Almost a year after Nathan Rudd nearly lost his life while on the job, the Medowie truck driver has had a chance to thank his life savers.
Last month he and his partner Julie made a 185-kilometre trek to Sydney to meet the four paramedics who kept him alive after he went into cardiac arrest while loading a truck in Leichhardt.
Anne Lennard, Momoko Kobayashi, Max O’Brien and Blake Van Breugel were the NSW Ambulance Haberfield Superstation team, which responded to the call that day almost 10 months ago.
And, while he can’t recall much about the incident, Nathan knows he is lucky to be around to thank those responsible.
“I don’t remember much of the day,” he said.
“I just remember waking up in hospital after eight days in a coma.”
Nathan and Julie presented the team with cake and cards as gratitude for their dedication to keeping him alive, after he went into cardiac arrest for almost 25 minutes.
“I just want to say, ‘thanks for bringing me back’. It is good to be able to thank everybody who did save my life,” he said.
“I’ve come back for another birthday and, hopefully, I can stick around for a little longer.”
The paramedics had kept Nathan alive using a LUCAS mechanical CPR device.
It’s an automated chest compression apparatus that helps lifesaving teams offer chest compressions to sudden cardiac arrest patients.
The paramedic team say Nathan was in a bad way when they arrived on-scene.
Intensive care paramedic Max O’Brien said a number of factors helped to ensure his survival.
This included initial CPR from firefighters who happened to be driving past at the time Nathan went into cardiac arrest, the quick actions of bystanders to call Triple Zero (000), and paramedics arriving in a timely manner.
Max said it was a great experience to reunite with a patient, particularly given it was not often the opportunity arose to do that.
“It’s really humbling,” he said.
“We all do this full-time and we’ve been doing it for a number of years between us.
“For me it’s the first time (to reunite with a patient).
“So it’s really satisfying and fulfilling for me, knowing we can play some small part in someone’s journey and make a difference.”
Anne was also thankful to have the opportunity to meet Nathan 10 months on from when she last saw him.
“Meeting Nathan and Julie was a humbling experience, and as the first out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survivor I have had the pleasure of meeting, it was incredibly special,” she said.
During his meet-and-greet with the paramedics, Nathan got a brief tour of the Haberfield Superstation.
He was also shown the LUCAS mechanical CPR device, which helped save his life.
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