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Shelley had started to feel unwell at work the day before, even taking a COVID-19 test to see if that would explain her headache and general feeling of awfulness. But the next morning, she woke with a terrible headache and trouble with her vision. As Shelley explains, “I tried to sleep it off, thinking it was something to do with work stress and the fact I’d been busy, busy lately!”

But at 11.30am, she was still feeling off, so she texted mum Lorraine to say she was at home. As she rolled over in bed, Shelley lost her eyesight entirely.

Thankfully, she had a landline next to her bed and she managed to call 111.

Although Shelley can’t remember much about what happened, she knows she was able to explain what she was experiencing and give the call taker her address. She also asked them “to contact mum, which they did. As well as that, the call taker stayed on the line until the ambulance arrived. I didn’t really know where I was – I thought I was at home, sat on a rug.”

The ambulance’s arrival

As the call taker remained on the phone with Shelley, mum Lorraine arrived - around the same time as the ambulance, with Wellington Free paramedics Karl and Emma. As well as settling Shelley on the couch, Karl explained exactly what he was doing so that Shelley, who still had complete vision loss, knew what was happening.

Mum Lorraine reflects that Karl and Emma were “absolutely marvellous, they found Shelley’s hoodie and keys, and even found – and put on – her slippers!”. Although to Lorraine this Tuesday morning was “the absolute last thing I expected”, she “felt at ease and really appreciated” everything our paramedics did.

Transferring Shelley to the ambulance, Lorraine rode along too, with Karl never forgetting that Shelley couldn’t see a thing. Shelley remembers Karl saying “two bumps” as they drove over the judder bars into the hospital Emergency Department (ED).

An ‘incredible’ recovery

Once safely transferred into the care of ED staff, Shelley was diagnosed with a vertebral artery dissection, resulting in two blood clots on her brain. In severe cases, this can cause a stroke which doctors believe Shelley experienced the day before at work.

About two hours after being admitted to hospital, Shelley was in surgery where one blood clot was removed and the other was left, as it had started to self-heal.

Later that night, Shelley finally began to regain her vision. As she recalls, “I was able to see the gold zip on my brother’s jersey. The next morning, when I woke up, I could see the numbers on the clock above the nurses’ station and as the day progressed, I could see more detail on the clock. Today, I just have a small area on my right which gets a bit blurry when I’m tired and my sunglasses have become my new best friend when outside or in malls under the bright lights.”

Remarkably, Shelley has started back at work part-time and has even returned to the gym. Although she’s not cleared for a full return to her usual activities yet as she still needs to keep her neck safe, Shelley expects to be given the all-clear at a follow-up scan in a few months’ time. Lorraine puts it best when she says, “Shelley’s recovery has been incredible for what she’s been through in such a short time”.

Reflecting on their experience with Wellington Free Ambulance, Shelley believes that paramedics Karl and Emma “helped me keep calm. Although I expected the call taker to hang up because other jobs must have been coming in, they stayed with me and supported me, which I really needed thanks to my total loss of vision. I just want to say a big thank you, especially for the support the paramedics provided to me and mum”.

Mum Lorraine feels equally grateful, and that “Karl and Emma’s professionalism and assistance to both of us at this stressful time was outstanding”.

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