We share the account of former patient, Terry, shares an exciting account of their Dartmoor rescue.
Former patient, Terry Jones, shares her experience of being assisted by our crew.
‘On a sunny Sunday morning in April 2023, my friend Margaret and I departed our delightful duchy hotel, Princetown: two Cornish maids with a friendship of 65 years heading for fascinating Dartmoor. Armed with a guidebook, jackets, mobile phone, hats and gloves, we travelled the four and a half miles, loving the moorland ponies, some sheep and just the broad expanse of the moor. All was going well: we met an oncoming fellow walker who was on a sponsored walk. He said he’d just fallen into the river up to his waist so advised us to cross further down.
‘Having hopped over many streams, I spotted a narrower spot, allowing myself two strides to get momentum to simply stride across the water. Alas I landed on my front. I wondered why I could not rise to my feet, so I rolled over onto my back and scooted further back from the stream. Margaret asked me if I was alright. “No, I think I’ve broken my ankle”, I replied. She immediately instigated an amazing chain of events. I stretched out on the boggy moor, my hands behind my head in the strong sunshine. Prior to that I checked the state of my left ankle by flipping it from side to side, slightly perplexed as to why I could do that…’
A call for help
‘I could hear Margaret steadily speaking to a call handler when I saw a cluster of folks coming towards the river. They called ‘Is everything alright?’ and soon I was surrounded by the kindliest, efficient, quietly organised crew I could have wished to meet. Everyone gave some lifesaving item – two silver blankets, three woolen hats. Oh, the comfort these folk gave to me! Steve Marriott, an ex-medic (although are you ever an ex-medic?) gave directions and the What3Words app pinpointed our location.
‘Alice, Tom, Tracy and Jon gave me support, but the Saint in all this drama was Sarah Barker who instantly became my friend when she crouched down on my right side, took my hand and never let go. She made eye contact and talked with me quietly, talking about special and ordinary things, which kept me engrossed – I even told her a few jokes.
‘I was shivering uncontrollably in my core, so I willed myself to relax, and the shivers calmed a little. The sun had left, and large raindrops began to fall. I tried to hold onto a small scrap of warmth, saying to Sarah ‘I’m going to close my eyes for a few seconds’, but she would not let me and said, ‘Terry keep your eyes on me, and tell me about your favourite places to be!’, I wanted to just sleep. ‘Can you hear the aircraft?’ he asked.
‘In the now heavy rain this red mirage appeared on my side of the stream where I lay in the foil blanket. My father was a West Cornwall man, and he would have said ‘my dear life maid, you’re trussed up like a sick ferret’. I did feel like an oven-ready Turkey… I gave the crew a wave to let them know I was OK.
‘At around this time I was aware that more skilled people were with us, the daring Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team (DSRT). I felt completely at ease knowing I was in such good hands and now the red uniformed flying doctor assumed gentle but proficient command offering gratitude to the Redoubtable Ramblers, DSRT and my friend Margaret, he asked them to step back so he (Superb Simon) could assess me.
Flying Doctor Simon Laing, what a guy! So smart, blond hair, eyes of blue and Hamish, my Celtic cousin, the somewhat shy but oh so handsome Josh, such potential. What a crew!
‘I managed not to be a wimp and I kept telling jokes. The Doctor gave me a head-to-toe check and asked about my medical history. His fine-tuned skills just amazed me. Doctor Simon slipped a canula into my right arm so expertly I didn’t even know he had done it. Oh, my goodness, the rain and ketamine ensued, and I went down murky brown tunnels and continual trapdoors always aware that my hip was being pulled out of my acetabulum.
‘I am so in debt to Steve Marriott, Sarah and Tracy because they ensured Margaret was safely back at the Delightful Duchy Hotel in Princetown. My deep thanks also to the DSRT who assisted me on a stretcher and, in all that heavy rain, carefully protected my now splinted left leg and risked life and limb going back over the Strane River.
‘I feel humbled and in awe of the help I received. Simon, Josh and Hamish, sincere gratitude to you all. After 40 years of nursing in different countries, giving the care, this is the first time in 74 years I’ve been on the receiving end.’
We are so grateful when former patients write in to share their experience with us. Do you have a story you wish to share? We’d love to hear from you.
