Biker recounts life-changing ordeal
Justin Chadwick broke his femur in two places while on a ride in Shongweni and was close to hypothermia when he was airlifted to hospital.
WHAT began as a beautiful Saturday morning for a local biker quickly turned into a situation of nightmare proportions when he broke his leg in a fall in a remote area without cellphone reception.
“I realised it was not a nightmare. I had actually broken my femur in two places and had a metal rod inserted. This is not a long story about me breaking legs, but about the people in KZN and how lucky we are to be living in South Africa,” said Justin Chadwick.
He had a long ride planned through the sugar cane behind Summerveld with his friend Mitchell. This was cut short when he hit a stream that he described as being slippery as ice.
“Before I knew it, the wheels of the bike slipped out from under me, and with me cleated in, I came down onto a solid rock with my full body weight.”
“As I hit mother Africa I felt things breaking, and I writhed in agony in the stream, screaming for my riding mate to help.”
Justin said he lay as still as possible in the stream as any form of movement sent waves of pain through his body.
His friend rode back to find cellphone reception and to call an ambulance.
“It was actually quite pleasant lying there. I could see birds in the trees and the gurgling water kept me numb. Mitchell came back to say the ambulance was on its way, and that he was going off to guide them in.”
Five other riders made their way down to the stream and when they spottedJustin, they refused to leave him until the paramedics arrived.
Two other riders also slipped as they tried to cross the stream on foot. Mitchell arrived with two paramedics, known only to Justin as Sugren and Krish.
“They quickly assessed the situation and realised that they were not qualified to assist me as they could not administer morphine or deal with trauma. I had now been in the stream for an hour and they did not want to move me,” said Justin.
One of the paramedics, along with Mitchell, left to contact the advanced trauma unit.
Two more paramedics, Bongi and Konrad, assessed the situation and made the decision to move Justin out of the stream.
“I thought I had been exposed to pain before, but rolling me onto the carry board was the most pain I have ever experienced, as was the dragging of the stretcher to dry land. Or so I thought,” said Justin.
“Because I had been in the stream for almost two hours, my veins had shut down and all my blood and warmth was diverted to my core. They tried to find a vein in the back of my hands, elbows and wrists, but they found nothing. They removed my sock and couldn’t find any veins in my foot. They tried to warm me up for an hour and then tried again, still nothing.”
As a last resort a pain killer was administered through the shin bone directly into the marrow.
“I then realised what pain really is,” said Justin as he recounted the traumatic event.
A helicopter was called in. “Through all this, Konrad, Bongi, Krish and Sugren could not have been more professional and sympathetic. The whole time I felt safe knowing a solution was planned.
I never lost faith in these saviours from Netcare 911. After another hour, we could see the weather was closing in, and we could hear the chopper overhead.
Konrad set off a flare and guided the chopper down near the ambulance.”
Justin was carefully lifted into the chopper and he recounted his journey to St Augustine’s Hospital by pinpointing landmarks along the way.
“The entire hospital staff was out to see me arrive and I felt a little guilty that there was not more guts and gore,” he laughed.
After a slew of tests and an x-ray he was prepped for and wheeled into theatre. He remembers waking up in the general ward and said the nurses were keen to see the ‘helicopter patient’.
“From the moment I arrived at St Augustine’s I have been treated with compassion and professionalism of the highest order.
Thanks to all the angels. Now with the physio pushing me, I am already taking my first steps,” said an enthusiastic Justin.
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