Latest news with #GreatMalvern
The Sun
3 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
My partner saved my life with a kiss – he spotted sign of silent killer after our smooch
A MUM said she was saved from dying from suspected sepsis during childbirth by her partner spotting something was wrong as he kissed her. Kerri-Louise Gilchrist, 33, said Hugh Marshall, 35, noticed she was cold and her lips were blue. 3 3 3 The mum of two said he told medics at Worcester Hospital: 'That's a sign of sepsis.' Kerri was put on an IV drip before the birth of Layla last August. She later lost five pints of blood and required two transfusions. Kerri, from Great Malvern, Worcs, said: 'The nurses didn't notice anything until my partner said to them, you're not actually looking at your patient, her palms and lips are blue - that's a sign of sepsis. 'I'd been like that for a couple of hours at that point. 'Within two minutes of him saying that, I had 11 people in the room. 'You have somebody that's going to stand your ground for you. 'I was in no fit state to argue for myself, I couldn't care for myself. 'I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Hugh.' Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said: 'We are sorry if Kerri is unhappy with the care she received.' The signs and symptoms of sepsis to look out for, according to The UK Sepsis Trust What are the symptoms of sepsis? SEPSIS is a life-threatening reaction to an infection that happens when your immune system overreacts and starts to damage your body's own tissues and organs. Symptoms of sepsis in an adult include: Acting confused, slurred speech or not making sense Blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue – on brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet A rash that does not fade when you roll a glass over it, the same as meningitis Difficulty breathing, breathlessness or breathing very fast Symptoms in a child include: Blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue – on brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet A rash that does not fade when you roll a glass over it, the same as meningitis Difficulty breathing (you may notice grunting noises or their stomach sucking under their ribcage), breathlessness or breathing very fast A weak, high-pitched cry that's not like their normal cry Not responding like they normally do, or not interested in feeding or normal activities Being sleepier than normal or having difficulty waking They may not have all these symptoms. If you think you or someone else has symptoms of sepsis, call 999 or go to A&E. Source: NHS
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Kiss of life: Mother was saved from dying from sepsis during childbirth after partner noticed something wrong when they locked lips
A mother was saved from dying from sepsis during childbirth after her partner noticed that something was wrong when they locked lips. Kerri-Louise Gilchrist gave birth to her daughter Layla, now 11 months, on August 3 last year, under terrifying and life-threatening circumstances. The 33-year-old was induced after her boyfriend, Hugh Marshall, 35, noticed her cold temperature and blue lips while kissing her. Sensing that something was gravely wrong, he immediately alerted doctors to the signs of sepsis and Ms Gilchrist was given an IV drip of antibiotics. Layla was cut out through an episiotomy and eventually delivered successfully with a ventouse. But in the process, Ms Gilchrist lost 2885ml, more than five pints, of blood. Having sat with her feet in stilts for three hours as she waited doctors to remove her placenta, she ultimately required two blood transfusions to save her life. Ms Gilchrist, a carer from Great Malvern, Worcestershire, said that her partner instinctively 'knew there was something wrong' after the pair locked lips. The mother-of-two, who described having 'such an easy' birth with her eight-year-old son Teddy, said that Mr Marshall had not given her a 'proper kiss', but instead a deliberately disguised 'temperature check'. Ms Gilchrist, a carer from Great Malvern, Worcestershire, said that her partner Hugh Marshall (both pictured) instinctively 'knew there was something wrong' after the pair locked lips. The mother-of-two said that Mr Marshall had given her a kiss as a disguised 'temperature check' Recalling the terrifying ordeal, she said: 'The nurses didn't notice anything until my partner said to them, you're not actually looking at your patient, her palms and lips are blue - that's a sign of sepsis. 'I'd been like that for a couple of hours at that point. Within two minutes of him saying that, I had 11 people in the room. 'You have somebody that's going to stand your ground for you. I was in no fit state to argue for myself, I couldn't care for myself. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Hugh.' Sepsis, a life-threatening condition caused by the body's extreme response to infection, results in up to 48,000 deaths in the UK each year, according to the UK Sepsis Trust. A leading cause of death in the UK, its main symptoms include a fever, rapid heart rate and breathing, feelings of confusion and difficulty breathing. Ms Gilchrist said she first noticed her waters breaking on July 28, 2024 when she was only 36 weeks and five days into pregnancy. But despite ringing Worcestershire Royal Hospital with her concerns, she was told twice over three days that she'd 'probably just weed'. After calling the hospital for a third time on August 1, having began to experience reduced mobility, she was eventually admitted. Ms Gilchrist said: 'They did the swab, came back and said, your waters are going. I'd been telling them that since Monday. 'I was induced at 7am on Friday August 2 morning for what ended up being a 36-hour labour until 11pm on Saturday night. 'I was pumped with all sorts because I couldn't stand the pain, so I had an epidural. I'd give birth to my son again every day, it was so easy, but with Layla it was so, so painful.' Adding that medical professionals 'didn't pay any attention to me' and that she only survived due to her partner, a technology professional, noticing the signs, Ms Gilchrist recalled: 'They started the IV drip of antibiotics at 8pm on Friday. 'My daughter was still inside me and they said they wouldn't give me a caesarean because there was somebody else waiting. 'The IV really hurt and I said that to them, it really hurts, it shouldn't hurt. They didn't pay any attention to me. The state of my arm, the vein exploded and caused a blood clot, and it caused tendon damage to two fingers.' Ms Gilchrist was eventually given an episiotomy when Layla started to go into stress. She said: 'After they pulled Layla out, they left me in the stilts for three hours because they hadn't got my placenta. They left me bleeding out. 'They weren't measuring the blood I was losing and told me it was normal.' Describing her partner as 'the sweetest man ever', Ms Gilchrist said that the doctors eventually realised that 'they were killing me', Having lost five pints of blood and requiring two blood transfusions, she then spent four nights in hospital recovering. Later suffering with arm pain due to the blood clot damage, she was unable to hold her daughter 'for a couple of months' and also could not breastfeed due to the trauma blocking her milk supply. Adding that an anesthetist said Ms Gilchrist had been 'pounding on heaven's door', the mother-of-two said medical professionals were 'surprised I'm alive'. She added: 'Doctors put it down as a pre-terminal event, which is the stage before death. 'I'm a stubborn bugger. At some point in there they said, how are you awake? Let alone talking to us right now. I said, I will shut my eyes when I know that I'm going to live. Until that point, I'm not going to shut my eyes. 'There was a point where I don't know if I died, but through the door I saw my mum who'd passed in April 2024. Staying awake was sheer willpower. Whenever I closed my eyes I saw my eight-year-old son, Teddy, and I'd force myself to open my eyes.' What are the key symptoms of sepsis? Sepsis, known as the 'silent killer', strikes when an infection such as blood poisoning sparks a violent immune response in which the body attacks its own organs. In the UK, it affects 245,000 people each year, with 48,000 sepsis-related deaths, according to the UK Sepsis Trust. If caught early enough, it's easily treated with intravenous antibiotics and fluids, but these must be given as soon as sepsis is suspected - it strikes with frightening speed and, for every hour of delay, a patient's chance of dying increases 8 per cent. The six signs of something potentially deadly can be identified by the acronym 'SEPSIS': Slurred speech or confusion. Extreme shivering or muscle pain. Passing no urine in a day. Severe breathlessness. Skin that's mottled or discoloured. Source: NHS UK. Lalya, who spent two additional days in hospital with an IV drip in case the sepsis had passed to her, is now doing 'really well', with Ms Gilchrist describing her as 'totally brilliant' and 'so funny'. But she said that her life-threatening ordeal served as a terrifying reminder that birth can often come with its challenges, adding that 'sometimes it's life or death'. Issuing a stark warning for others to 'trust your gut', Ms Gilchrist added: 'I know my body and I knew something was wrong.' 'Layla's fine, she's good - the one blessing in this. She had to stay in hospital for two days with an IV drip just in case sepsis had passed to her. But she's great. Developmentally, she's doing well. She's totally brilliant, so funny. Justine Jeffery, Director of Midwifery for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said the trust were 'sorry if Ms Gilchrist is unhappy with the care she received from us.' She added: 'We are committed to providing the highest quality care for all the families we look after. 'Ms Gilchrist was closely monitored by our team. It became clear that she would need to have her placenta safely removed under anaesthetic and in sterile conditions and she was transferred to an operating theatre as soon as one was available. 'Her blood loss was also closely monitored and she received a blood transfusion while in theatre and another one subsequently. She remained well and stable following this and was subsequently transferred to our postnatal ward before going home the following day. 'One of our senior midwives talked to Ms Gilchrist about the concerns she had around aspects of her care following the birth of her baby, and we would welcome the opportunity to meet with her again if there are any new or unresolved issues she wants to talk through with us.'
Telegraph
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
The underrated region of the Midlands that inspired Tolkien
The scene from my window at Great Malvern's Mount Pleasant Hotel is achingly English. Looking toward the Severn Valley, I watch the afternoon sun flare across languid green fields, while in the foreground a medieval parish church stands proudly as dense grey rain clouds hover ominously nearby. The 17th-century diarist John Evelyn called the view from the 1,394ft-high summit of the Malvern Hills 'one of the godliest vistas in England', and it's hard to argue. Often mist-strewn, and straddling the counties of Worcestershire and Herefordshire (plus a fragment of northern Gloucestershire), the hills are an eight-mile-long ridge running north to south with the hillside town of Great Malvern acting as its quaint and curious epicentre. The Victorians flocked to this corner of the Midlands in their droves, convinced the newfangled 'water cure' would solve all their problems. Or they'd get a rare hot bath out of it, at any rate. Charles Dickens loved visiting this salubrious spot, and 100 years later, during the 1950s, another British literary titan was just as enamoured. Though for JRR Tolkien, it was the landscape that profoundly affected him and he loved taking walks in the Malvern Hills. Seventy years ago, in 1955, Tolkien published The Return of the King, the last of his epic Lord of the Rings trilogy, and he may well have been inspired by the Malvern Hills when describing some of the book's most notable locations. Like all good authors, Tolkien never discussed his inspirations, leaving that up to his readers, but there are certainly some clues. 'The Severn runs north to south and that's why the hills stick out so much,' says my guide for the day, Dan Johnson. 'Towards Wales, there's the Black Mountains in the distance. And it's very similar to The Lord of the Rings when they're heading to Mordor.' Johnson once worked as a BBC sports journalist, but these days is an outdoor enthusiast, having given up the office to juggle various gigs in the elements, including working as a lifeguard. Clad today in sturdy caramel walking boots, navy shorts and a black Lord of the Rings T-shirt, his Tolkien enthusiasm is perfect for our walk in the author's footsteps. For the uninitiated, Great Malvern's Church Street is on a serious gradient and we've barely reached the lofty Belle Vue Terrace before my thighs start feeling the strain. Mercifully, there's a Victorian drinking spout pouring pure Malvern spring water piped directly from three springs above the town, Happy Valley, Rushey Valley and Ivy Scar Rock. Refreshed, we stroll north along balcony-like Belle Vue Terrace and past the Unicorn pub. Dating back to the 16th century, it's probably the oldest building in Great Malvern and was once used as a staging post between nearby Ledbury and Worcester. Tolkien loved walking with his great friend and fellow novelist CS Lewis, and this timber-framed haunt was their favourite spot for a post-walk pint. 'They were quite fussy about their pubs – Tolkien in particular,' explains Johnson. 'He hated technology and he hated radios. This was back in the Fifties. So apparently, if they went into a pub with the radio playing, he'd turn around and walk out. They decided the pub they liked the best was the Unicorn, as it was quite old-fashioned and served beer in proper glasses.' Unfortunately, I doubt Tolkien would enjoy the place in its current form. My visit the previous evening was soundtracked by the incessant bleeps and bloops of a gambling machine near the bar, while late-1980s Stock, Aitken and Waterman synth pop videos blared from the TV screen. Though it does have a crackling fire, a hallmark of any self-respecting rural pub. Continuing on, we take a serpentine route on this crisp and sunny spring morning through the hillside suburbia of Link Top before looping around past the former homes of composer Edward Elgar and local headteacher George Sayer, a great friend of Tolkien's with whom he would stay when visiting the town to walk the hills. With Lewis, the three of them formed something of a walking power trio, though in very different styles. 'Lewis liked to walk fast and build up a sweat, stomp on and push ahead,' says Johnson, as we walk through a thicket of tangled woodland up into the hills proper. 'Tolkien was completely different. He liked to walk slowly and stop and point at everything, 'What's that plant? What's that tree?' He liked to ponder, but also talk a lot. He didn't like to walk and talk at the same time. He'd always stop to make his point and throw his arms about and gesticulate, which drove Lewis mad.' I always imagined novelists as the genteel type (with occasional exceptions, like Ernest Hemingway and Hunter S Thompson), insular and averse to any sort of physical exercise, but Johnson's colourful descriptions of Tolkien and Lewis make me reconsider. We power on past craggy cliff faces as buzzards hang in the air above, before coming to a high opening where Worcestershire fans out in front of us and the houses we walked by an hour ago now resemble distant Monopoly pieces. As we circle around the track to the 1,302ft summit of North Hill, Great Malvern looks particularly handsome from above. 'The idea that The Shire, where the hobbits are from, is a nice, safe little place, is a bit like Malvern,' says Johnson as we put our bags down to admire the view. 'Obviously other places claim they're what The Shire was based on. But it's certainly based around a small English rural town.' After descending the 99 steps back down to the street level, there are plenty more reasons to stick around. Located down a narrow side street, the superb Carnival Records was named – to the surprise of almost everyone here – one of the best vinyl record shops in the world earlier this year. Heavy on the melted Montgomery cheddar, Belle Vue's Faun plates up one of the finest cheese toasties I've ever had, while back on Church Street Weavers of Malvern pour a smorgasbord of local real and craft ales. And for perhaps the most visceral experience of the hills, the nearby Morgan Motor Company offers the opportunity to take a windswept solo drive around the Malverns in one of their iconic hand-built sports cars. But whether Tolkien took his inspiration from here or not, this tremendously underrated corner of England should be seen in person, and not simply read about. How to do it Direct return trains from London Paddington to Great Malvern start from £63 with Great Western Rail. Double rooms at the Mount Pleasant Hotel cost from £250 per night in season, and £112 out of season. James March was a guest of Visit the Malverns.
