"Cardiac Arrest"

6 days ago my husband suffered what I now know was a cardiac arrest whilst we were visiting his son who is a nurse. His son commenced CPR whilst I telephoned 999.

The operator kept me calm whilst shouting out the timings for the chest compressions and although we lost him for a time within 6 minutes 2 paramedics arrived with a defibrillator. Shortly after the arrival of a second ambulance crew the defibrillator restarted his heart on the 6th attempt.

ECGs were sent electronically to the main Cardiology Unit in Edinburgh which allowed them to make quick decisions on where my husband should be taken. Within an hour we were with him in Resus at Forth Valley Royal Hospital, where he was awake and able to converse with us. He was admitted to ICU where two days later he suffered another 4 cardiac arrests. Within an hour he was taken into surgery where the most amazing surgeon implanted a CRT-D into his chest.

Less than 5 days after these events he is out of ICU and has been transferred to the Cardiology ward where he is no longer hooked up to any monitors and hopes to be discharged soon with a care package for his Heart Failure.

From the initial 999 call right through to the care he is still receiving today he has been looked after by the most professional, compassionate, caring and calm NHS staff I have ever had the privilege to meet. Every one of them played a part in saving my husbands life in a true team effort and for that we are truly grateful. It is also a great advert for learning how to do CPR, it works!