A WOMAN who was left fighting for her life after a road traffic collision has been reunited with the doctor who came to her aid three years later.
Samantha Hall, 26, from Chilton, County Durham was seriously injured after a two-vehicle crash on the A167 near Newton Aycliffe on 15 July 2019.
The North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) dispatched two double crewed ambulances, a clinical care ambulance, two Hazardous Area Response Teams, a rapid response vehicle and both helicopters from the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS).
The teams worked together to assess and treat both Samantha and the other driver’s injuries.
Chris Smith, a doctor at GNAAS said: “When we arrived on scene Sam was still trapped in her vehicle and was seriously injured. After she was extracted, her condition deteriorated and she needed urgent advanced treatment on scene otherwise she wasn’t going to survive.
“We gave her a blood transfusion and put her into a medically induced coma, which means we took over her breathing by placing her on a ventilator to prevent any potential brain injury from getting worse, before airlifting her to hospital in seven minutes.”
Samantha was flown to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough where she stayed for nearly three months while recovering from her injuries.
She said: “All the right-hand side was injured, I broke my tibia, had fibula fractures, oblique fractures, I had an x-cage on my leg, abdominal lacerations, my pelvis had to be rebuilt with screws and bolts and I had a small fracture in my neck.
“I’ve got bits of shrapnel from the car in my arm, you can actually feel it, it’s gross. My knee was also split open, there was no break or fracture, but there’s a big scar around my knee. It’s the one scar I’ve not been able to really come to terms with, I’m alright with the rest now, it’s just that one.”
During her time in hospital Samantha, who is a big fan of the band McFly, had to relearn to walk again, and as an incentive to get her to move, tickets to a McFly show were dangled in front of her during her physio sessions and she had to try and grab them.
She also received vital support from her friend Kim, who she has known for 13 years, as well as Kim’s children.
She said: “Kim was at the hospital almost every day and she moved her and her kids around the corner from my parents ready for when I got out of hospital. Kim and her kids, Makayla and Millie, were there every day and the kids loved to help clean the pins on my cage and help organise my medical supplies. Not only did Kim help me get back on my feet, she was a huge help to my parents and sister, especially my mam. I can’t thank her or the girls enough.”
After being discharged Samantha was able to get a mobility car and start driving again and return to her two jobs, one of which is a drama coach for 7-10 year-olds.
She said: “I can’t get involved as much as I used to do because it’s hard to run around after the kids.
“It was a lot harder in the beginning, but as long as there’s a seat around for me, I’m fine.”
She’s also due to be married next year and her fiancé Michael Hymers, along with her parents and sister recently met Dr Smith three years later to personally thank him for helping to save Samantha’s life.
Samantha’s mother Anne Hall said: “Chris was the guy who came to see me in the waiting room and I remember him sitting and talking to me and saying she’s in the right place. He’s that person who has been there from the very beginning, so to see him again has given us a bit of closure.
“If that service had not been available, it would have been a totally different story. We’re forever grateful.”
Dr Smith said: “It’s fantastic to see how well Sam has progressed in three years and it was a pleasure to meet her again under much better circumstances.”
Samantha added: “It was pretty amazing to be able to meet him properly and hear more about what happened at the scene. The service that GNAAS provides is incredible and I didn’t realise how close I was to not being here. Thank you will never be enough.”
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