Matt’s Story
In June 2019, my wife, Sarah, and I set off on a group cycle ride with six others. Going downhill, I took a left-hand bend, and all Sarah heard was a smash. She came around the corner and saw me on the floor. I was face down and I wasn’t breathing.
As I cycled round the bend, my bike skidded, and I collided with a car. The driver of the car, a retired doctor, called 999. Soon, Thames Valley Air Ambulance was bringing critical care paramedic Katy and doctor Stewart to the scene. They gave me some strong drugs for the pain, put me into an
induced coma and airlifted me to the John Radcliffe Hospital. As Sarah watched the air ambulance take off with me inside it, she had no idea that our lives would change forever that day.
When Sarah came to see me at the hospital, I was still in a coma. The team told my wife that I might be in hospital for quite some time. It turned out it would be more than two months.
I suffered from multiple traumatic injuries including a traumatic brachial plexus injury, a spinal cord injury where there is damage to the nerves that control movement and sensation in the arm and hand. This paralysed the left side of my body and arm.
I could not have endured what Sarah went through over those weeks and months while I was in hospital. Her strength and resilience were amazing. She helped me in every way possible.
At the end of August 2019, I was allowed to come home. In the initial stages of my recovery, I was taking lots of medication and was trying to adapt to life with my injuries, but my spinal cord injury caused horrific pain and was proving to be the hardest thing to cope with.
My arm was just hanging in its socket. It was very painful and dangerous. I thought: ‘it’s not coming back.’ I decided to have my arm amputated in December 2020. Following the operation, I re-learned to drive an adapted car, which was a big thing and gave me some independence back.
Sarah and I met the critical care paramedic and doctor who treated me at the roadside that day. Thanking someone for saving my life is an emotion like nothing I’ve ever felt before. Without them, I wouldn’t have had the last five years with my wife. No words will ever be enough.
There are hard times in recovery, but now my sunny days outweigh my dark days. Adam, Head of Aftercare at Thames Valley Air Ambulance, supported my wife and I through tough times. One thing I knew I wanted to do was to get back on a bike. It was always my goal. A goal I achieved by riding an adapted bike. If I could tell myself something in those early months, I’d say: ‘your life isn’t over. There is a way forward.’ With Sarah by my side, I know we can conquer whatever life throws at us.
I hope our story gives a glimmer of hope to anyone else who may be going through
dark times. The sparkle will come back. Please give what you can and enter the Summer Raffle today to help more people like me.
Your support could make the difference between life and death. Please give what you can and enter the Summer Raffle today to help more people like me.
