Man thanks NHS and West Suffolk Hospital staff after they saved his life

A Fornham St Martin man who had a brush with death after collapsing in his kitchen has praised the NHS and hospital staff for saving his life.

David Axton, 76, suffered a bilateral pulmonary embolism - caused by blood clots which block arteries to both lungs - at his home in Old Hall Lane on Sunday, September 23.

“I should be dead. I was told that an embolism in one lung is very bad news but two lungs is virtually a death sentence,” said David, whose wife Valerie phoned 999 before administering emergency first aid.

Seven paramedics attended to David at the couple’s home before moving him to West Suffolk Hospital for further treatment.

But Valerie, 66, did not think her husband would pull through and even phoned their six children to prepare them for the worst.

“It must have been extremely traumatic for my wife because she thought I was going to die,” said David, who has also suffered two heart attacks in the past.

“I was reading the obituaries on Friday and to think that my name could easily have been there is a very strange feeling. I’ve been given a third reprieve and it makes me feel very blessed and privileged to still be here.”

And this is not the first time that David has felt thankful for the work carried out by the hospital as David and Valerie’s daughter, Christina, was born 10 weeks premature at West Suffolk in 1986 weighing only two pounds.

“I couldn’t speak too highly of West Suffolk Hospital. They were just wonderful with her and wonderful with us,” said David.

“We read so much in the paper these days about the NHS being under threat. But we’re so lucky to have it and to be able to call upon these services free of charge. We must never lose that.”