Off duty staff save neighbours life | Staff nad oeddent ar ddyletswydd yn achub bywyd cymydog

An off-duty Glangwili Hospital porter and intensive care nurse saved the life of their neighbour by using CPR and a community based defibrillator in Cwmdwyfran.

Eifion George, aged 71, was at home when he collapsed and his heart stopped.

Neighbours rallied around and intensive care nurse Rachel Baxter quickly established that he had stopped breathing and needed urgent resuscitation.

Rachel and Arfon, porter at Glanwgili Hospital, started CPR. Rachel’s partner Carwyn raced to Cwmdwyfran Vestry to get the community defibrillator, funded by Bronwydd Community Hall.

But by the time the ambulance and air ambulance arrived, Eifion was back breathing normally.

Rachel, aged 27, said: “I was a bit out of my comfort zone as in intensive care, I have my monitors and all the equipment that I need, but I think in a situation like that adrenalin kicks in and you have to save a life. That’s what Arfon and I were doing.”

Arfon, aged 61, has had some basic life-saving training as part of working as a porter and being part of the team who attend to a hospital in a cardiac arrest situation.

“I’ve been fortunate to have some training, but I think whoever you are, in a situation like that you just have to do something to help.

“Something I was reassured by is that the defibrillator we were using was able to tell us when to shock and would also tell us if we were doing good compressions or if we needed to compress harder. This gave us confidence,” he said.

“Also, if you don’t have training, the 999 operators will also talk you through what you need to do.”

Remarkably, Eifion has been saved by CPR previously when his heart stopped whilst he was refereeing youth football some 15 years ago.

The retired computer manager explained: “My heart stopped before, and I had a long road to recovery. I can’t thank Arfon and Rachel enough, and the rest of the community who helped, as well as emergency services and hospital staff. Without them, I wouldn’t be here.”

Eifion’s family, his wife Janis, son Dafydd and daughter Nerys, also wished to thank the Bronwydd Community Hall for funding a defibrillator in Cwmdwyfran, and a second one situated in Bronwydd Hall.

County Councillor Irfon Jones, and hall committee member, said: “Defibrillators are so important in the community and the hall committee is now purchasing another two to place in the square in Bronwydd and Pentre Morgan.”

Consultant Cardiologist and Glangwili Hospital Director Dr Eiry Edmunds praised the staff involved and the community.

“Survival rates when someone is in cardiac arrest out of the hospital environment are really low,” she said.

“Early CPR and access to a defibrillator can mean the difference between life and death, as was the case with Eifion.”

If you want to learn more about what to do if someone needs CPR, you can access online resources from the Resuscitation Council’s website: https://www.resus.org.uk/apps/lifesaver/

You can view where your nearest community defibrillator is, or log the location of one, at NHS Direct Wales: https://www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk/localservices/default.aspx?s=DefibrillatorLocations

Staff nad oeddent ar ddyletswydd yn achub bywyd cymydog

Mae porthor a nyrs gofal dwys o Ysbyty Glangwili nad oeddent ar ddyletswydd ar y pryd wedi achub bywyd eu cymydog gan ddefnyddio CPR a diffibriliwr cymunedol yng Nghwmdwyfran.

Roedd Eifion George, 71 oed, adref pan lewygodd a stopiodd ei galon.

Daeth nifer o gymdogion i’w helpu a sylwodd Rachel Baxter, nyrs gofal dwys, yn syth nad oedd yn anadlu a bod angen ei ddadebri yn ddi-oed.

Aeth Rachel ac Arfon, porthor yn Ysbyty Glanwgili, ati i wneud CPR. Aeth partner Rachel, Carwyn, ar frys i festri Cwmdwyfran i hôl y diffibriliwr cymunedol, sydd wedi’i ariannu gan Neuadd Gymunedol Bronwydd.

Pan cyrhaeddodd yr ambiwlans a’r ambiwlans awyr, roedd Eifion yn anadlu’n normal unwaith eto.

Meddai Rachel, 27 oed: “Doeddwn i ddim yn hollol gyffyrddus, oherwydd yn yr uned gofal dwys mae gen i’r holl fonitors a’r offer sydd eu hangen. Ond mewn sefyllfa fel hon, mae’r adrenalin yn cicio mewn ac mae’n rhaid i chi achub bywyd. Dyna beth oeddwn i ac Arfon yn gwneud.”

Mae Arfon, sy’n 61 oed, wedi cael rhywfaint o hyfforddiant achub bywyd yn rhan o’i waith fel porthor.

“Yn ffodus, r’wy wedi cael rhywfaint o hyfforddiant, ond pwy bynnag ydych chi mewn sefyllfa fel hon, mae’n rhaid gwneud rhywbeth i helpu.

“Diolch byth, roedd y diffibriliwr roeddwn yn ei ddefnyddio yn dweud wrthym pryd i roi sioc ac hefyd yn dweud a oeddwn yn cywasgu’n dda neu a oedd angen cywasgu’n galetach. Roedd hyn yn rhoi hyder i ni,” meddai.

“Hefyd, os nad ydych wedi cael hyfforddiant, gall gweithredwr 999 ddweud wrthych beth sydd angen gwneud, cam-wrth-gam.”

Yn rhyfeddol, achubwyd Eifion gan CPR unwaith o’r blaen pan stopiodd ei galon tra’i fod yn dyfarnu gêm bêl-droed rhyw 15 mlynedd yn ôl.

Esboniodd y cyn Reolwr Cyfrifiadurol: “Stopiodd fy nghalon flynyddoedd yn ôl, ac roedd yr adferiad yn daith hir. Diolch yn fawr iawn, Arfon a Rachel a phawb arall yn y gymuned wnaeth helpu, yn ogystal â’r gwasanaethau brys a staff yr ysbyty. Hebddynt, fyddwn i ddim yma.”

Mae teulu Eifion, ei wraig Janis, mab Dafydd a merch Nerys, hefyd yn dymuno diolch i Neuadd Gymunedol Bronwydd am ariannu’r diffibriliwr ym mhentref Cwmdwyfran, ac un arall yn Neuadd Bronwydd.

Meddai’r Cynghorydd Sir Irfon Jones sydd hefyd yn aelod o bwyllgor y neuadd: “Mae cael diffibrilwyr yn y gymuned mor bwysig, a bellach mae cyngor y neuadd yn prynu dau arall i’w gosod ar y sgwâr ym Mronwydd ac ym Mhentre Morgan.”

Mae Dr Eiry Edmunds, Cardiolegydd Ymgynghorol a Chyfarwyddwr Ysbyty Glangwili, wedi canmol y staff a’r gymuned oedd yn rhan o’r digwyddiad hwn.

“Mae cyfraddau goroesi ataliad y galon tu allan i ysbyty yn isel iawn,” meddai.

“Gall cynnal CPR yn gynnar a mynediad at ddiffibriliwr fod y gwahaniaeth rhwng byw a marw, fel yn achos Eifion.”

Os ydych am ddysgu mwy am beth i’w wneud os oes angen CPR ar rywun, mae adnoddau ar gael ar-lein ar wefan y Cyngor Dadebru: https://www.resus.org.uk/apps/lifesaver/

Gallwch weld ble mae eich diffibriliwr cymunedol agosaf, neu gynnwys lleoliad un, yn Galw Iechyd Cymru: https://www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk/localservices/default.aspx?s=DefibrillatorLocations