Dad thanks paramedics
A DAD who suffered a heart attack has thanked the paramedics who saved his life.
Kevin Perry said the speed of the ambulance crew was “incredible”.
A DAD-OF-FOUR who had a heart attack during a family barbecue has thanked the paramedics who saved his life.
Kevin Perry was at home in Caerau, near Maesteg, when he suddenly started experiencing an ache in his left arm, as well as vomiting and loss of consciousness.
Despite his symptoms, the 59-year-old was unaware of what was happening at first.
Kevin, who works at HM Prison Cardiff as an operational support grade officer, said: “I had an ache and went to be sick so I sat down and couldn’t understand what was going on.
“I was sweating very badly but feeling cold at the same time. By this time my wife Paula had come down and found me slumped over the table.”
When Paula rang the 111 health advice service, call handler Michaela Corbett realised the severity of his condition and transferred the call to the Welsh Ambulance Service after taking advice from nurse advisor Rebecca James.
Paramedics Joanna Bevan and Richard John were quickly at Kevin’s house in an emergency ambulance.
“By now the ache had come up to my shoulders and was going across my chest and back,” Kevin said.
“Richard and Jo came in and looked at me. They were acting so professionally and they knew exactly what they were doing. They put the monitors on me and said: ‘Kevin, you’re having a heart attack.’ Strangely I felt very calm.
“I was so calm and blasé about it and it was because the two paramedics were so calm over everything, even getting me into the ambulance.”
The pair treated Kevin and took him to the Cardiac Catheterisation Centre at Morriston Hospital in Swansea, where he underwent an operation to have a stent fitted to unblock the blood vessel which caused his heart attack. After three days in hospital, he is now on the road to recovery – and has even been walking in Snowdonia.
Kevin and Paula, who have five grandchildren, recently paid a visit to Port Talbot Ambulance Station to thank Joanna and Richard for saving his life.
Kevin said: “Apparently it was quite a large heart attack, but the speed of the paramedics getting there and dealing with me was incredible. If it had been longer then I might not be here.”
Richard, who has been with the ambulance service for 17 years, said: “It was really humbling to meet Kevin and his wife to be honest with you.
“Jo and I have worked together for quite some time and they said that was evident in our calmness and approach to the situation.
“They said the doctors told them that the promptness of our response saved Kevin’s life.
“You don’t realise it at the time. It’s not until that thank-you came and we actually met them that it hit home.”
Richard Lee, the Welsh Ambulance Trust’s director of operations, said: “We’re really pleased that Kevin will be able to share many more happy memories with his family thanks to the skills of our staff in recognising and diagnosing Kevin’s heart attack.”