โOn Thursday 28 April 2022, I arrived at work as normal. I was a shepherd at the time, working in Surrey on a mixed farm with land across a large part of the county. My plan was to have a coffee, feed the cows and check the sheep before my weekly drive round Surrey delivering hay and straw to horse owners.โฏ
I planned to load the big bales of hay onto a trailer. My bossโs son, Will, was then going to help me load the smaller bales on.
I got the trailer into position, detached the tractor from it and made a start. I was about six or seven feet away when I felt an almighty slap on my shoulders, neck and back.
As my body was pushed forwards, I instantly realised what was going on โ I was being squashed by the stack of bales!โฏAs I tried to scramble out from underneath, there was another slap across my whole body. Suddenly, I was stuck facing the roof of the barn, trapped from the waist down. I couldnโt get my bottom onto the floor, and I was starting to panic. There was nobody else around, and in the position I was in, I couldnโt shift a bale weighing around 400kg.โฏ
My main concern was my left ankle. I tried to phone for help, but my phone was stuck.
Unable to call anyone, panic set in, and I started screaming for helpโฏlike I never had before. I managed to get the attention of a dog walker passing by, but there was a barbed wire fence between us. He ran around the long way and alerted someone who lives near the barns called Dylan.โฏ
The reality of it all was now kicking in, and my hands were very tired of holding me up. My legs were going to sleep from being stuck underneath the hay, too.โฏโฏ
Will then appeared, and together we managed to push off the bale that was on my lap. I was relieved I could finally move my right leg but, worryingly, nothing happened when I tried moving my left one.
We knew we needed to call an ambulance. We had trouble with the signal, being in a valley, but managed to get through and Dylan and I spoke to the call handler.
Fear, anxiety and disappointment were growing minute by minute.โฏI knew something was wrong with my leg but tried to ignore the intrusive thoughts of how bad this actually was.
The unmistakable sound of a helicopter started filling the valley, growing louder and louder. I told everyone within yelling distance that if it was for me it wasnโt needed. โThere are people out there who need them more than meโ, I thought.
I donโt do hospitals, fuss or being looked after, but the level of relief and comfort I felt when the KSS crew arrived was overwhelming.โฏI was introduced to Malcolm, my Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) Doctor and Caroline, my HEMS Paramedic.
I donโt really remember much from this point onwards, due to drugs, shock and a sense of relief. Itโs also very blurred with periods of nothingness.
I remember waking up in the helicopter three or four times and holding Carolineโs hand as tightly as I thought sheโd allow me.
Another period of nothingness, and then, through the blurriness of people in hospital scrubs running around, I saw a red flight suit.โฏ
Caroline had come to say goodbye; to let me know their work was done, and it was over to the St Georgeโs Hospital Major Trauma Team. She said the KSS crew wished me a speedy recovery. I thanked her as best as I could and we parted ways.โฏ
That moment has stayed with me throughout my recovery. Itโs truly touched me emotionally, and I canโt thank Caroline enough for coming back and saying goodbye.
It felt like that chapter of the accident was over and now it was on to the next one of getting fixed and recovering.โฏMy left femur was stuck out the back of my pelvis and it had taken 20% of my hip socket with it. Iโd fractured or broken all but two ribs on my left-hand side and to top it all, Iโd broken my ankle.
I spent six days in St Georgeโs and was then allowed to go home because my anxiety wouldnโt settle in hospital. A decision was made to allow me home, provided my family knew the risks. I canโt thank my wife, Sophie, my parents, and my in-laws enough for everything theyโve done for me throughout my recovery.
A few months later, I asked to meet the crew whoโd saved my life. Sarita and Stu from KSSโs Patient and Family Aftercare Team helped to make that possible. During my accident, Malcolm couldnโt have been more assertive and reassuringly confident, Caroline was so personable and comforting, and the pilotโs ability to operate the aircraft is phenomenal.
It was amazing to be looked after by industry-leading doctors, paramedics and pilots, but you โhopefullyโ only need them once. The open access Iโve received to the Aftercare Team and the comfort of knowing youโve got two people there for you when your world has turned upside down is very reassuring.โฏIโm now really proud to be working alongside them to help educate others about the dangers that farmers face.โ
KSS HEMS Paramedic Caroline Rose: โThe call was to a remote farm location in the bottom of a valley in Surrey. Due to the poor phone signal, the initial location of the 999 call was plotted some distance from the incident.โฏIt was difficult to locate from the air, but whilst orbiting above, we spotted someone flagging us down in a field. The aircraft was able to land in the field just outside of the barn and we were the first to arrive on scene.โฏ
Chris was leaning up against a hay bale, supporting his weight on his arms. The bale had been removed from his legs. He was calm and able to tell us what had happened, but it was clear he was in an immense amount of pain and unable to sit on the floor.โฏ
Our immediate priority was to administer some strong analgesia. In order to extricate Chris from the barn, we needed to lay him flat on a scoop.โฏ Due to the nature of his injuries, this would have been extremely painful.โฏThe analgesia alone was not enough and we administered further sedation in order to be able to achieve this.โฏโฏ
It was apparent that Chris had suffered severe pelvic injuries that could be life-threatening. Chris was at risk of internal bleeding and subsequent shock.โฏWe applied a pelvic binder to help stabilise his pelvis, along with medication that would further counteract the risk of bleeding. We also applied a splint to his fractured ankle.โฏThese interventions allowed us to move Chris safely from the barn.โฏ
Along with the pilots, we carried Chris to the aircraft where we endeavoured to keep him warm and comfortable for the short flight to St Georgeโs Major Trauma Centre in London.”โฏ
Chris and his wife Sophie first got to know the KSS Patient and Family Aftercare Team in July 2022.โฏ
Sophie recalls: โI had no idea that on that day, KSS would again change our lives for the better, this time by saving Chris from the mental trauma he was going through after his accident. Mental health amongst farmers is notoriously bad, farming is isolating and itโs more than a job, itโs a way of life.โฏ
โStu and Sarita were able to fill in the gaps Chris had in his memory; they were able to answer our questions about what happened and why. Most importantly, they explained to Chris why he needed their help that day.โฏ
โI walked out of the KSS base at Redhill that day with part of my husband I thought I was never going to get back. Stu and Sarita โ thank you for saving Chris again that day!โ
You can support KSS today by playing our New Year Community Raffle:
