67-year-old Kelvin Preece was attending his weekly veterans club in Abergavenny when one of his fellow members became seriously unwell. Luckily, the group had recently attended a first aid demonstration with the first aid charity for Wales, so the veterans knew what to do in a health emergency.
Kelvin’s first aid skills were put to good use when Dave, aged 84, became critically unwell during a Monmouthshire Veterans’ Support Hub meeting at the St John Ambulance Cymru Hall in Abergavenny.
Just four weeks earlier, local St John Ambulance Cymru volunteer Rhys had taught members how to assess a patient, deliver CPR and put someone in the recovery position. Kelvin recalled how Dave was experiencing pains in his upper chest, which were radiating into his left jaw and shoulder. “I instantly recognised these symptoms as a heart attack, but I wasn’t sure,” Kelvin said. Dave was clammy to touch and struggling to breathe, so Kelvin dialled 999 immediately.
He followed Rhys’ first aid advice, monitoring Dave’s pulse and followed ambulance control’s instructions to administer aspirin.
“One takeaway I got from our first aid session was that chest pains should always be taken very seriously” Kelvin said. “We followed our first aid training by keeping him comfortable, warm and taking his pulse regularly.”
Dave was taken to hospital by an ambulance and it was later found out that he was suffering from a cardiac aneurism. Dave is now on the mend and although is waiting for an operation, he is back at his Veterans Club with Kelvin.
“People underestimate how important first aid training is,” Kelvin said. “It has given people in our group a sense they are being looked after by one another.”
Kelvin hopes to book more first aid sessions with St John Ambulance Cymru for the veterans’ groups he is a member of in Abergavenny and Caerphilly. Although he had extensive first aid experience in the past, he has stressed the importance of refreshing these skills.
“First aid changes so much over the years, so attending the session was vital to do. I learnt so much and it brought back memories of various other training,” he said.
Kelvin is used to taking care of his community of veterans through these support hubs and can now feel comfortable taking care of them in a first aid emergency too.
Kelvin’s group have now booked a Defibrillator Awareness Session with St John Ambulance Cymru as part of the charity’s Defibruary campaign, to give members more confidence in how to use a defibrillator.
To book a defibrillator awareness session for your school or community group, or to find out more about the Defibruary campaign please visit www.sjacymru.org.uk/en/page/defibruary.
Kelvin and his fellow Veterans with their first aid certificates.
Dyn wedi helpu i achub cyd-gyn-filwr ychydig wythnosau ar ôl mynychu arddangosiad cymorth cyntaf St John Ambulance Cymru
Roedd Kelvin Preece, 67 oed, yn mynychu ei glwb cyn-filwyr wythnosol yn Y Fenni pan aeth un o'i gyd-aelodau yn ddifrifol wael. Yn ffodus, roedd y grŵp wedi mynychu arddangosiad cymorth cyntaf yn ddiweddar gydag elusen cymorth cyntaf Cymru, felly roedd y cyn-filwyr yn gwybod beth i’w wneud mewn argyfwng iechyd.
Gwnaeth Kelvin’s ddefnydd da o’i sgiliau cymorth cyntaf pan aeth Dave, 84 oed, yn ddifrifol wael yn ystod cyfarfod Hyb Cymorth Cyn-filwyr Sir Fynwy yn neuadd St John Ambulance Cymru yn Y Fenni.
Pedair wythnos ynghynt, roedd gwirfoddolwr lleol Ambiwlans Sant Ioan Cymru, Rhys, wedi dysgu aelodau'r grŵp sut i asesu claf, darparu CPR a rhoi rhywun yn y sefyllfa adfer.
Dywedodd Kelvin fod Dave yn profi poenau yn rhan uchaf ei frest, a oedd yn symud i'w ên a'i ysgwydd chwith “Fe wnes i adnabod y symptomau hyn ar unwaith fel trawiad ar y galon, ond doeddwn i ddim yn siŵr,” meddai Kelvin. Roedd croen Dave yn llaith ac roedd yn cael trafferth anadlu, felly ffoniodd Kelvin 999 ar unwaith.
Dilynodd Kelvin gyngor cymorth cyntaf Rhys. Fe wnaeth monitro curiad y galon Dave a dilyn cyfarwyddiadau’r tîm rheoli ambiwlans i roi asbrin.
“Un peth a gefais o’n sesiwn cymorth cyntaf oedd y dylai poenau yn y frest bob amser gael eu cymryd o ddifrif” meddai Kelvin. “Fe wnaethon ni ddilyn ein cyngor cymorth cyntaf trwy ei gadw’n gyfforddus, yn gynnes a chymryd ei guriad yn rheolaidd.”
Aethpwyd â Dave i'r ysbyty mewn ambiwlans a darganfuwyd yn ddiweddarach ei fod yn dioddef o ymlediad yn y galon.
Mae Dave bellach yn cyfnerthu ac er ei fod yn aros am lawdriniaeth, mae'n ôl yn ei glwb Cyn-filwyr gyda Kelvin.
“Mae pobl yn tanamcangyfrif pa mor bwysig yw hyfforddiant cymorth cyntaf,” meddai Kelvin. “Mae wedi rhoi ymdeimlad i bobl yn ein grŵp eu bod yn derbyn gofal gan ei gilydd.”
Mae Kelvin yn gobeithio archebu mwy o sesiynau cymorth cyntaf gydag Ambiwlans Sant Ioan Cymru ar gyfer y grwpiau cyn-filwyr y mae’n aelod ohonynt yn y Fenni a Chaerffili. Er iddo gael profiad cymorth cyntaf helaeth yn y gorffennol, mae wedi pwysleisio pwysigrwydd adnewyddu'r sgiliau hyn.
“Mae cymorth cyntaf wedi newid cymaint dros y blynyddoedd, felly roedd mynychu’r sesiwn yn hanfodol i’w wneud. Dysgais gymaint ag fe ddaeth ag atgofion yn ôl o hyfforddiant amrywiol arall,” meddai.
Mae Kelvin wedi arfer gofalu am ei gymuned o gyn-filwyr trwy'r hybiau cymorth hyn a gall nawr deimlo'n gyfforddus yn gofalu amdanynt mewn argyfwng cymorth cyntaf hefyd.
Mae grŵp Kelvin bellach wedi archebu Sesiwn Ymwybyddiaeth Diffibriliwr gydag St John Ambulance Cymru fel rhan o ymgyrch Debfibruary yr elusen, i roi mwy o hyder i aelodau sut i ddefnyddio diffibriliwr.
I archebu sesiwn Ymwybyddiaeth Diffibriliwr ar gyfer eich ysgol neu grŵp cymunedol, neu i ddarganfod mwy am yr ymgyrch Defibruary, ewch I www.sjacymru.org.uk/en/page/defibruary.
