Peter was just 55 when he suffered a cardiac arrest. A defibrillator saved Peter's life that day. He is supporting St John Ambulance Cymru's Defibruary campaign as he recognises the importance of a defibrillator more than most.
Peter Belson, from Caerphilly, was travelling home from his caravan in November 2021, with wife Kelly, when he started to feel unwell. He thought nothing of it, so his wife took over behind the wheel and they continued their journey home. Peter notes at that time, he had absolutely no idea how serious the situation was going to be. It was shortly after that Peter cried out in pain.
The pair pulled over to a nearby petrol station. Kelly describes how Peter was “grey, clammy and breathing oddly”. She noticed a parked police car in the petrol station, and ran over to ask for assistance, assuming correctly that her husband was critically unwell.
The police officer promptly contacted his station’s emergency line, asking for backup. He had quickly dialled 999 and was talking to the dispatcher, sourcing their nearest defibrillator.
Two more officers quickly arrived at the scene, with a defibrillator on board. The group got into their cars, aiming for the hospital. Kelly notes that at this point, Peter was “obviously very unwell. His colour was dreadful, his breathing was very shallow and he was barely conscious.” It was then that Peter went into cardiac arrest.
Two of the officers promptly pulled Peter out of the vehicle and connected him to the defibrillator. The defibrillator shocked him, Kelly describes how the process “felt like ages, but was actually only a few minutes.”
Following the defibrillator’s shock, Pete regained consciousness, Kelly commented “they say your life flashes before your eyes, and it definitely did. Pete’s eyes opened wide and were staring into space”.
Pete was stable enough to be transported into hospital as the ambulance arrived. The medics identified a block in his arteries and he was taken straight to surgery. He suffered multiple cardiac arrests in hospital, which resulted in an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) being fitted.
This means Peter is kept safer if he should have another cardiac arrest,.
Peter describes some time later how he “came to realise how serious it really was” as he came to terms with what he had been through.
Kelly said, “He was very unwell, but very lucky that the police officer had been in the right place at the right time.”
The police’s prompt action and early defibrillator use played a huge role in Peter’s survival. Being aware of your nearest defibrillator is so important, as is having the confidence to use one in an emergency situation. Following a cardiac arrest, a person’s survival chances are reduced by 10% for every passing minute without action. The quicker you act, the more chance you have to save a life.
“It’s been a long recovery process which is ongoing; Cardiac Rehab, exercise, diet and so on, but I’m getting there,” Peter says, “I’ve been listening to my body and learning to say no.”
When asked why he’s supporting the St John Ambulance Cymru Defibruary campaign, “defibrillators save lives” he said, “it saved mine”.
Learn how to use a defibrillator confidently by signing up to one of St John Ambulance Cymru’s vital first aid training sessions.
There are an estimated 100,000 defibrillators across the UK, but many of these are unknown to the emergency services. Locate your nearest defibrillator using The Circuit, so emergency services can direct bystanders to their nearest defibrillator and increase a person's chance of survival in an emergency.
Donate today, to help us train more people on how to use a defibrillator and support more of St John Ambulance Cymru’s lifesaving work in communities across Wales.
Peter during his recovery process.
Goroeswr trawiad y galon yn cefnogi ymgyrch i wneud Cymru yn fwy 'DefibAware'
Dim ond 55 oedd Peter pan ddioddefodd ataliad y galon. Achubodd diffibriliwr fywyd Peter y diwrnod hwnnw. Mae’n cefnogi ymgyrch Defibruary St John Ambulance Cymru gan ei fod yn cydnabod pwysigrwydd diffibriliwr yn fwy na’r mwyafrif.
Roedd Peter Belson, o Gaerffili, yn teithio adref o’i garafán ym mis Tachwedd 2021, gyda’i wraig Kelly, pan ddechreuodd deimlo’n sâl. Nid oedd yn meddwl dim ohono, felly cymerodd ei wraig yr awenau y tu ôl i'r llyw a pharhau â'u taith adref. Mae Peter yn nodi bryd hynny, nid oedd ganddo unrhyw syniad o gwbl pa mor ddifrifol oedd y sefyllfa i fod. Yn fuan wedyn y gwaeddodd Peter mewn poen.
Tynnodd y pâr draw i orsaf betrol gerllaw. Mae Kelly yn disgrifio sut roedd Peter yn “llwyd, yn llechwraidd ac yn anadlu’n rhyfedd”. Sylwodd ar gar heddlu wedi'i barcio yn yr orsaf betrol, a rhedodd draw i ofyn am gymorth, gan dybio'n gywir bod ei gŵr yn ddifrifol wael.
Cysylltodd yr heddwas yn brydlon â llinell frys ei orsaf, yn gofyn am gopi wrth gefn. Roedd wedi ffonio 999 yn gyflym ac roedd yn siarad â'r anfonwr, gan ddod o hyd i'w diffibriliwr agosaf.
Cyrhaeddodd dau swyddog arall y lleoliad yn gyflym, gyda diffibriliwr ar ei bwrdd. Aeth y grŵp i mewn i'w ceir, gan anelu am yr ysbyty. Mae Kelly yn nodi ar hyn o bryd, roedd Peter “yn amlwg yn sâl iawn. Roedd ei liw yn ofnadwy, ei anadlu yn fas iawn a phrin ei fod yn ymwybodol.” Dyna pryd yr aeth Peter i ataliad y galon.
Tynnodd dau o'r swyddogion Peter allan o'r cerbyd ar unwaith a'i gysylltu â'r diffibriliwr. Fe wnaeth y diffibriliwr ei syfrdanu, mae Kelly yn disgrifio sut roedd y broses “yn teimlo fel oes, ond dim ond ychydig funudau oedd mewn gwirionedd.”
Yn dilyn sioc y diffibriliwr, adenillodd Pete ymwybyddiaeth, dywedodd Kelly “maen nhw'n dweud bod eich bywyd yn fflachio o flaen eich llygaid, ac fe wnaeth hynny yn bendant. Roedd llygaid Pete yn agor yn llydan ac yn syllu i’r gofod”.
Roedd Pete yn ddigon sefydlog i gael ei gludo i'r ysbyty wrth i'r ambiwlans gyrraedd. Nododd y meddygon floc yn ei rydwelïau ac aethpwyd ag ef yn syth i'r llawdriniaeth. Dioddefodd sawl ataliad ar y galon yn yr ysbyty, a arweiniodd at osod diffibriliwr cardioverter mewnblanadwy (ICD).
Mae hyn yn golygu bod Peter yn cael ei gadw'n fwy diogel pe bai'n cael ataliad arall ar y galon.
Mae Peter yn disgrifio beth amser yn ddiweddarach sut y daeth “i sylweddoli pa mor ddifrifol ydoedd mewn gwirionedd” wrth iddo ddod i delerau â’r hyn yr oedd wedi bod drwyddo.
Dywedodd Kelly, “Roedd yn sâl iawn, ond yn ffodus iawn bod yr heddwas wedi bod yn y lle iawn ar yr amser iawn.”
Chwaraeodd gweithredu prydlon yr heddlu a’r defnydd cynnar o ddiffibriliwr ran enfawr yng ngoroesiad Peter. Mae bod yn ymwybodol o'ch diffibriliwr agosaf mor bwysig, yn ogystal â chael yr hyder i ddefnyddio un mewn sefyllfa o argyfwng. Yn dilyn ataliad ar y galon, mae siawns person o oroesi yn cael ei leihau 10% am bob munud sy'n mynd heibio heb weithredu. Po gyflymaf y byddwch yn gweithredu, y mwyaf o siawns sydd gennych i achub bywyd.
“Mae wedi bod yn broses adfer hir sy’n mynd rhagddi; Adsefydlu Cardiaidd, ymarfer corff, diet ac ati, ond rydw i'n cyrraedd yno," meddai Peter, "Rwyf wedi bod yn gwrando ar fy nghorff ac yn dysgu dweud na."
Pan ofynnwyd iddo pam ei fod yn cefnogi ymgyrch Defibruary St John Ambulance Cymru, “mae diffibrilwyr yn achub bywydau” dywedodd, “mae wedi achub bywyd fi”.
Dysgwch sut i ddefnyddio diffibriliwr yn hyderus trwy gofrestru ar gyfer un o sesiynau hyfforddi cymorth cyntaf hanfodol St John Ambulance Cymru.
Amcangyfrifir bod 100,000 o ddiffibrilwyr ledled y DU, ond mae llawer o'r rhain yn anhysbys i'r gwasanaethau brys. Dewch o hyd i'ch diffibriliwr agosaf gan ddefnyddio The Circuit, fel y gall y gwasanaethau brys gyfeirio gwylwyr at eu diffibriliwr agosaf a chynyddu siawns person o oroesi mewn argyfwng.
Cyfrannwch heddiw, i’n helpu i hyfforddi mwy o bobl ar sut i ddefnyddio diffibriliwr a chefnogi mwy o waith achub bywyd St John Ambulance Cymru mewn cymune