On 29 February this year, at 31 weeks pregnant with a low-lying placenta, Colleen Hodge from Newcastle was at home with her 18-month-old Jax when she started bleeding and called 999 to ask North East Ambulance Service for help.
With her husband Marc seven hours away on a course with the army, she was petrified she was going to lose their baby and scared of frightening her little boy by showing her fear.
Twenty-three-year-old Kayci-Mae Robinson from Northumberland was the health advisor from North East Ambulance Service at the other end of the line who helped keep Colleen calm during the call, during which an emergency ambulance, staffed by paramedic Simon Rogers, clinical care assistant Emily Younger and a student, was travelling to her address.
The family has now been reunited with the health advisor and emergency ambulance crew who came to their aid.
A health advisor for 2 years now, Kayci remembers the call, “As soon this call connected it was clear to me that this was a very urgent situation, with an obstetric emergency. I gathered all the information on Colleen’s condition so that I could get her the right help and the right advice as fast as possible, whilst trying to be reassuring - Coleen was understandably frightened.
“Maternity calls are either one of the most exciting or most terrifying calls to get, but either way if you realise that baby is on the way or if mam or baby are in distress, you must act very quickly.
“I focused on getting Colleen to control her breathing and stay calm, talking about her toddler who was with her at the time and reassuring her a crew were coming as fast as they could, all while asking the questions we needed, to monitor her condition until the ambulance crew arrived at the door to give her life saving care.”
Colleen recalls the conversation, “At 31 weeks my waters went so I rang 999 feeling very scared that I was going to lose my baby. Kayci at the other end of the line helped me to keep calm, told me what to do and kept me updated on how far away the crew were – she stayed on the phone until they arrived.”
Once passed the job for a maternity case with heavy blood loss, paramedic Simon from Whickham and clinical care assistant Emily diverted from heading back to base for a meal break to attend the address.
Simon, who qualified as a paramedic in 2021 and joined NEAS, said, “I was filled with trepidation when this job came through as I knew it may concern a small baby. On arrival we were met with an emotional scene. Colleen was leaning against the bottom of the stairs with 18month old Jax and there was a lot of blood. She was struggling to remain conscious and reassure her child Jax that everything will be okay.
“We quickly assessed the blood loss, contacted phoned maternity to let them know we were coming and gave student Lauren the responsibility to look after Jax and keep him engaged so that Emily and I could deal with his mum. We knew we needed to be at the hospital tout suite!
“Once at hospital we made sure Mum was OK and got to work to find some fresh clothes for Jax and somewhere he could go to be taken care of.
Clinical care assistant Emily, from Prudhoe, who began her career as a health advisor eight years ago, joined her colleagues working on the road almost a year ago.
She added, “Walking into Colleen’s house was quite shocking, she was on the floor covered in blood, visibly upset talking to the health advisor. I remember was her son sat with her trying to give her a blankie to make it better. Jax was such a good boy, he never cried or got upset and he even helped me buckle him into the child seat on the ambulance.
“It was a very determined drive to the hospital on blue lights and after we had handed over to the hospital staff, we were exhausted, a little emotional, and I don't think we really expected everything to be okay. To hear later that mum and baby were doing well, was a massive relief.”
Colleen concluded, “The crew came in house to see to me but at same time keeping Jax calm and entertained and reassuring him that I was okay. At hospital they looked after Jax until a midwife could take care of him whilst I got rushed to theatre.
“Louie-Marc was born at 16:01 weighing 4lb 11oz at 31 weeks 2 days and was rushed straight up to NICU were he stayed for 7 half weeks. I got discharged on Sunday 3rd March. We are all doing great at home, but Marc and I want to meet everyone again because they were excellent with Jax, and we wanted to thank them personally for helping to save our lives. They each deserve a medal and we couldn’t have done it without them. There are not enough thank yous in the world for what they did for our family.”
Louie-Marc joins the family with older brother Jax, as well as Lucas, Darcy-Mae and Tyler.
Simon continues, “As people we don't tend to remember what someone said, but rather how someone made us feel. Colleen felt grateful we could help and that appreciation, along with that of others, is what keeps me grounded, knowing what I'm doing and why.
“I became a paramedic to make people's lives better. Just to know when I get home that I made a difference is all I need. Working as part of the NHS is something I feel internally proud about – and I know my parents would also be proud if they were still here to see where I ended up.”
Kayci ended, “I joined NEAS because I wanted the opportunity to do something different from everything I'd done before and to be able to help people while doing it. I love that I get to help people. Sometimes, on the worst day of a patient’s life, to keep them calm and get them the care that they need is such a fulfilling and rewarding experience.
“It is so amazing to be able to reunite with the family. It's incredibly rare to get the chance to see the people we've assisted, especially as a health advisor. This is my first patient reunion, and I am so honoured I got to take part in a small part of this family's story. It's the hope from these amazing outcomes that make us carry on doing what we do.”
