Binmen to the rescue!
These amazing guys saved my husband’s life while doing their round
It was an ordinary morning in June 2015.
I was in the sitting room eating my breakfast while my hubby John, 79, had gone out to the garage.
Then, at around 8am, I heard our doorbell.
Strange, I thought. Who’s calling at this time?
I opened the front door to see Robbie Hurton, our binman, with a very concerned look on his face.
‘Mrs Allan, you’d better come quickly,’ he said seriously.
He took me round to the garage to find John laying on the floor, with Robbie’s colleagues John Hogg and James Winter standing over him. He’d collapsed! Robbie said that while on their way up the road, he’d waved to John, then looked away for a second – but when he turned back, John had fallen to the floor.
The three of them had come running over.
James, who’d had first-aid training, got John into the recovery position, while his colleague dialled 999.
Determined to stay calm, I knelt down beside John and gripped his hand tightly.
‘I’m with you, everything’s going to be OK,’ I soothed.
But John couldn’t speak or move, and his face was drooping on one side. It’s got to be a stroke, I thought to myself, worried.
Minutes later, the ambulance came speeding around the corner, and paramedics went straight to work on John.
‘He’s had a stroke, we need to get him stable,’ the paramedic said as I looked on in horror.
John was then blue-lighted to University Hospital of North Durham, while my neighbour Joan drove me to meet him there.
My friend Una and her husband Ken also came to meet me at the hospital. Soon, a doctor updated me. ‘Your husband is critical,’ he explained. ‘But there is something we can try.’
I was told that the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle were running clinical trials for stroke sufferers, which involved an operation to remove the blood clot that had caused it.
This could only be performed within the first two hours after the stroke had occurred – but, luckily, we still had time.
‘Do whatever it takes to save him,’ I told the doctor.
‘Talk to him, Mrs Allan, he can hear you,’ the paramedics told me, as we were rushed to Newcastle.
I did my best to reassure my poorly hubby, while also trying to reassure myself.
When we arrived at the RVI, staff were waiting by the entrance, ready to take John straight to theatre.
Robbie and the binmen even called a little later to see how John was doing.
So sweet.
After a few hours, a nurse told me that John was out of theatre and was awake and waiting to see me in the High-dependency ward. As I walked through the door, I was totally shocked at what I saw... There was my John, sitting up
I knelt beside John but he couldn’t speak...
in his hospital bed! I couldn’t believe it. ‘Are you all right?’ he asked, looking concerned.
‘Me?’ I exclaimed. ‘You’re the one who’s just had a stroke!’
He was a bit drowsy, but he was awake and speaking.
The doctor told us that the procedure had been successful, and that all John really needed now was some physiotherapy.
After being transferred back to Dryburn Hospital for a week, John was soon walking again and ready to come home.
I was astounded by his recovery.
‘Who knows what might’ve happened if the binmen hadn’t found you?’ I said to John. ‘I was certainly very lucky,’ he agreed. He’s not as steady on his legs anymore, and walks with a stick, but he’s doing great now – always in good spirits.
Other than that, his stroke has had no lasting effect on him.
Robbie and the others were overjoyed to see John when they came for the next rubbish collection.
John thanked them all for saving his life, and for being so kind to me, too.
Without their help, he probably wouldn’t be here today.
By saving John, they saved me, too.
I’m eternally grateful to our binmen.
Not just because they take my rubbish away – but because they gave me my husband back.
John was worried about ME!
Without their help, he probably wouldn’t be here today