"I Wasn't Expecting That"
Ran back inside.
Tried to turn Nass.
No, can't do it.
Shouted through next door's letterbox.
They had heard the crash and were pulling on clothes.
In spite of self-isolating, Theo ran in.
He performed CPR.
I cleared the airway and did mouth to mouth.
In between, I whispered,
"Come back to us Nass, come back."
Elsa watched from a distance with wide, terrified eyes.
She adores Nass.
The ambulance arrived quickly.
They said we were lucky, they were only up the road at Crossbush.
The team took over.
Slick.
Professional.
Caring.
Sensitive.
One said
" Who owns the horses in the field opposite?"
" There is a number to phone on the gate."
Arundel stables were over, moving their horses in minutes.
Thank goodness for the field.
Where else could you land a helicopter in Arundel....
......unless you're the Duke?
Nass was put on a trolley and out into the road.
The team made their final checks.
They were so calm.
Used to doing this.
They wheeled Nass along the road, into the field and onto the Air Ambulance.
Isn't it the strangest thoughts you have during life's scariest moments?
"Nass will love the drama of it all."
The team were discussing.
"Brighton or Portsmouth?"
The helicopter lifted off and took him to Portsmouth hospital.
One minute nearer. Time was crucial.
I heard afterwards about the little girl down our road.
She adores Nass and he, her.
She waved up at the helicopter from her back garden saying to Mummy and Daddy,
" I'm sending all my love up to Nass in that helicopter.
Don't any of you ask for any love today as I won't have any more to give. "
My neighbour Lisa drove me to Portsmouth.
She even thought of bringing us a coffee each to drink in the car.
Arriving at the hospital now is not like it's ever been.
You can't get in easily.
Difficult to park.
It's mostly staff parking.
The security guard said we could park in the police bay.
We spoke to the doctor.
I wouldn't have remembered a word.
Thank goodness for a sensible friend.
I spent two days answering texts, phone calls and messages.
All three phones going at once
Mine, Nass's and the house.
The devastated family in Iran were trying for video calls at 5 am, forgetting the time difference.
Calling day and night, I didn't know how to explain.
Their English is ok for brief chats.
My farcie only good enough to say simple phrases like
"Where is the toilet?"
And " I'm starving, what's for dinner?"
Thank goodness for Google translate and our Iranian friend who was at Slindon College with Nass.
Affectionately known as Sandbag he took over family communications.
Then he was the one being woken early.
Elsa trawled the house looking for Nass.
After two days, as things quietened down, the realisation hit.
" He almost died..... he still might."
People left flowers on the doorstep.
Handed food over the fence.
Walked in the hills with Elsa and me,
listening while I went over and over the event.
People are amazing.
Even during this time of lockdown they still pour out to friends in crisis.
Nass was put on a ventilator.
Of course, I never saw him, impossible in these covid days.
He's such a fighter.
MS hasn't been a walk in the park..but...shortly after diagnosis, Nass ran the Brighton marathon for the Chestnut Tree Children's Hospice.
and the Arundel 10k
Then when he felt he couldn't run as his legs were playing up......what did he do?
He bought a bike and did the London to Brighton bike ride.
56 miles.
For the British Heart Foundation.
He had never cycled in his life.
But this.....
I thought we had lost him for sure.
He won't beat this.
Two days after his arrival in Portsmouth hospital they took him off the ventilator.
I was on the other end of the phone.
Christian the nurse said
" Nass, Brennie sends her love."
" Christian, what's he saying?"
" He's smiling."
Elsa was jumping around and barking at the sound of Nass's name.
Christian said
" What's her name?"
" Elsa. Tell him she sends her love."
" He's really smiling now."
As they handed him the phone I was crying with relief.
But...
I couldn't understand him.
I asked Nass to give the phone back to the nurse.
"Christian what's he saying. Is it the brain or the tube?"
" Its because he has had the tube in his throat. He is saying, "I want to come home."
That's Nass.
Thank goodness for WhatsApp as I couldn't visit due to Covid.
I watched as he grew a little stronger by the day.
What I didn't know until Nass came home was his heart had stopped twice more in hospital.
They almost lost him.
Nass was home in time for the final Thursday night NHS clap.
Neighbours hadn't realised he was home.
Well, it was only a week.
They were ecstatic.
The clapping and shouting could be heard all along Fitzalan Road.
Weirdly enough, the 3 horses in the field at the time, stood in a line.
Thanks so much to everyone supporting us.
Especially Arundel and in particular Fitzalan Road.
All the texts, emails and calls.
Sometimes too many to answer individually.
Huge thanks to NHS of course.
Theo, for saving Nass's life.
All those friends who provided food and support.
Sandbag for his immense patience.
All staff on C7 at Portsmouth Hospital.
Ambulance crew
Friends and neighbours
Air Ambulance
Arundel stables.
The cardiac team from St Richards Hospital
All the kind people who left cards, flowers, wine and homemade cakes and biscuits.
I have never seen so many get-well cards.
As for flowers, I ran out of vases.
They were in jam jars all over the house.
And apologies to friends I haven't around to contacting.
It's been quite a month.
The patient is doing well.
It's hard getting him to take it easy. Of course, it is. This is Nass we are talking about.
You will find him down our antiques warehouse most days.
If you find him lifting anything.......report him.
Nass's reaction to what happened?
He can often be heard singing, loudly, out of tune, (as usual)
"I WASN'T EXPECTING THAT"
