For 84-year-old Mary, a peaceful country life meant tending to her garden in the tranquil hillside surroundings of her property near Macksville where she has lived for 46 years.
On a typical day in 2023, Mary decided she’d visit her native garden.
Mary set out on her farm tractor but as she climbed off the tractor, it started rolling down the hill – she fell, with the tractor rolling onto her.
It wasn’t until repeated calls over a 48 hour period from Mary’s sister in Tasmania that the alarm was raised.
Mary was pinned under her tractor for three days before a multiagency response including NSW Police, Fire and Rescue NSW and NSW Ambulance swung into action.
Due to the remote location and the severity of Mary’s injuries, the Westpac Rescue Helicopter was tasked to the scene.
NSW Ambulance Critical Care Paramedic and Helicopter Critical Care Medical Team member, Bruce Shiach-Wise recounted Mary’s rescue.
“Local paramedics arrived before us and had started initiating treatment. Fire and Rescue NSW were there looking at extrication and NSW Police were there because it was initially a search,” Bruce said.
“We found Mary face down under the tractor, trapped by both legs and in a really bad predicament. It was going to be a prolonged extraction to ensure we do the best for Mary.”
“One leg had a minor pressure point, the other leg unfortunately had been completely crushed and starved of blood and oxygen supply.”
“We had Dr Rob Bartolucci an anesthetist who was very cognizant on the perils of toxin release. He administered drugs prior to release, prepared that at any stage during this extrication, if Mary goes into cardiac arrest we had teams set up to cover airways, putting up blood, possible CPR.”
“But you’ve also got to think about patient and family welfare. Mary’s talking to us and is quite cognizant of what’s going on. Her sister is miles away and we can’t get her there. We were thinking unfortunately Mary’s not going to survive. So we got her sister on the phone and they said their goodbyes. Once the conversation had finished, we said ‘Mary we are going to release this now, we’ll make sure you’re not in any pain, we are going to do the best we can.’”
“I remember Mary saying ‘Oh my dear, look at all this fuss. Look at all these people, are they for me? I’m sorry to be such a burden’” Bruce recalls. “My God, this woman is so stoic and she’s worried about other people when she’s in this horrendous predicament.”
Mary was flown to John Hunter Hospital for urgent trauma services, where as a result of her injuries, the difficult decision was made to amputate Mary’s right leg but that was never going to slow Mary down.
“My first goal was to get into my car and drive again,” Mary said of her recovery.
“My second was to get in the pool and swim and I’ve achieved both. I can live here by myself in my house so that’s an achievement anyhow. So for that, I’m very grateful to everybody.”
The whole mission remains etched in Bruce’s memory.
“Here’s a lady in her 80’s that has survived three days trapped, in poor conditions, hot and then cold at night. No food, no water and so bright and bubbly at the end of it. Then to survive the extrication, to survive the operation and from what I hear, has gone on and is still living a full life. An amazing testament to how strong and stoic she is,” Bruce concluded.
For Mary, despite the trauma and the loss of her leg, life goes on.
“My outcome would have been very different without the Westpac Rescue Helicopter. I would have died. I’m very, very grateful, because I have enjoyed my life since the accident,” Mary said.
