Deborah’s story

“We wouldn’t be here without LIVES”:

Over 18 years ago, Deborah Ross was heavily pregnant with her first child, when she suddenly had a seizure and collapsed. The emergency services were contacted and not long after the call was made, a LIVES Doctor arrived at Deborah’s house. According to Deborah, it’s thanks to that Doctor, she and her son are here to tell the tale today.

It was an otherwise ordinary day that Deborah will never forget.

She was 38 weeks pregnant with her first child at the time and was at home with her mum. They’d spent the day decorating and Deborah had just driven to the shop to get them some lunch. After returning home, she started feeling faint.

“My mum told me I walked through the door and said, “oh mum” just as I dropped to the floor and started fitting.” Deborah tells us.

Deborah’s mum ran outside to ask a neighbour for help and a 999 call was made.

There when her life depended on it.

The fit lasted about 10 minutes. Deborah had stopped breathing and turned blue. Her mum managed to turn her onto her side and she started breathing again. When Deborah regained consciousness, LIVES Doctor, Dr Simon Topham, was there.

Dr Topham was able to identify that Deborah was having an eclamptic seizure, related to undiagnosed pre-eclampsia that had developed in Deborah’s pregnancy. Other than her blood pressure being a little high, she had no other worrying symptoms or reason for concern.

He was able to make interventions to save, not only Deborah’s life, but that of her unborn baby.

There until we knew she was in safe hands.

“Dr Topham was amazing looking after me and my baby.” says Deborah. “He followed the ambulance all the way to Lincoln hospital and didn’t leave me until I was handed over to my consultant.”

As Deborah’s son, Lewis, turned 18, she wanted to share her story of how LIVES made a difference to her and her family.

“I can’t thank Dr Topham enough.” she says. “We wouldn’t be here today without him.”

LIVES has an army of volunteer Emergency First Responders and Medic Responders, like Dr Topham, who give up their time to be there for people in a 999 medical emergency across Lincolnshire. LIVES is lucky enough to still have Dr Topham as Medical Director and Critical Care Doctor today.

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Find out more about our Emergency First Responder training courses by emailing training@lives.org.uk.