I thought my number was up but bingo caller saved my life
When granny Maureen Gleghorn, 80, collapsed at the bingo hall, trained first aider Katie Jones, 25, used CPR to keep her alive until help came. Now firm friends, they are urging everyone to learn the skills that could make all the difference
Katie’s story
I WILL never get the date out of my head – I can remember it like it was yesterday.
I was working as a caller at Mecca Bingo in Stevenage, Herts, when there was an announcement for a first aider to come to the main hall. I’d taken a British Red Cross course a year earlier and was a named first aider at work.
I knew it must be serious for the announcement to interrupt the bingo so I ran from the front desk.
As I went up the aisle, I could see Maureen lying on the floor.
My colleague Leanne was already there. She checked for a pulse as I checked Maureen’s breathing. It was irregular – we’d been taught on our course to treat that as if a person isn’t breathing.
We looked at each other, realising how serious it was and knew we had to start CPR.
I began cycles of 30 chest compressions and breaths while Leanne stayed on the phone to the emergency services. Then she took over compressions.
At one point, they told me to stop doing breaths and do 600 compressions without stopping as they were most important.
All the time I didn’t know if she was going to survive.
We were warned on the first aid course that we would break ribs and I could feel that happening – I felt awful to be hurting her but she would have died otherwise.
The paramedics arrived and used a defibrillator, giving Maureen two shocks. They managed to get a pulse and Maureen was taken to hospital after about an hour and a half.
Before they left, they said: “We just want to thank you for what you’ve done, you’ve potentially saved someone’s life.”
It wasn’t until I got home that night that the emotions came rushing out. Although I didn’t know Maureen personally at that point it was still very hard.
Thankfully, Maureen made a full recovery and when she was out of hospital we met up.
Leanne and I took her some flowers and she told me that no bingo win could repay us for our actions that day. I’ve left Stevenage and Mecca Bingo now and work as a civil servant. Maureen and I exchange Christmas cards and at that time of the year I think about her sitting with her family – it’s priceless to think you’ve managed to give someone more time with their loved ones.
Earlier this year, I got a tattoo on my shoulder to remind me of how precious life really is and of the importance of first aid knowledge. I got a steam punk heart as it’s mechanical, to represent the fact that Maureen’s heart has since been rebuilt but is still in perfect working order.
It bears the day, date and time that it happened.
It’s so important that everyone knows first aid – you never know when you might need to put those skills to use.
Maureen’s story
WHAT happened to me came completely out of the blue. I was a Monday regular at the bingo and I remember my husband George dropping me off in town.
I went into the bingo, got my books and had a chat to a friend on another table, returning to my table for the start. That was it. I
remember nothing else from that day until I woke up in hospital two days later. I had been in an induced coma for two days. I was told I had had a cardiac arrest Surgeons suspected a heart valve had clamped shut and not opened as it should. I needed three stents. I spent five weeks in Lister Hospital in Stevenage and went to Royal Brompton Hospital in London, where I had a defibrillator inserted in case it happens again. But I was told to go and live a normal life and I’ve been great.
I play bowls and still go to the bingo. But what happened is still there in the back of my mind.
I often think: “Thank God I’m still here for another Christmas or birthday to see my grandchildren growing up.” I very nearly didn’t make it – I was so lucky Katie and Leanne were there. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be here today. It’s frightening to think about but you’ve just got to be grateful that each day comes.
I couldn’t put it into words how grateful I am to them or how much they mean to me.
Everyone at the hospital was fantastic too, I want to say a huge thank to you to them.
It was lovely to meet up with Katie again. When I saw her tattoo I thought it was such a lovely thing to do.
It makes me emotional to think about it.
For World First Aid Day the British Red Cross wants the nation to be ready. Five minutes of your time is enough to learn five simple skills to save a life. Find out more at redcross.org.uk/firstaid.