As someone who lives alone, Bev is forever grateful for the companionship she shares with Jacko her miniature black poodle. “We look after each other” says Bev, but she never thought he would be the one to save her one day.
At the age of seventeen Bev suffered a horrific car accident, crushing both of her legs. Doctors thought she would never walk again. Her father built training walkways, fitted bannisters to the stairs and helped her through recovery. Remarkably, she did walk again. As the years passed, walking became increasingly difficult, and now at the age of 79 Bev relies on a walking stick for support. She became prone to falling and decided to use a Freedom Medical Alarm for extra care and peace of mind.
“Knowing someone is there to help when I need them most gives me great peace of mind,” she says.
In the past two years Bev has used her Freedom Medical Alarm on a number of occasions, mainly for falls. But last January someone else helped Bev sound the alarm.
“It was a beautiful warm day,” Bev remembers, “I popped outside to the garden for some fresh air and to check on the apples growing on the tree. I don’t remember what happened next, but I woke up and I was lying on the floor with Jacko scratching at my chest.”
Bev had fallen, knocked her head and couldn’t get up.
Bev remembers Jacko putting his paw gently on the Freedom Medical Alarm necklace and pushing the button. “I gave him a cuddle and said ‘what a good boy!’”.
Her phone started ringing as the Wellington Free Ambulance emergency medical call taker called back to see what help was needed. Jacko ran inside and woofed at the base unit so the call taker could hear something was wrong.
“He ran in the house and was woofing at the phone. He came back to sit with me and when the phone rang again he ran back inside and kept woofing,” says Bev.
Before long, two Wellington Free Ambulance paramedics arrived at Bev’s back garden gate. “They seemed to remember Jacko from a previous visit” she says.
After assessing Bev on the floor, the paramedics were able to help Bev stand and get her inside.
“I was able to walk for myself and I had no injuries, so we went inside, had a cup of coffee and the ambulance man played with Jacko” Bev says.
While Bev didn’t need to go to hospital and didn’t need any bandages or treatment, she did need help. She needed her Freedom Medical Alarm, she needed two friendly paramedics to help her up again and check she was okay and she needed her much-loved Jacko to look after her once again, just like he always has.
For more information about Freedom Medical Alarms or to arrange a demonstration, call us now on 0800 380 280.