Woman, 21, nearly dies after suffering cardiac arrest while scrolling on her phone
A University student who suffered a seizure and cardiac arrest while scrolling on her phone was forced to graduate from her hospital bed.
Rhianna Mackay was simply sat at home with her parents on her phone when she began to have a seizure in early July.
Thankfully, when Rhianna slipped off the sofa and stopped breathing, her mother Vicky was quickly on hand to perform CPR and their at-home defibrillator proved to be well worth the money after two shocks helped to revive the 21-year-old.
Rhianna was then rushed by ambulance to Caithness General Hospital in Scotland, where she was put into an induced coma before doctors were able to diagnose her with a rare heart condition known as LQTS.
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Rhianna said: "I was in my house, sat on my phone and I started having a seizure. I fell off the couch onto the floor, I'd never had this before.
"Mum's got a lot of training through Scottish rugby and is a volunteer coastguard as well.
"She knew what to do when I was having a seizure and when she realised I wasn't breathing, she started doing CPR on me.
"I think it was more traumatic for my family than me as I can't remember it happening."
Although doctors were able to revive her after a two-hour surgery that saw her fitted with an electronic defibrillator in her chest, she was left devastated after learning that she would miss her graduation day, following three years at Cardiff University.
She added: "It was quite heartbreaking [when I couldn't go to my graduation] as I'd worked so hard for three years to get my degree.
"I know it's just a ceremony but it's a big thing and a big milestone in your life. It was quite a blow.
"My dad hunted high and low for that little cap.
"I told the nurses I was in hospital on my graduation day and they bought me a little cake, it was really nice and thoughtful.
"Hopefully next year I'll be able to go and get my certificate on stage and have the day.
"Not many people can say they graduated from university in hospital."
Rhianna was also informed by doctors that she would need to take beta blockers for the rest of her life as a treatment for LQTS, which can cause serious problems with a person's heart rhythm and in serious cases, fainting, seizures, cardiac arrest or even death.
But thankfully the young student, who is now searching for a job as she continues to recover from the intense medical episode, is looking on the bright side of things.
She concluded: "I've got quite a positive outlook on it. The other outcome and the reality of it is I could have been dead.
"To have the medication and the defibrillator, it's fine because the alternative was a lot worse.
"I'm extremely lucky that I was in the room with my mum [when it happened] and she was able to do something.
"There are no words that can describe how thankful I am for her to do this and save my life."
James Moorhouse