you are - this helicopter

0:00:15 > 0:00:18with its highly trained team of pilots and paramedics

0:00:18 > 0:00:21will fly to the rescue at 2.5 miles a minute.

0:00:21 > 0:00:25These are Yorkshire's Helicopter Heroes.

0:00:46 > 0:00:50When the people of Britain's biggest county dial 999,

0:00:50 > 0:00:53there's a good chance help will come from the skies.

0:00:53 > 0:00:58The Yorkshire Air Ambulance is ready to scramble 365 days a year,

0:00:58 > 0:01:02and each one brings a new life-or-death emergency.

0:01:03 > 0:01:05Today on Helicopter Heroes:

0:01:05 > 0:01:08paramedic Sammy meets a difficult patient.

0:01:08 > 0:01:11- Stop it. Stop it!- All right, darlin'.

0:01:11 > 0:01:16The team fight to save a farm worker trapped in a baling machine.

0:01:16 > 0:01:19..Amputation, this time at the shoulder.

0:01:19 > 0:01:23It's a tight squeeze as paramedic Tony leads the operation

0:01:23 > 0:01:25to rescue the victim of a bizarre accident.

0:01:25 > 0:01:27Is it any better?

0:01:29 > 0:01:32And a holiday on the coast ends in a serious crash.

0:01:32 > 0:01:35A nasty open skull fracture...

0:01:39 > 0:01:41£7,000 a day.

0:01:41 > 0:01:45150 miles an hour. 8,000 missions.

0:01:45 > 0:01:49Everything revolves around statistics, even in the emergency services.

0:01:49 > 0:01:54But today's patient involves another important number.

0:01:54 > 0:01:57And it's a big one.

0:01:57 > 0:02:0070 miles. Even at 2.5 miles a minute,

0:02:00 > 0:02:03today's patient is nearly half an hour away from base.

0:02:03 > 0:02:06It adds up to a long wait for an injured woman,

0:02:06 > 0:02:10but Helimed 98 will be there as quickly as the crew can make it.

0:02:10 > 0:02:15'Helimed 98. For your information, our ETA will be 13.33.

0:02:15 > 0:02:20'We are experiencing some visibility challenges at the moment, over.'

0:02:20 > 0:02:24On the east coast, a woman has fallen off her horse on a cliff-top path.

0:02:24 > 0:02:26OK.

0:02:26 > 0:02:28Stop it.

0:02:28 > 0:02:30Stop it!

0:02:30 > 0:02:33Louise Baker is a nurse specialising in brain injuries.

0:02:33 > 0:02:36She's usually professional and caring,

0:02:36 > 0:02:39but her personality has changed after the fall.

0:02:39 > 0:02:41Stop it. It won't help.

0:02:41 > 0:02:44Emergency paramedics are so concerned by Louise's behaviour,

0:02:44 > 0:02:47they've called in the local police helicopter.

0:02:47 > 0:02:50She's dangerously close to the cliff-edge.

0:02:51 > 0:02:53The team are heading for Withernsea,

0:02:53 > 0:02:56a seaside resort 20 miles east of Hull.

0:02:56 > 0:02:58Helimed 98, that's received.

0:02:58 > 0:03:02Is it possible, if we're considering head injury and agitated,

0:03:02 > 0:03:06to get a doctor? Otherwise she'd be inappropriate to be flown.

0:03:06 > 0:03:09Before the crew even arrive, paramedics Sammy Wills and Al Day

0:03:09 > 0:03:12are formulating a plan to help their patient.

0:03:12 > 0:03:14But they're already faced with a dilemma.

0:03:14 > 0:03:17We believe the information from the scene is that she's quite agitated,

0:03:17 > 0:03:20and not co-ordinating with them.

0:03:20 > 0:03:24She's refusing oxygen and refusing being put on to a longboard.

0:03:26 > 0:03:29RADIO CHATTER

0:03:32 > 0:03:34- All right there?- This is Louise.

0:03:38 > 0:03:40Bang on the head, there.

0:03:40 > 0:03:42Hello! How you doing?

0:03:42 > 0:03:44Open your eyes for me.

0:03:44 > 0:03:47Louise fell off her horse over an hour ago.

0:03:47 > 0:03:51But the ambulance crews have been unable to calm her down.

0:03:52 > 0:03:54Let go, let go, let go!

0:03:54 > 0:03:56Help, help, help, help.

0:03:56 > 0:03:58Help. Help!

0:03:58 > 0:04:00Despite wearing a helmet,

0:04:00 > 0:04:04Louise is showing all the classic symptoms of a serious brain injury.

0:04:04 > 0:04:07Stop it!

0:04:07 > 0:04:09All right, darlin'. Relax.

0:04:11 > 0:04:15Any medic will tell you that patients like this are almost impossible to treat.

0:04:15 > 0:04:18Sammy knows Louise could have spine and neck injuries,

0:04:18 > 0:04:22and by being so agitated, she could be making these worse.

0:04:22 > 0:04:24That lady was becoming my patient.

0:04:24 > 0:04:28I wanted to fly her to a hospital as soon as possible.

0:04:28 > 0:04:31A head injury is particularly serious.

0:04:31 > 0:04:34But my challenge was, I couldn't keep her safe.

0:04:34 > 0:04:36She was fighting, she was combative,

0:04:36 > 0:04:38her personality had totally changed.

0:04:38 > 0:04:40Stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it!

0:04:40 > 0:04:43She's quite agitated at the moment.

0:04:43 > 0:04:46Unless she's sedated, we can't really safely fly her.

0:04:46 > 0:04:50We're just trying to formulate a plan about how to get her to hospital.

0:04:50 > 0:04:55Sedating patients can be dangerous, so only doctors are allowed to.

0:04:55 > 0:04:58Hi, Doctor. It's Chris ringing from the air ambulance.

0:04:58 > 0:05:03Back at Helimed HQ in Leeds, it's up to dispatcher Chris Solomons to find one.

0:05:03 > 0:05:06They definitely need a doctor that can RSI on scene.

0:05:06 > 0:05:08Do you know what your ETA is?

0:05:08 > 0:05:12Back on the east coast, Louise is refusing to lie down

0:05:12 > 0:05:15and there's no way that Sammy can keep her still,

0:05:15 > 0:05:19a vital part in preventing patients from suffering further injuries.

0:05:19 > 0:05:22Sit down. You're going to be sick now.

0:05:22 > 0:05:27Until a doctor can be found, Louise is a risk to herself,

0:05:27 > 0:05:29and to her rescuers.

0:05:35 > 0:05:39Coming up, Louise's bizarre behaviour forces the team

0:05:39 > 0:05:41to call in a doctor with strong sedatives.

0:05:41 > 0:05:44Stay sat down. Louise...

0:05:44 > 0:05:50An elderly motorist's car careers halfway down a Pennine hillside.

0:05:50 > 0:05:54- Oh, my God.- We're just gonna cut some of this steering wheel off, so we can get you out.

0:05:54 > 0:05:59And on the east coast, there's a sea rescue as a canoeist fights for his life.

0:05:59 > 0:06:03He's capsized, and he's swallowed quite a bit of water.

0:06:06 > 0:06:10Summer brings big changes for Yorkshire's countryside.

0:06:10 > 0:06:15Lanes fill with traffic, and local businesses are busy trying to make enough money

0:06:15 > 0:06:17to get through the next winter.

0:06:17 > 0:06:21But summer also brings big challenges for the Helimed team.

0:06:21 > 0:06:27Farmers have just a few weeks to turn their fields full of crops into cash.

0:06:27 > 0:06:29But for one young farmer in West Yorkshire,

0:06:29 > 0:06:32this harvest could be his last.

0:06:32 > 0:06:33BEEPING

0:06:33 > 0:06:36The machine was running, I had to stop it.

0:06:36 > 0:06:40While baling hay, farmer Michael has got his arm stuck

0:06:40 > 0:06:42in this piece of machinery.

0:06:42 > 0:06:46The sharp rotating blades have caused life-threatening injuries.

0:06:46 > 0:06:48We're definitely required.

0:06:48 > 0:06:52We're making tracks as quick as we can to get them some help.

0:06:52 > 0:06:55That farm there, that farm in front.

0:06:55 > 0:06:58See them on there, it's on the right of that farm.

0:06:58 > 0:07:02OK, yeah. The field obviously with the combine harvester.

0:07:02 > 0:07:05Michael's in the middle of the field he was harvesting,

0:07:05 > 0:07:08and although local ambulances have struggled to reach him,

0:07:08 > 0:07:11the Helimed team can land right next to the scene.

0:07:11 > 0:07:15- How we doing?- Partial amputation, left arm at the shoulder.

0:07:15 > 0:07:19I've been ages finding a vein, I've just got one in.

0:07:19 > 0:07:21Can you feel me touching you there?

0:07:21 > 0:07:24You can't. Right, OK.

0:07:24 > 0:07:28I believe he was working on the top of the bale and got his arm caught in the machinery.

0:07:28 > 0:07:31When I came, he'd been released. I was first here.

0:07:31 > 0:07:34Michael's girlfriend Amy and friend Keith

0:07:34 > 0:07:36managed to pull him out of the baler

0:07:36 > 0:07:39and Keith is now playing a pivotal role in his treatment.

0:07:39 > 0:07:42His arm is almost severed. He's losing blood fast,

0:07:42 > 0:07:46and raising his legs can help maintain blood circulation to his brain.

0:07:46 > 0:07:50Have you got any pain at the moment? I know you've been asked before.

0:07:50 > 0:07:52No pain at all? All right, buddy.

0:07:52 > 0:07:55He's no sensation in his hand or anything like that.

0:07:55 > 0:07:57But it's still attached.

0:07:57 > 0:08:00The human body contains about five litres of blood.

0:08:00 > 0:08:05You can lose a little, but any more than a third and you're unlikely to survive.

0:08:05 > 0:08:08Looks like it's gone right round and just left it attached at the top.

0:08:08 > 0:08:12Obviously very dangerous, these, they've got a lot of moving parts

0:08:12 > 0:08:15and people try and free stuff and they get caught in them,

0:08:15 > 0:08:17and they're unforgiving.

0:08:17 > 0:08:20And so he's got the risk of losing it, I don't know yet.

0:08:20 > 0:08:23We'll get him straight to Leeds, where the plastics are.

0:08:23 > 0:08:27The machine has cut through arteries, tendons and bone,

0:08:27 > 0:08:29and Michael has no feeling in his fingers.

0:08:29 > 0:08:31BEEPING

0:08:31 > 0:08:34- Any medical problems?- No.- Right.

0:08:39 > 0:08:43Michael's losing blood out of the wound at an alarming rate.

0:08:43 > 0:08:46This means his blood pressure is dropping.

0:08:46 > 0:08:50He could go into cardiac arrest and stop breathing at any moment.

0:08:50 > 0:08:54Right, we're just gonna put a board underneath you.

0:08:54 > 0:08:56I'll lift from the shoulders...

0:08:56 > 0:09:01Lift you up slightly, then we'll push the board along.

0:09:01 > 0:09:03One, two, three, go.

0:09:05 > 0:09:07Great stuff.

0:09:07 > 0:09:09The team have stabilised Michael,

0:09:09 > 0:09:13but in this environment it's almost impossible to prevent infection,

0:09:13 > 0:09:16and that could jeopardise his chances of making a full recovery.

0:09:22 > 0:09:26Coming up - the trauma unit's on standby for Michael,

0:09:26 > 0:09:31but doctors know the chances of saving his life, never mind his arm, aren't good.

0:09:31 > 0:09:35The orthopaedic surgeons are here, and the plastic surgeons, and they're taking him to theatre.

0:09:36 > 0:09:39And it's holiday season in North Yorkshire,

0:09:39 > 0:09:42but the team haven't got time to enjoy the scenery.

0:09:42 > 0:09:45Too many holidays are ending in accidents.

0:09:45 > 0:09:49She was just a dead weight, so I couldn't do anything.

0:09:52 > 0:09:56The Helimed team spend their lives fighting nature.

0:09:56 > 0:09:58They're always up against the weather,

0:09:58 > 0:10:01and the rugged Yorkshire landscape

0:10:01 > 0:10:03does its best to get in their way too.

0:10:03 > 0:10:07But there's a man-made obstruction they hate more than any other.

0:10:07 > 0:10:11Hundreds of miles of high-tension cables criss-cross the countryside,

0:10:11 > 0:10:13and they can be lethal.

0:10:13 > 0:10:18High in the Pennines near Halifax, there's been a freak accident.

0:10:18 > 0:10:22A disabled driver has crashed after losing control of her car.

0:10:23 > 0:10:28Now, pilot Steve must avoid power cables that surround the scene.

0:10:28 > 0:10:32We've got to think about our safety as much as the patient's safety,

0:10:32 > 0:10:35so we need to make sure that if there's any danger

0:10:35 > 0:10:37that the electricity's all turned off

0:10:37 > 0:10:40and that somebody's dealt with the power before we go near it,

0:10:40 > 0:10:44otherwise we could have four more casualties.

0:10:44 > 0:10:47Not even rubber boots will help in this job.

0:10:47 > 0:10:49Not sure how good they'd be with 50,000 volts

0:10:49 > 0:10:53running down your legs, but I wouldn't like to find out.

0:10:53 > 0:10:55From the air, it's clear the car has careered

0:10:55 > 0:10:59half a mile down a steep hill and hit a tree.

0:10:59 > 0:11:03Pilot Steve wants to get his medics as close to the scene as possible -

0:11:03 > 0:11:05power lines permitting.

0:11:05 > 0:11:08CRACKLY CHATTER

0:11:08 > 0:11:12- You can see, can't you? - Gonna be a pain.

0:11:12 > 0:11:15Luckily, there's just enough room to land.

0:11:15 > 0:11:19The accident's left a trail of debris.

0:11:20 > 0:11:2470-year-old Lorraine Kershaw has survived three big impacts

0:11:24 > 0:11:27with two dry-stone walls and a tree.

0:11:27 > 0:11:30Now she's trapped in the footwell of her battered hatchback

0:11:30 > 0:11:33and both her legs are pinned under the dashboard.

0:11:33 > 0:11:37I just heard the noise of the car come through the wall as it left the lane,

0:11:37 > 0:11:41so I just come on foot to see what's gone on.

0:11:41 > 0:11:46I called the emergency services and kept her company until they got here.

0:11:46 > 0:11:48Just got a few details. She's a GCS 15,

0:11:48 > 0:11:51she's complaining of rib pain and back pain.

0:11:51 > 0:11:54I don't have an approximate age. I'll get back to you, over.

0:11:54 > 0:11:59Tony can't believe how lucky his patient has been, despite her injuries.

0:11:59 > 0:12:03Had the car not hit this tree, Lorraine would have plunged

0:12:03 > 0:12:06a further quarter of a mile to the bottom of the hill,

0:12:06 > 0:12:09and into a deep lake.

0:12:09 > 0:12:12She's all right, but she's in quite a lot of pain.

0:12:12 > 0:12:14So we just want to get her out as quick as we can, yeah.

0:12:14 > 0:12:17It's in an awkward position, wedged against a tree.

0:12:17 > 0:12:20There's severe damage to the front of the vehicle

0:12:20 > 0:12:24and, er, the driver is now pinned inside the vehicle with the dashboard.

0:12:24 > 0:12:26So we're having to work around that.

0:12:26 > 0:12:30In again now. You'll hear a bang again in a minute.

0:12:30 > 0:12:32Hopefully this will be the last one now.

0:12:32 > 0:12:36Lorraine already has some medical problems and uses a wheelchair.

0:12:36 > 0:12:41She was still able to drive, but it's almost impossible for Kate and Tony

0:12:41 > 0:12:44to establish whether she's suffered additional injuries to her legs.

0:12:44 > 0:12:48- Is your pain all in your back? - In my back, and my ribs.

0:12:48 > 0:12:50In your ribs? OK.

0:12:50 > 0:12:54We're just trying to get a needle in the arm to get you some pain relief.

0:12:54 > 0:12:58Lorraine was on her way to work as an RSPCA volunteer,

0:12:58 > 0:13:03helping exercise unwanted animals, when she lost control on a minor road.

0:13:03 > 0:13:06Tony's aware she could be bleeding internally,

0:13:06 > 0:13:08and that could be fatal.

0:13:09 > 0:13:14- Oh, my God.- We're just going to cut this steering wheel so we can get you out.

0:13:14 > 0:13:17How's your pain now? Are you still in a lot of pain?

0:13:17 > 0:13:19I can't do it any more.

0:13:19 > 0:13:22You can, come on.

0:13:22 > 0:13:25Do you feel like you need some more painkiller?

0:13:25 > 0:13:28- I just need to get out.- Let's give you a bit before we move you.

0:13:28 > 0:13:31Ready, steady, move.

0:13:32 > 0:13:34Ouch!

0:13:34 > 0:13:36All right, love.

0:13:36 > 0:13:40If anybody can see if her leg's under the pedals, if possible?

0:13:40 > 0:13:44The team release Lorraine, and Tony gets his first chance to examine her.

0:13:44 > 0:13:46Can you feel me touching you here?

0:13:46 > 0:13:49How about your neck, sweetheart, any pain?

0:13:49 > 0:13:52No pain in your shoulders, or your chest?

0:13:52 > 0:13:55Talking about pain in her hip.

0:13:55 > 0:13:58She might have a fracture to one of her legs,

0:13:58 > 0:14:01but she seems fairly stable.

0:14:01 > 0:14:04Give her some morphine for the pain, obviously with moving her

0:14:04 > 0:14:06we've made that a bit worse. She's done really well.

0:14:06 > 0:14:08The crew don't want to hang around.

0:14:08 > 0:14:12Kate and Tony often see older patients deteriorate quickly,

0:14:12 > 0:14:15and they don't want that to happen in a field,

0:14:15 > 0:14:17never mind in the back of a helicopter.

0:14:17 > 0:14:20Take it easy...

0:14:20 > 0:14:23The road Lorraine was driving on is over a quarter of a mile away,

0:14:23 > 0:14:28so without Helimed 99 she'd have faced a long journey back up the hill to a land ambulance.

0:14:28 > 0:14:33That's what these guys do best - getting their patients to hospital quickly.

0:14:33 > 0:14:36And Lorraine's heading for one of the country's leading trauma units,

0:14:36 > 0:14:39Leeds General Infirmary.

0:14:39 > 0:14:43We're quite concerned that she's got some major trauma injuries,

0:14:43 > 0:14:45just cos of where we found her.

0:14:45 > 0:14:48It's her pelvis we're quite concerned about,

0:14:48 > 0:14:50and her legs, really.

0:14:50 > 0:14:54As we're coming up, she did drop her blood pressure quite quickly and severely,

0:14:54 > 0:14:58which again is suggesting there's some kind of internal bleeding.

0:15:00 > 0:15:04Lorraine spends three weeks in a high-dependency ward.

0:15:04 > 0:15:09Her injuries are so severe her family are told to come and say their goodbyes.

0:15:09 > 0:15:12But, to all the medical team's surprise, she pulls through.

0:15:12 > 0:15:16And just a month later, she's well enough to sit up in bed.

0:15:17 > 0:15:20I was very poorly, it was touch and go.

0:15:20 > 0:15:23I was really on...

0:15:23 > 0:15:26They didn't think I would pull through.

0:15:26 > 0:15:29My son took his sister

0:15:29 > 0:15:31and they all gathered here upstairs.

0:15:31 > 0:15:36And they was all told to come and say goodbye to their mum.

0:15:37 > 0:15:40It's rare for patients like Lorraine to remember what's happened

0:15:40 > 0:15:43but she's been getting regular flashbacks.

0:15:43 > 0:15:48The car just took straight off.

0:15:49 > 0:15:51And it didn't drive, it flew.

0:15:51 > 0:15:56The Helimed team often see the lethal consequences of drivers who hit trees.

0:15:56 > 0:15:59But Lorraine has a different story.

0:15:59 > 0:16:03There was actually after that tree a big drop.

0:16:03 > 0:16:08And someone did say to my daughter if I'd have gone down there

0:16:08 > 0:16:10they'd never find me.

0:16:10 > 0:16:12"You were the luckiest person in this world."

0:16:12 > 0:16:14Even the doctors said that to me.

0:16:19 > 0:16:20Coming up...

0:16:20 > 0:16:23A trapped farm worker's condition is critical

0:16:23 > 0:16:25as doctors prepare to operate.

0:16:27 > 0:16:33And the team are called to rescue a boy who's been lucky to survive a fall through a skylight.

0:16:33 > 0:16:35Do you fancy flying in a helicopter?

0:16:37 > 0:16:40Speed is the whole point of using a helicopter -

0:16:40 > 0:16:45to get to your patient quickly and get them to hospital care even faster.

0:16:45 > 0:16:49But sometimes a short delay on the ground to deliver vital medical treatment

0:16:49 > 0:16:52is time well spent.

0:16:52 > 0:16:55On a coastal path, 20 miles east of Hull,

0:16:55 > 0:16:59the crew of Helimed 98 are struggling to treat an injured horse rider.

0:16:59 > 0:17:05Since falling off her horse, Louise Baker has been uncooperative and aggressive -

0:17:05 > 0:17:08behaviour that's completely out of character

0:17:08 > 0:17:11and that's worrying paramedics Sammy Wills and Al Day.

0:17:11 > 0:17:15- Stop it!- You're all right, darling. Just relax.

0:17:15 > 0:17:18They think Louise has suffered a serious head injury

0:17:18 > 0:17:20but until they can calm her down,

0:17:20 > 0:17:22it's not safe to fly her to hospital.

0:17:25 > 0:17:28A common problem we have with people in this sort of condition,

0:17:28 > 0:17:31where there's a balance between them being protected

0:17:31 > 0:17:34by the spinal board and restraining them,

0:17:34 > 0:17:36which is something we don't want to do,

0:17:36 > 0:17:37cos that can cause damage.

0:17:39 > 0:17:44Louise's riding pals can't believe how strangely their friend is behaving.

0:17:45 > 0:17:48She'd be mortified if we played this back to her, absolutely,

0:17:48 > 0:17:51cos she's so helpful with everybody - kids and everything.

0:17:51 > 0:17:56Ironically, Louise is a nurse and specialises in neurology.

0:17:56 > 0:18:00She deals with people suffering from exactly the same symptoms

0:18:00 > 0:18:01on a daily basis.

0:18:01 > 0:18:04I just had visions in my mind of how many times she'd turned round

0:18:04 > 0:18:06and looked at me in the eye and told me, you know,

0:18:06 > 0:18:07to get off.

0:18:07 > 0:18:09It was a scary experience

0:18:09 > 0:18:13and at the time I was almost pleading with everyone around -

0:18:13 > 0:18:17"Can anybody else think of anything else we can do to help this lady."

0:18:21 > 0:18:25Sammy's using all her experience to try and coax Louise into cooperating.

0:18:27 > 0:18:31Just let her got on with her job. Come on, stay sat down.

0:18:31 > 0:18:33But, finally, help has arrived.

0:18:33 > 0:18:37Local GP, Dr Neil McDonald, carries a strong sedative

0:18:37 > 0:18:39which should calm Louise down.

0:18:42 > 0:18:44It's OK, I'm not very well...

0:18:45 > 0:18:50They have no option but to restrain Louise so Dr McDonald can safely inject the drug.

0:18:51 > 0:18:53Will you let go of me!

0:18:53 > 0:18:56Stop it!

0:18:56 > 0:19:01The skull protects over 10 million nerve cells in our brain

0:19:01 > 0:19:03but it's only a few millimetres thick.

0:19:03 > 0:19:07Louise's symptoms suggest she's injured the front of her brain

0:19:07 > 0:19:09and if any arteries or veins have been damaged

0:19:09 > 0:19:12her condition will quickly deteriorate.

0:19:12 > 0:19:16She'll be feeling nice and relaxed now

0:19:16 > 0:19:21and all of that tension she had will have disappeared.

0:19:21 > 0:19:23You're hurting, you're hurting...

0:19:23 > 0:19:26- We're not there to hurt you. We're here to help, OK?

0:19:26 > 0:19:28Fantastic.

0:19:28 > 0:19:30We are quite concerned about her.

0:19:30 > 0:19:32It's very out of character.

0:19:32 > 0:19:38Apparently this lady works as a nurse so to be behaving in this way would not be normal for her at all

0:19:38 > 0:19:41so we're pretty certain it's the result of a head injury.

0:19:44 > 0:19:48Now sedated, the team can finally start to follow the paramedic textbook

0:19:48 > 0:19:49and immobilise Louise.

0:19:50 > 0:19:54OK, then. We'll be lifting up. Ready, steady, lift.

0:19:57 > 0:20:00And down. Nice and steady, thank you very much.

0:20:00 > 0:20:03But all the medics know the damage maybe have already been done.

0:20:03 > 0:20:07You don't let patients stand up and walk around

0:20:07 > 0:20:09that have fallen off of a horse.

0:20:09 > 0:20:11And unfortunately, on this occasion,

0:20:11 > 0:20:13that's what happened.

0:20:14 > 0:20:18In this condition, Sammy's happy to fly Louise to hospital.

0:20:18 > 0:20:20- How long will this last for? - I don't know.

0:20:20 > 0:20:24But not even Dr McDonald knows how long the sedative will last.

0:20:24 > 0:20:30And it wears off in-flight, that could cause big problems for the whole team.

0:20:30 > 0:20:31Lift.

0:20:32 > 0:20:35They plan to fly Louise to the hospital where she works,

0:20:35 > 0:20:36the Hull Royal Infirmary.

0:20:36 > 0:20:39But it's 10 minutes away by air.

0:20:43 > 0:20:45Coming up...

0:20:45 > 0:20:50Louise's colleagues begin to treat a helpful nurse who's suddenly become a difficult patient.

0:20:50 > 0:20:53I was shocked to hear that Louise was down in A&E.

0:20:54 > 0:20:58And high up the Moors, the hot summer gets the better of an exhausted rambler.

0:20:58 > 0:21:02She was just a deadweight so I couldn't do anything.

0:21:06 > 0:21:09Now, let's catch up on that case we brought you earlier

0:21:09 > 0:21:12and the paramedics have their work cut out.

0:21:13 > 0:21:15At a farm near Otley in West Yorkshire,

0:21:15 > 0:21:17harvesting has come to an abrupt halt.

0:21:17 > 0:21:19There's been a serious accident

0:21:19 > 0:21:24and a young farmer is critically injured after trapping his arm in a hay-baling machine.

0:21:24 > 0:21:28It looks like it's gone right round and just left it attached at the top.

0:21:28 > 0:21:31Michael Garth is only 26

0:21:31 > 0:21:32but he's fighting for his life.

0:21:32 > 0:21:34He's lost a lot of blood

0:21:34 > 0:21:36and his body is struggling to cope.

0:21:37 > 0:21:39Can you squeeze my fingers?

0:21:39 > 0:21:40No, OK.

0:21:40 > 0:21:45His rescuers including Helimed 99's Colin Jones and Lee Davison,

0:21:45 > 0:21:47are not just there to save his life.

0:21:47 > 0:21:50They're also trying to save his arm.

0:21:52 > 0:21:53You're going to be OK, all right. OK?

0:21:53 > 0:21:57There's nobody saying that you're going to lose it but...

0:22:01 > 0:22:02All right? OK.

0:22:02 > 0:22:05It'll be about 3 or 4 minutes and we'll be there, all right?

0:22:07 > 0:22:09The team know that despite all their efforts

0:22:09 > 0:22:13and the expertise of the waiting surgeons at the Leeds General Infirmary,

0:22:13 > 0:22:16infection will almost certainly set in.

0:22:16 > 0:22:22And doctors sometimes have no choice but to amputate limbs to stop infection from spreading.

0:22:23 > 0:22:26RADIO CHATTER

0:22:26 > 0:22:31It's estimated one person every week dies working on a farm.

0:22:32 > 0:22:36And agriculture has the highest death rate of almost any industry.

0:22:37 > 0:22:42But Michael's a fit young man and he'll need all his strength to overcome this ordeal.

0:22:44 > 0:22:47Pins and needles. That was more than you had before.

0:22:47 > 0:22:49- You said you had nothing before. - Yeah.

0:22:49 > 0:22:50Yeah, OK.

0:22:50 > 0:22:53Michael's wheeled straight in to Resus,

0:22:53 > 0:22:56the area where the most seriously injured patients are assessed.

0:22:56 > 0:22:59Doctors and consultant plastic surgeons

0:22:59 > 0:23:03as well as a team of highly-qualified nursing staff have rushed in to help.

0:23:03 > 0:23:07They've got him stabilised. They've exposed the arm.

0:23:07 > 0:23:10The orthopaedic surgeons are here and the plastic surgeons

0:23:10 > 0:23:12and that's him going off to theatre.

0:23:12 > 0:23:15We've obviously got a risk of infection

0:23:15 > 0:23:16with it being wide open like that.

0:23:16 > 0:23:18And obviously a high risk of bleeding

0:23:18 > 0:23:22- a lot of the main arteries run down into the nerves and the arm and stuff.

0:23:22 > 0:23:25The sooner that they're there, the better.

0:23:25 > 0:23:30Michael undergoes emergency surgery to stem the bleeding and clean the open wound.

0:23:30 > 0:23:35Doctors estimate he's lost more than 80% of the blood in his body.

0:23:36 > 0:23:40Very few people survive after losing so much.

0:23:43 > 0:23:46But after two weeks in intensive care,

0:23:46 > 0:23:50Michael pulls through. And after surprising the doctors once,

0:23:50 > 0:23:55he does it again. Just three weeks after the accident, he's back on the farm.

0:23:56 > 0:23:59When I first looked at it,

0:23:59 > 0:24:01I thought, "Oh, dear!"

0:24:01 > 0:24:05When I lied down, I could feel it lying dead on me chest.

0:24:07 > 0:24:10Cos there was just absolutely nowt there. It was crushed to...

0:24:10 > 0:24:12Completely, I thought I'd lost my arm then

0:24:12 > 0:24:16but they tried to save it in hospital but I knew it were gone then.

0:24:16 > 0:24:18It were that mangled.

0:24:18 > 0:24:22For many amputees it takes years to come to terms with losing a limb.

0:24:22 > 0:24:24But not Michael.

0:24:25 > 0:24:28I've always said that baler would get me one day.

0:24:28 > 0:24:32I've done it thousands of times, flipped, bonded, not a problem.

0:24:33 > 0:24:35But I always knew it were going to get me

0:24:35 > 0:24:38and sort of physically I've built myself up to that.

0:24:38 > 0:24:41And I can do most things with this to start with

0:24:41 > 0:24:44but obviously, there's a lot of stuff I can't do.

0:24:44 > 0:24:47They say they might be able to get a prosthetic

0:24:47 > 0:24:51so maybe in about six months, I might be back up, fully fit.

0:24:51 > 0:24:53Hopefully.

0:24:58 > 0:25:02I've always given to t'charity and I've always said, "I'll need their number."

0:25:02 > 0:25:04Absolutely, spot on.

0:25:09 > 0:25:10Coming up...

0:25:10 > 0:25:12Nurse Louise treats patients with head injuries.

0:25:12 > 0:25:16Now her family's waiting to find out how serious hers is.

0:25:20 > 0:25:24You save up all year for those precious two weeks on holiday

0:25:24 > 0:25:27and you know it's going to be the shortest fortnight of the year.

0:25:27 > 0:25:31But one visitor's break in Yorkshire came to an end even sooner.

0:25:33 > 0:25:37Thousands of holidaymakers hit the road to explore Yorkshire each summer

0:25:37 > 0:25:41Hitching up the family caravan for a week in the great outdoors.

0:25:41 > 0:25:45Behind the Yorkshire Wolds, one couple's break has ended in a major accident.

0:25:45 > 0:25:50Heading home from Scarborough, their caravan has been torn apart as it rolled over.

0:25:50 > 0:25:53Taking their two-ton Land Rover Discovery with it.

0:25:53 > 0:25:56Now both are trapped in their upturned car.

0:25:57 > 0:25:59Can't understand what she's saying really.

0:25:59 > 0:26:03So we've got a bit of a shimmy on to where a caravan's gone on its side

0:26:03 > 0:26:06and obviously pulled the car over as well.

0:26:06 > 0:26:09Helimed pilot Steve Cobb has some sympathy for the casualties.

0:26:09 > 0:26:14He can handle a helicopter but found a caravan too much of a challenge.

0:26:14 > 0:26:17Yeah, they're not the easiest things to drive.

0:26:17 > 0:26:20It's quite easy to lose control.

0:26:20 > 0:26:23I never went above 45 because I was terrified of the thing.

0:26:23 > 0:26:25But it happens easily.

0:26:25 > 0:26:30It looks like strong winds almost 1,000 feet up in the Wolds have caught out the driver.

0:26:31 > 0:26:33Helimed 99 to air desk.

0:26:33 > 0:26:36We've landed on scene and I'll give you an update ASAP, over.

0:26:36 > 0:26:41Holidaymaker Rachel Copeman was towing a caravan for only the second time when the accident happened.

0:26:41 > 0:26:44Her partner, Joe, has escaped with minor injuries.

0:26:44 > 0:26:47But she's suffered a major wound to the head.

0:26:47 > 0:26:50There's an off-duty paramedic in the car with the lady.

0:26:50 > 0:26:55She's got a very nasty skull... the top of her skull is showing.

0:26:55 > 0:27:01A bit of fat around... And she's complaining of an arm injury.

0:27:01 > 0:27:03No other fractures.

0:27:03 > 0:27:07Paramedic Tony wastes no time in getting as close to Rachel as possible.

0:27:07 > 0:27:10She's now in the passenger seat of her upturned Land Rover.

0:27:10 > 0:27:13What are you like pain-wise, Rachel?

0:27:13 > 0:27:15I'm not bad, I'm just aching.

0:27:15 > 0:27:17You're just aching, are you?

0:27:17 > 0:27:23It's a slow and deliberate procedure extracting patients from cars that have flipped over.

0:27:23 > 0:27:26Are you OK in there, yeah? Ready steady, move.

0:27:26 > 0:27:28RACHEL GROANS

0:27:28 > 0:27:29Rachel just...

0:27:29 > 0:27:32But with a little careful manipulation, Rachel's out.

0:27:32 > 0:27:37We've got a 30-year-old female, driver of the vehicle, with a seatbelt on.

0:27:37 > 0:27:40She has quite a nasty open-skull fracture

0:27:40 > 0:27:42Query, 30 centimetres.

0:27:42 > 0:27:45Rachel won't forget this holiday in a hurry.

0:27:45 > 0:27:48She's suffered two broken vertebrae in her back

0:27:48 > 0:27:52and needed an operation to fit a frame to stabilise her injured neck.

0:27:52 > 0:27:58The head injury needed stitches and the scars will be a lasting reminder of her trip to the Wiltshire coast.

0:28:01 > 0:28:058 out of 10 visitors to Yorkshire have been before.

0:28:05 > 0:28:09The dales and moors don't change much and that's part of their appeal.

0:28:09 > 0:28:13But sometimes tourists face something unexpected

0:28:13 > 0:28:15and not very pleasant.

0:28:20 > 0:28:24For energetic holidaymakers the Cleveland Way is a major attraction -

0:28:24 > 0:28:26all 110 miles of it.

0:28:28 > 0:28:32It starts near the market town of Helmsley and then heads up on to the North York moors

0:28:32 > 0:28:36before taking in the 1,000-foot high peak of Rosebury Topping.

0:28:36 > 0:28:40You need a good pair of lungs before trying to reach this place

0:28:40 > 0:28:41but the views are worth it.

0:28:42 > 0:28:46And the Cleveland Way is Helimed 99's destination today.

0:28:48 > 0:28:52We've been mobilised to an elderly female who's suffered a collapse

0:28:52 > 0:28:53on the Cleveland Way.

0:28:53 > 0:28:56It's very difficult for vehicular access to get to the patient

0:28:56 > 0:29:00from where she is at the moment so we're just transiting out there.

0:29:00 > 0:29:02And then we'll just assess whether we need to

0:29:02 > 0:29:06transport the patient or just assist the land crew back to the vehicle.

0:29:06 > 0:29:09Free sightseeing is a perk of the job for the Helimed team

0:29:09 > 0:29:13Today's route takes them over the ancient Rievaulx Abbey

0:29:13 > 0:29:17and the steam railway that stars in the Harry Potter movies.

0:29:17 > 0:29:19It's an area Tony knows well.

0:29:19 > 0:29:22I've got like a holiday home in Scarborough,

0:29:22 > 0:29:26so we spend quite a bit of time on the east coast, walking on the Cleveland Way.

0:29:26 > 0:29:31It's really scenic, the path follows the cliff tops.

0:29:31 > 0:29:35We've been in touch with the coast guard. They have local rescue teams

0:29:35 > 0:29:37which can assist us.

0:29:37 > 0:29:41Christine Haig collapsed after climbing a steep set of steps

0:29:41 > 0:29:44near the seaside resort of Sandsend.

0:29:44 > 0:29:47There's a sea breeze and the sea's still cool

0:29:47 > 0:29:50but the sun's making walking hard on the hill tops.

0:29:50 > 0:29:52How are you...again?

0:29:52 > 0:29:55Motor cycle paramedic Jim Bryan has just arrived.

0:29:55 > 0:29:57Always beat the helicopter.

0:29:57 > 0:30:00Haven't long been here myself. Been out for a walk.

0:30:00 > 0:30:05- Hello, sweetheart.- She collapsed in the bushes here coming up this path.

0:30:05 > 0:30:08They managed to get her up. She was lying down there,

0:30:08 > 0:30:11then moved over here. Complained of pins and needles in her hand.

0:30:11 > 0:30:15Christine's simply exhausted after her climb.

0:30:15 > 0:30:19Her blood sugar level has unexpectedly dropped right down.

0:30:19 > 0:30:22We were going to walk from Sandsend to Runswick Bay,

0:30:22 > 0:30:25have a cup of tea and then walk back again.

0:30:25 > 0:30:29But we got two-thirds of the way up those really steep steps

0:30:29 > 0:30:33and suddenly she just sat down

0:30:33 > 0:30:37and complained of feeling sickly.

0:30:37 > 0:30:41And then there was just nothing there, OK?

0:30:41 > 0:30:45She was just a dead weight, so we couldn't do anything.

0:30:45 > 0:30:50Her symptoms may sound minor, but this is potentially serious.

0:30:50 > 0:30:54When the brain is starved of sugar, you get confused

0:30:54 > 0:30:56and your body can shut down.

0:30:56 > 0:30:59That seems to be what's happened to Christine.

0:30:59 > 0:31:02For the patient, this can be terrifying.

0:31:02 > 0:31:05The symptoms mimic those of having a stroke.

0:31:05 > 0:31:11What that'll do is, because of all that exercise, you've probably burnt a lot of your blood sugars...

0:31:11 > 0:31:16The solution is a sugar gel straight into the patient's mouth

0:31:16 > 0:31:18and instantly absorbed into the bloodstream.

0:31:18 > 0:31:21It's not the best tasting, is it?

0:31:21 > 0:31:25And the effect is almost instantaneous.

0:31:25 > 0:31:32'Basically, the GlucoGel is absorbed quite quickly into your mucosa in your gums.'

0:31:32 > 0:31:36- You're doing well.- Days like this, when it's really warm, it does take it out of you.

0:31:36 > 0:31:37Just stand.

0:31:37 > 0:31:41Christine's soon on her feet and on her way to hospital.

0:31:41 > 0:31:45She's missed the sights of the Cleveland Way,

0:31:45 > 0:31:49but a bird's-eye view of one of the UK's most rugged coastlines will make up for it.

0:31:51 > 0:31:55They look beautiful, but these waters are a dangerous playground.

0:31:55 > 0:31:59And a few days later, the Helimed team are back at Sandsend

0:31:59 > 0:32:02for another unlucky holidaymaker.

0:32:02 > 0:32:08The onshore lifeboat's been called out to rescue a canoeist suffering from extreme cold.

0:32:08 > 0:32:12By the time Helimed 99 arrives, he's back on dry land, but in trouble.

0:32:12 > 0:32:17We'll have a look at him and take him to Scarborough. He obviously needs warming up.

0:32:17 > 0:32:20Other than that, we're not sure, really.

0:32:20 > 0:32:25One of Alan Holdsworth's kayaking buddies has got him back to shore,

0:32:25 > 0:32:29- but Alan's exhausted and very cold. - We'll put you some earphones on...

0:32:29 > 0:32:35The arm's a bit cold to take out for a blood pressure, so that's 99%, 100%.

0:32:35 > 0:32:39- We could stay here, it's lovely and warm!- I know!

0:32:39 > 0:32:43Another urgent trip to Scarborough Hospital is required

0:32:43 > 0:32:45and the roads are blocked with holiday traffic.

0:32:45 > 0:32:49By land, it could take over an hour, by helicopter, ten minutes.

0:32:49 > 0:32:51Right, we'll got straight up...

0:32:51 > 0:32:54This chap's on a canoe, he's capsized

0:32:54 > 0:32:57and swallowed quite a bit of water on the way over.

0:32:57 > 0:33:01So, er, all his obs seems fairly stable, apart from being cold.

0:33:01 > 0:33:05We'll take him to Scarborough and hopefully they'll have a Bair Hugger to warm him up a bit.

0:33:05 > 0:33:10The crew can see that the muscles in Alan's hands have started to spasm,

0:33:10 > 0:33:11and that's a bad sign.

0:33:11 > 0:33:14But his shivering helps his body warm itself up,

0:33:14 > 0:33:17generating heat from the inside.

0:33:17 > 0:33:18There you go, that's right.

0:33:18 > 0:33:22The special thermal bag on the helicopter will finish the job

0:33:22 > 0:33:26and bring Alan's body temperature back up.

0:33:26 > 0:33:28It's just like, er...

0:33:28 > 0:33:34Right, OK, so you're wet through from outside in, really.

0:33:34 > 0:33:38After an uncomfortable night in hospital, Alan was able to go home.

0:33:38 > 0:33:41He's got a lot of people to thank - his mates, the lifeboat crew,

0:33:41 > 0:33:45and the Helimed team all helped in his rescue.

0:33:45 > 0:33:48But his wife has told him to sell his canoe.

0:33:48 > 0:33:54We all have to watch our spending these days and the recession has brought a tourism boom to Yorkshire.

0:33:54 > 0:34:02Why spend four hours on a jet when you can find scenery like this in your own back yard?

0:34:02 > 0:34:06And thousands of people are opting for a "staycation" these days.

0:34:06 > 0:34:09The beaches of the east coast are packed.

0:34:09 > 0:34:11But you can't go to the sands every day.

0:34:11 > 0:34:13And on a family farm in the Vale of York,

0:34:13 > 0:34:18one youngster's adventure holiday at home has ended in tears.

0:34:18 > 0:34:22RADIO CHATTER

0:34:22 > 0:34:25Charlie Bramley has fallen 20 feet

0:34:25 > 0:34:28through a barn skylight and landed on a plough.

0:34:30 > 0:34:34With any fall from height, you can have any manner of significant injuries.

0:34:34 > 0:34:40The ones we're concerned about are back injuries and head injuries

0:34:40 > 0:34:44that can be worrying, especially in a child.

0:34:44 > 0:34:48Charlie was trying to get his rugby ball off the barn roof

0:34:48 > 0:34:51when he slipped. His parents are with him.

0:34:51 > 0:34:54With children, it's often difficult for them

0:34:54 > 0:34:56to express what pain they've got,

0:34:56 > 0:35:00whereabouts it is, so it's difficult to assess how badly they're injured.

0:35:00 > 0:35:05Often, parents are really worried, sometimes unduly, but sometimes with good cause.

0:35:05 > 0:35:08Charlie hasn't moved since he fell.

0:35:08 > 0:35:10His neck or back could be broken.

0:35:11 > 0:35:15- All clear. We've just got that machinery at the edge.- Yeah.

0:35:15 > 0:35:18- OK to bail out?- Yeah.

0:35:18 > 0:35:21His parents' farm is near the village of Sherburn-in-Elmet.

0:35:21 > 0:35:26For a chopper at 150mph, it's only 10 minutes from takeoff to landing.

0:35:26 > 0:35:29Right, so this is Charlie?

0:35:29 > 0:35:31Hello, Charlie, buddy.

0:35:31 > 0:35:35It's the ambulance here. You just lay there a second.

0:35:35 > 0:35:38Have we got Mum here? ..Right. So Charlie's fallen through the roof.

0:35:38 > 0:35:42He could have hit this plough, but we're not sure.

0:35:42 > 0:35:46Paramedic Tony has children of his own. He knows exactly

0:35:46 > 0:35:51how to communicate with a young boy who's frightened and in pain.

0:35:51 > 0:35:55Charlie? Hey up, matey? Have you got any pain anywhere?

0:35:55 > 0:35:59- Yes.- Whereabouts, mate? - On my back and on my head.

0:35:59 > 0:36:02On your back and head? Can you remember anything that's happened?

0:36:02 > 0:36:08The height that he's fallen, he's really lucky not to have sustained massive injuries,

0:36:08 > 0:36:12like quite serious head and spinal injuries. It's quite high.

0:36:12 > 0:36:17But initial findings suggest he's been quite lucky, which is good.

0:36:18 > 0:36:21All right, buddy, what are we gonna do?

0:36:25 > 0:36:29Charlie's very brave considering the terrible fright he's had,

0:36:29 > 0:36:32losing his footing and tumbling through a skylight.

0:36:32 > 0:36:36We're gonna put you on a board and pop you in our helicopter.

0:36:36 > 0:36:38Fancy flying in our helicopter?

0:36:38 > 0:36:40CHARLIE CRIES

0:36:40 > 0:36:45Normally, the thought of a flight in a helicopter cheers an injured child up.

0:36:45 > 0:36:48- You're not going on your own. - We're not leaving you.

0:36:48 > 0:36:50CHARLIE CRIES

0:36:50 > 0:36:52But I don't want to!

0:36:52 > 0:36:54You don't like heights?

0:36:54 > 0:36:58You went on an aeroplane last week.

0:36:58 > 0:37:01Fortunately, Mum and Dad are on hand to calm Charlie down

0:37:01 > 0:37:05and prepare him for his flight to hospital.

0:37:05 > 0:37:09- I want to go in the g... - HE CRIES

0:37:09 > 0:37:11DAD: The green car?

0:37:11 > 0:37:15You'll get there a lot quicker in the helicopter, won't you?

0:37:15 > 0:37:21He's come right through the ceiling up there, and we're right next to this huge plough.

0:37:21 > 0:37:24We're not taking any chances. He's quite distressed.

0:37:24 > 0:37:29It's difficult to assess him, so we'll move him as best we can

0:37:29 > 0:37:30without trying to frighten him.

0:37:30 > 0:37:36We've laid him on a board and we'll take him to hospital so they can look at him.

0:37:36 > 0:37:40The soothing words from Mum and Dad have worked and Charlie is now ready

0:37:40 > 0:37:42for his emergency flight.

0:37:42 > 0:37:47His back and neck have been stabilised for the short journey to Pinderfields Hospital.

0:37:49 > 0:37:52There's never much room for passengers in a Helimed chopper,

0:37:52 > 0:37:56but to reassure Charlie, it's important that Dad Mark comes too.

0:37:58 > 0:38:00< Are you OK?

0:38:00 > 0:38:03- < You're OK. - Yeah, I'm OK.

0:38:03 > 0:38:08Charlie spent the night in hospital undergoing tests, scans and X-rays.

0:38:08 > 0:38:11Amazingly, after his rooftop fall, he hadn't broken any bones.

0:38:11 > 0:38:18With just a few bruises, the lucky Charlie was soon home enjoying the rest of his summer holidays.

0:38:18 > 0:38:22I'm pleased to say all our patients are on the road to recovery.

0:38:22 > 0:38:28Now, as any doctor will tell you, it's very difficult to predict how someone will recover,

0:38:28 > 0:38:33especially in the first few minutes, following a critical illness or serious injury.

0:38:33 > 0:38:35But sometimes, there's a surprise.

0:38:35 > 0:38:37Do you mind just witnessing this?

0:38:37 > 0:38:43A cliff edge on the east coast near Withernsea has been the scene of Helimed 98's latest rescue.

0:38:43 > 0:38:47Louise Baker is a nurse who specialises in brain injuries,

0:38:47 > 0:38:49but today she's the patient.

0:38:49 > 0:38:51After falling off her horse,

0:38:51 > 0:38:54Louise has sustained a serious head injury,

0:38:54 > 0:39:00which has triggered a complete change of personality. She's had to be sedated to calm her down.

0:39:00 > 0:39:03Hurting! You're hurting! Hurting!

0:39:03 > 0:39:06We're not there to hurt you, we're here to help, OK?

0:39:06 > 0:39:12As well as her head injury, paramedic Sammy Wills also thinks Louise has broken her neck.

0:39:12 > 0:39:18The team are going to fly Louise to the Hull Royal Infirmary, the hospital where she works,

0:39:18 > 0:39:24and where news has started to filter through that one of their colleagues has been seriously injured.

0:39:24 > 0:39:27That's it, Louise. We'll get you nice and warm now.

0:39:27 > 0:39:31Withernsea to Hull is a journey Louise does regularly to get to work.

0:39:31 > 0:39:35It takes 45 minutes by road, but less than 10 by air.

0:39:35 > 0:39:39Louise had come off her horse and had a massive head injury

0:39:39 > 0:39:42and we believe that's why her personality changed so much.

0:39:42 > 0:39:46But we couldn't confirm it until she was in hospital and had the CT scan.

0:39:46 > 0:39:51In Hull, the doctors and nurses face a situation every medic dreads -

0:39:51 > 0:39:54treating a friend and colleague.

0:39:54 > 0:39:58And Louise's injuries are far more serious than anyone imagined.

0:39:58 > 0:40:02She's immediately anaesthetised and admitted to Intensive Care.

0:40:02 > 0:40:05It's one of the worst nightmares for any doctor to have

0:40:05 > 0:40:08family, friends or colleagues come in as patients,

0:40:08 > 0:40:10especially in a critical state.

0:40:10 > 0:40:13I was shocked to hear that Louise was down in A&E.

0:40:13 > 0:40:16It's also discovered Louise has fractured her neck.

0:40:16 > 0:40:18And that can cause paralysis.

0:40:21 > 0:40:27But after four days in Intensive Care, Louise wakes up, and just a few weeks later, she's back home.

0:40:27 > 0:40:34My last memory is actually of sitting on the cliff top looking at the sea cos the tide was going out.

0:40:34 > 0:40:38I don't remember anything after that at all.

0:40:38 > 0:40:43But they've told me that I was completely uncooperative at the time.

0:40:43 > 0:40:48and didn't believe anybody was trying to help me.

0:40:48 > 0:40:52My friends at the stables have been ribbing me ever since.

0:40:53 > 0:40:57Louise has to wear a collar for the next few weeks while her neck heals,

0:40:57 > 0:41:01but that hasn't stopped her getting back to the stables,

0:41:01 > 0:41:04and there's one other place Louise is desperate to visit.

0:41:04 > 0:41:08Most patients are glad to see the back of hospital

0:41:08 > 0:41:11after spending a few weeks laid up in bed.

0:41:11 > 0:41:14But Louise has worked at Hull Royal for over ten years

0:41:14 > 0:41:18and she's missed out on a lot of the nurses' gossip.

0:41:18 > 0:41:21You can start changing the collar from now on then!

0:41:21 > 0:41:24'I went to see her the following day, and obviously,'

0:41:24 > 0:41:31this huge personality to be... ventilated and so, so poorly,

0:41:31 > 0:41:36it's strange to see when somebody who you've worked with for such a long time,

0:41:36 > 0:41:40who's looked after these really compromised patients,

0:41:40 > 0:41:44to suddenly become one herself was just devastating to see, really.

0:41:44 > 0:41:49News of Louise's swift recovery comes as a great relief to one of her rescuers.

0:41:49 > 0:41:51Stop it!

0:41:51 > 0:41:57And Sammy admits this was one of the most challenging jobs she's ever faced.

0:41:57 > 0:42:00I believe she's making a very good recovery.

0:42:00 > 0:42:06I've not met her, but reports are that she's even met up with her colleagues on the neuro ward too.

0:42:06 > 0:42:09I can't imagine how embarrassing that would be.

0:42:10 > 0:42:12When Helicopter Heroes comes back...

0:42:12 > 0:42:17A teenage boy fights for his life after a road accident.

0:42:17 > 0:42:19He's sustained a very serious injury to his head.

0:42:19 > 0:42:22Only the Helimed team can save him.

0:42:23 > 0:42:28Paramedic Darren's in a tight spot as he joins an injured driver trapped in his car.

0:42:28 > 0:42:30Just gonna turn your car into a convertible.

0:42:31 > 0:42:37A boy's badly hurt after a playground accident watched by his mum.

0:42:37 > 0:42:39He was unconscious when I got to him.

0:42:39 > 0:42:43And a daredevil day-tripper needs hospital treatment

0:42:43 > 0:42:45after a mishap captured on video.

0:42:54 > 0:42:57Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

0:42:57 > 0:43:00E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk