Dr Adele Millard is an anthropologist, who works with Traditional Owners to ensure that places of cultural importance to Aboriginal Australians aren’t impacted by development.
Last year she was working in a remote area outside of Newman as Cyclone Olga was bearing down on the Pilbara coast. As a lifelong asthmatic, Adele began to experience what she assumed were thunderstorm asthma symptoms.
Adele returned to the base camp, but her asthma medication wasn’t improving her breathing, she felt fatigued and had a cough she couldn’t control. A colleague rushed her to WA Country Health Service's Newman Health Service.
“I told the staff ‘I've never had an asthma attack like this before,’” she said.
Doctors provided Adele with oxygen but her condition continued to deteriorate.
The team recognised the urgent need for specialist care and made the arrangements to transfer her to a tertiary hospital via the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
“When I heard that they were going to fly me to Perth with the Royal Flying Doctor Service, I felt a huge sense of relief," she said.
During the RFDS flight Doctor Daniel Tucker began to question whether Adele was suffering from pulmonary oedema.
“That is a fancy way of saying fluid on the lungs and that can occur following a cardiac emergency. It can also cause a wheeze which is what led to the original diagnosis of asthma,” Dr Daniel recalled.
"He said to me, ‘I think the reason you're not responding to treatment is because it's not your lungs that are the problem - I think it might be your heart.’ He changed the treatment, and within 10 minutes, my rate of decline had slowed considerably," Adele said.
Adele was taken to Fiona Stanley Hospital underwent open heart surgery, during which more than 700ml of blood was drained from her lungs. Doctors confirmed she had suffered a papillary muscle rupture, causing mitral valve regurgitation - her heart was pumping blood into her lungs.
“The enormity of Dr Daniel's diagnosis didn't hit me until two days later and I kept being told by all the doctors and nurses how lucky I was,” Adele said.
“I have absolutely no doubt that the Royal Flying Doctor changing my treatment was critical in helping me to reach the end of the journey alive.”
“I had some amazing cardiologists in Perth, but it all started with the Royal Flying Doctor Service - they played that vital role in getting me to specialist care.”
Dr Daniel said it’s an honour and a privilege to retrieve patients experiencing a medical emergency in remote or regional areas.
“To know I correctly diagnosed Adele’s illness and started an effective initial treatment while we transferred her to hospital is incredibly satisfying and I am so glad that I was able to contribute a small part to the good outcome she has had,” he said.
“I'm forever grateful to the Royal Flying Doctor Service, because without it, I would never have got to specialist medical care that I needed.”
