Nicky Defries

My name is Nicky Defries. 

 On Wednesday 12 July 2017 at about 11.45 I was cycling home from my yoga class, when a lorry hit me from behind and then ran over my right leg and left foot with its two double back wheels. I remained conscious and in agony, until someone said to me after what seemed a very long time, ‘Nicky I am a doctor and I am going to take all the pain away.’

What I know now, but did not then was that my right leg was severely injured. I had lost all the fat, some muscle and most of the skin from my leg, as well as breaking my knee in two places.

I never saw the doctor, and would not be able to even recognise his voice again, but my husband, Tony, who arrived on the scene has told me he was amazing. The police would not let Tony near me, but told the doctor he had arrived, apparently the doctor took the time to kindly and compassionately speak to him and continually update him during the period of time that he and his team worked on me on the kerb side. This apparently took about an hour to an hour and a half. 

This doctor and his team I now know were from London’s Air Ambulance, and that day they saved my leg from being amputated

My recovery since that day was long and gruelling, both physically and psychologically. I was in hospital for four and half weeks, and had six operations. When I was discharged I had frequent hospital appointments for dressing changes, twice, sometimes three times a week, which could take up to two hours, as well as two further operations.

My goal was to walk again, normally and unaided and finally to ski again.

By following a rigorous rehabilitation programme I managed to get rid of my wheel chair by the November, my Crutches were returned to the hospital in the following March, and by May 2018 I ditched my walking stick.  And I skied for the first time in December 2018, 17 months after my accident.

As many of you know in the early days of my rehabilitation I raised just over £6000.00 for London's Air Ambulance by swimming 175 miles.  That was my first challenge. My second challenge was completed last year when  I climbed Snowden via the 'Crib Goch' route with my friend Kara.

As most of you know this year Tony and I had signed up to do the cycle ride, the Prudential 100. This has meant me getting back on my bike and cycling, which I have done. Sadly due to Covid 19 the race has been cancelled. So we are now doing the Abseil instead, which is in some ways just as frightening for me because I am very frightened of heights!

So the third year since my accident I will have hopefully completed two rather daunting challenges!

Tony and I are very aware that due to Covid many people have experienced hardship, so we do not want anyone to feel they must donate, and for those who want to, but are struggling, just give the cost of a cup of coffee, no-one has to donate vast amounts as, 'Every penny does count'.

And finally THANK YOU from both of us, as we have said before you, friends, neighbours and family since 12 July 2017 onwards have shown us what true friendship really means.

London’s Air Ambulance is the charity that delivers an advanced trauma team to London’s most seriously injured patients. Your donation will help save more lives by keeping the helicopter in the air and the rapid response cars on the road, ready for when they are needed most. By providing intervention as quickly as possible after injury, London’s Air Ambulance Charity aims to give patients the best chance of survival, and best quality of life, after trauma.