What a way to spend your fifth anniversary...

On the 8th August, 2009, Michael Garth (Mickey) a local farmer and his girlfriend Amy Lynch had a day of bailing planned. At around midday, Mickey had to re-thread the twine mechanism on the big bailer, as he did this, a clump of twine wrapped around his wrist and dragged his right arm into the machine. In one terrifying instant, it cut through the skin, bone, arteries, and tendons at his arm pit.

 

Amy realised that for Mickey to live, let alone have a chance of saving his arm, she would have to release his arm from the machine and stem the blood flow. She carefully and swiftly got Mickey out of the machine and onto the floor and put him into the recovery position, raised his legs and applied direct pressure to the wound site.

 

A few minutes later the paramedics arrived. Mickey’s blood pressure was so low that it was barely detectable. Mickey needed the speed of the YAA helicopter to get him to Leeds General Infirmary otherwise he would have died. In just over 3 minutes they had landed on the roof top helipad (It took nearly 40 minutes for Amy to get there in a police car!).

 

Ten hours after the accident, Amy got to see Mickey again; he was okay, albeit shaken, but most importantly, he was alive, which can be thought of as a miracle considering the surgeons had predicted he had lost over 80% of the blood in his body.

 

The surgeons did everything to save his arm, and the first operation went very well. However, the day after his birthday a raging infection set in and an artery burst. He was rushed to emergency surgery where, sadly, Mickey lost his arm above the elbow.

 

On the 21st of August, Mickey was discharged from hospital, he has continued to do well both physically and mentally. Everyone around him has been so shocked by how quickly he has healed and how matter of fact he has been about it. Mickey has just received his first prosthetic arm and is learning how to use it. Soon he may be able to return to full-time farm work again.

 

Mickey and Amy discovered that the service provided by the YAA is second to none and many patients would have not survived if it wasn't for them. The YAA relies solely on donations. It receives no NHS or Government funding and incurs a cost of £7200 per day to keep both helicopters in the air and saving lives.

 

So please help us keep the flow of money coming into the YAA. You never when their services might be needed by someone you know too. Thank you.