A BIKER who was flung over a car bonnet after being involved in a collision in Barnsley has recalled the incident - and admits he thought he was dying.
Greg Mason, 32, had just set off on a ride with friends on his late father’s motorbike when he was in a collision with a car at a junction, just minutes from home.
The impact threw him over the bonnet and several metres off the road, leaving him with a severe leg injury.
Seeing what had happened and realising the seriousness of the crash, his friend immediately called 999 for help.
Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s Nostell-based Critical Care Team, consisting of Dr Dan Slane and paramedic Sam Berridge, were dispatched to the scene, arriving by air within minutes.
Greg’s ordeal was featured on Yorkshire Air 999 last Friday.
Greg was conscious and using gas and air to manage his pain as the team carried out a primary assessment.
He had sustained a closed fracture to his femur, the strongest bone in the body, causing extreme pain and concern for potential internal bleeding or nerve damage.
With his pain escalating, the YAA team administered ketamine, a medication commonly used in emergency medicine for its fast-acting, dissociative properties, to provide stronger pain relief.
Once the medication took effect, Greg’s leg was carefully straightened to realign the fracture and reduce pressure on surrounding blood vessels and nerves.
Sam said: “As the Air Ambulance, we carry a wider range of medications than a standard land ambulance, including ketamine, which works quickly to relieve pain and help patients relax.
” In Greg’s case, it allowed us to realign his leg safely and apply the traction splint.
“With a broken femur, the two bone ends can rub together, causing severe pain and sometimes damaging nearby nerves and blood vessels, so being able to straighten and stabilise the leg early makes a huge difference.”
Once stabilised, Greg was transferred to the awaiting land ambulance for the short journey to Barnsley Hospital.
Despite his significant injuries, he stayed in good spirits, asking about the condition of his late father’s bike, which, to his relief, had survived the crash.
He spent 11 days in hospital and is now recovering at home.
Speaking about the incident, Greg said: “The pain was the worst I’ve ever felt.
“I honestly thought I was dying at one point.
“A large piece of my femur had come away and was floating in my leg, so surgeons had to go through the side of my leg to retrieve it and pin everything back together.
“I’ve been told it could take a year before I walk normally again.
“Some days I can manage short distances, other days I can’t put my foot on the floor.
“But I’m staying positive and using my exercise bike every day to get my mobility back.”
