When Jo and her husband David moved to a remote cattle station between Mitchell and St George to raise a family, they became very aware of how isolated they were and registered for an RFDS Medical Chest for peace of mind.
Little did they know the chest, and the RFDS would save their six-month-old daughter Millie when she had a seizure on the property.
“She had woken up warm in the night,” Jo said.
“It was the first time that she had spiked a fever before, so I gave her some Nurofen and she went back to sleep again.
“The next morning, she woke up warm again, and while I was feeding her, she started having a seizure.”
As a registered nurse and a first-aid trainer, Jo suspected it was a febrile convulsion, but when she attempted to call emergency services for help, she went into shock and forgot their address.
Knowing it would be a two-hour drive to Roma or a three-hour drive to Charleville, Jo opened her RFDS Medical Chest and called the Flying Doctor.
“A telehealth doctor answered, and I have never felt more looked after in my life,” Jo said.
“He talked me through the whole thing, and told me exactly what to do with her, then organised a RFDS flight for us.”
Millie was flown to Charleville Hospital where she stayed for two nights for observation.
Since then, Millie has had multiple febrile convulsions, including a 70-minute seizure when she was three years old.
“Knowing Millie is susceptible, we just don’t leave anything to chance,” Jo said.
“The RFDS and the RFDS Medical Chest have been a lifeline for her.
“We couldn’t live out here if we didn’t have access to it.”
Millie is now your typical energetic five-year-old embracing her childhood in the outback.
