Neville Armistead could never imagine the way events would unfold after tapping a window with his palm to get his children’s attention.
“It was just a normal tap, but the glass just exploded,” Neville said.
His arm went through the window and was lacerated from his fingers to his elbow.
“I thought I’m in a bit of trouble here as I gripped my arm not realising the worst cut was above where I was gripping.
His family thought he was joking when he initially said to call an ambulance, but soon sprung into action when they saw the amount of blood pouring out.
Emily rang 000 and handled the call extremely well, while Cherie grabbed towels and wrapped them around Neville’s arm. Jake held the towels firmly and didn’t take any pressure off even when the ambulance arrived. The paramedics said that Jake’s actions to keep such pressure on the lacerations nonstop could very well have saved Neville’s life.
Cherie was grateful how quickly the ambulance arrived.
“Emily called it at 8.45pm and Neville was in the ambulance by 9.15,” she said.
“I didn’t realise how much blood he had initially lost until I went back out to the room after Nev had gone and saw all the blood on the floor.
He was rushed straight to Bairnsdale and then flown to Melbourne.
“The plane was meant to take me to Dandenong Hospital, but on the way they diverted to Royal Melbourne as I was getting too low on blood,” Neville said.
“Toby, the paramedic on the plane, helped me a lot, not only physically, but mentally.”
When he arrived they put a plaster cast on his arm and he was taken straight up for x-rays. He then went into surgery.
It was revealed he had cut the main artery, all the tendons, all the nerves, plus a muscle in half.
“The surgeon said it was a 100 per cent laceration and all he had left was the bone,” Neville said.
When asked how long he had to spend in hospital, all of Neville’s family rolled their eyes.
The accident happened on a Friday night and to everyone’s disbelief Neville checked himself out of hospital on the Sunday.
“He insisted on getting back to his business, Lakes Paint Place, on the Monday but only worked 10am until noon for the first week as he was still weak,” Cherie said.
“I didn’t want to let my customers down,” Neville said.
It has taken five weeks to get movement back in his fingers, but he has 100 per cent feeling in his arm and is well on the way to recovery.
Cherie wanted to thank Zac from Z & G Glass Glazing for their prompt service in mending the window and making their house secure.
The Armistead family have been to the Lakes Entrance Ambulance Station to thank the paramedics. They were amazed how well Neville is doing.
“The two ambos, Hugh and Mikaela, together with a third who I think was a trainee, did a fantastic job and we wanted to thank them personally,” Neville said.
IMAGE: Neville Armistead (third from left) is grateful for the quick response from Ambulance paramedics and his family after cutting a major artery when he tapped on a window and it shattered. PICTURED: Emily (16), Jake 13, Neville and Cherie Armistead. (PS)
