Mum in critical condition after collapsing at work
A mother is critically ill in hospital after a headache at work turned out to be a brain haemorrhage.
Amie Hodgson, from Chatham, had dropped her children off to school and started work at Brachers law firm in London Road, Maidstone, when she started complaining of a headache.
A short while later she collapsed to the floor.
The mum-of-three’s colleagues put her in the recovery position and called for an ambulance.
After being taken to Maidstone Hospital and then bluelighted straight to King’s College Hospital in London, Amie underwent a seven-hour operation and was placed in an induced coma in the critical care unit to aid her recovery. Amie’s brother-in-law John said the medical emergency came completely out of the blue on Monday, March 4.
John said Amie’s colleagues at Brachers saved her life. “Laura Golding kept her alive through the whole thing,” he said. “She put her in the recovery position and went with her in the ambulance.
“If it were not for her Amie would not be in the situation she is in now.”
The family has now been left to pick up the pieces as Amie fights for her life.
Husband Danny has had to stop work as a self-employed plumber to juggle being by his wife’s side while also caring for his three children.
The 39-year-old has had to cancel work and postponed his daughter’s 16th birthday party on Sunday.
John said the family have been doing their best to offer support to the couple’s three children Layla, 15, Donnie, 13 and six-year-old Albert. “Amie’s mum hasn’t left the hospital since it happened,” he said. “My mum has moved in to Danny and Amie’s house and is trying to keep things as normal as possible. Danny is just running between the kids and Amie and it’s tearing him in two. He is trying to be everywhere at once.”
John said the children are struggling in their own ways. “Layla is Amie’s sidekick and best mate. She is very upset and finds it very hard to be at the hospital. She is trying to take on mum duties at the moment and help out. She’s becoming an adult a bit too early. “Donnie is a typical boy he is burying his head in the sand a bit and closing himself off. He is finding it hard to comprehend what has happened to their family.
“Albert is always glued to Amie’s hip. She did everything for him and he would do anything for her.
“He is full of questions at the moment, especially about the machinery around his mum. “He is missing her and having to get used to his nan or grandad taking him to football at the weekend when it should be mummy. We are trying to keep things normal while there is chaos in the background.
‘We’re trying to keep things normal while there’s chaos in the background’
“But the family is upside down at the moment. Amie kept everything together.” John said Danny is finding it tough not earning any money during the cost-of-living crisis so he has set up a gofundme to help in any way he can. To donate online, visit tinyurl.com/amiehodgson At the time of writing, more than £17,400 had been raised. He said it will also go towards paying to keep the roof over their heads and pay the bills while Danny is unable to work.
As of Tuesday, John said Amie was showing signs of progress and was squeezing hands on command and had opened her eyes a few times but was still heavily sedated.