A Survivor's Story...

On the weekend of July 18th, 2008 I went to Galway for my daughter Aisling’s hen party. On the Friday we headed to a Sharon Shannon concert, had a BBQ and did some shopping on the Saturday. We were having a ball.

On Sunday morning we went down for breakfast, when I suddenly felt dizzy. I didn’t get the chance to tell my sister who was with me. I collapsed.
I had a sudden cardiac arrest. Luckily for me, a member of staff in the hotel had been trained in CPR by the charity Croí. He started CPR and used the hotel’s AED. His quick actions saved my life.
I came round lying on the floor of the dining room and as I looked around, although I couldn’t remember anything, I knew something serious had happened just by looking at my daughters-in-law expressions; they looked like ghosts. The hotel manager was asking me did I know where I was and thank God I did.

By that time the Paramedics arrived I did not want to go to the hospital, I thought I was fine; I didn’t release what had just happened to me. Aisling had arrived by my side by now, as someone had taken her away so she could not see what was happening. She accompanied me in the ambulance to hospital and that’s when I felt most frightened. When we got to the hospital, they explained what had happened and how lucky I was. I spent a week in the hospital and I was fitted with an internal defibrillator called an ICD.

Thanks to CPR I’m here today to tell my story.

- Teresa Fallon

Photo Shows (LtoR) Teresa Fallon & Catherine Sheridan, Co-ordinator, Croí Centre for Lifesaving Training