PHONE CALL BY DOC WAS A LIFESAVER
An hour later and limb could have been amputated
A Strath joiner has praised NHS staff for saving his arm – and potentially his life – following complications sparked by an accident.
Comrie’s Craig Gillies initially thought he’d simply broken his wrist after a fall at work and returned home in a cast after being checked over by his GP and at Perth Royal Infirmary ahead of further treatment at Ninewells Hospital.
But a call from a surgeon on the way revealed he had also developed compartment syndrome, a potentially lifethreatening condition where excessive pressure builds up, impeding blood flow.
Craig ( 36) said: “I am extremely grateful to the surgeon who phoned me, as he literally saved my life, and also the staff at Ward 9 in Ninewells.
“The doctor told me I was extremely lucky to have been at hospital at the time as an hour later and he would have had to take my arm.
“I’ve always tried to stay out of the way of the NHS as I don’t want to bother them as they have bigger fish to fry, but they came up trumps for me and I can’t thank them enough.”
A Strath joiner has praised NHS staff for saving his arm and potentially his life following an accident at work.
Comrie’s Craig Gillies (36) had a nasty fall and landed badly on his wrist.
He managed to drive himself to his nearby GP, who sent him to Perth Royal Infirmary.
Originally thinking it was a simple break, Craig was happy to be able to leave PRI after having his wrist X-rayed and put in a cast.
He was due to go to Ninewells the next day so the bone could be set properly but, as fiancée Claire Merralls was driving him home through Crieff, the phone rang.
It was a surgeon, who had reviewed his X-ray and told Craig to get to the Dundee hospital as soon as possible.
Craig said: “Thank God we have our NHS. The surgeon phoned to say that he would prefer I was admitted that night instead of going in on Tuesday in case something happened through the night as I would be an hour away from medical treatment.
“I’m so glad he told me to go in as by 10pm I was writhing about in agony in excruciating pain.”
C ra i g ha d d e v e l o p e d compartment syndrome, a potentially life- threatening condition where excessive pressure builds up, impeding blood flow.
He continued: “This is this worst pain you are ever going to feel apparently, and I could believe it as three doses of morphine didn’t even look at it, and I needed an emergency operation.
“The doctor told me I was extremely lucky to have been at hospital at the time as an hour later and he would have had to take my arm.”
Craig faced a second operation on the Thursday morning to make sure that they had removed all the dead tissue and to set the bone, and he was eventually allowed home on the Friday.
Craig is also a retained firefighter, based at Comrie Fire Station, but will be out of action for a few months and will have to endure two further operations to rebuild his shattered wrist.
He continued: “I am extremely grateful to Pete – I don’t know his last name – the surgeon who phoned me, as he literally saved my life. And also the staff at Ward 9 in Ninewells.
“I’ve always tried to stay out of the way of the NHS as I don’t want to bother them as they have bigger fish to fry, but they came up trumps for me and I can’t thank them enough.
“I’d also like to thank family and friends for the kind messages and offering future support.
“But my fiancée of two weeks, Claire, was my rock and I can’t thank her enough for being by my side through this.
“Like she said, in sickness and in health.”
NHS came up trumps for me and I can’t thank them enough