On 17th September 2019, Michelle Bliss and her partner Shane were both involved in a serious motorcycle incident on North Common Road in Thorne.
Michelle said: “I don’t remember much of what happened, but I do remember the first responder saying ‘don’t worry you’re going to be okay’.”
With the Yorkshire Air Ambulance in attendance, it was down to the paramedics on board to assess the severity of both parties’ injuries. Subsequently, Michelle was flown to the Major Trauma Centre at Sheffield Northern General as she was deemed the most seriously injured of the two, and Shane was taken by land ambulance.
Tests at the hospital revealed that Michelle had sustained a bleed on the brain, she fractured her collar bone, had an open fracture to her right arm, she fractured her pelvis and spine, broke her leg, dislocated her ankle and ripped her tendons. Shane had broken almost every rib in his body, he fractured his sternum, broke his leg and dislocated his elbows. He also broke his finger.
Michelle spent 10 and a half weeks in hospital including a stay on a high dependency ward and Shane was in hospital for a week and a half. Michelle has had multiple surgeries, inserting plates in her arm and collar bone, a bar in her pelvis and pins in her spine. Later this year she will be having her ankle fused.
Speaking of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, Michelle said: “I’m really glad they were there, they saved my life by getting me to hospital as quickly as possible.”
Last year one in ten patients treated by the Yorkshire Air Ambulance were involved in motorcycle incidents.