Cleaning spray left mum fighting for life

Instead, she came within minutes of losing her life - all because of a household cleaning spray.

The 27-year-old gave the spray "a couple of skooshes" before suffering an extreme allergic reaction to a chemical in the cleaning detergent.

She made a desperate 999 call from her Corstorphine flat before collapsing as her two-year old daughter Mya looked on helpless.

Her life was only saved by the swift attendance and quick-thinking of paramedics.

The hospital support worker was so grateful to the team who saved her she sought them out with Mya to say a special "thank you" at the city's ambulance station at Peffermill.

Ms Paterson had never experienced any kind of allergic reaction before, and thought she was merely suffering an asthma attack on August 18.

She said: "We've had a bit of a problem with dampness in the flat, and because it's rented I hadn't got round to buying my own cleaning products.

"I opened Mya's drawer, saw the mould, and gave it a couple of skooshes of a mould-killer spray I found.

"Straight away my throat tightened up. I thought I was having an asthma attack, but when I took my inhaler nothing changed and I knew there was something seriously wrong."

At that point she reached for the phone to call 999, but could only gasp half of her Forrester Road address to the operator.

"I then remember collapsing and trying to crawl to the flat door and opening it, before blanking out," she said.

"I have vague memories of Mya stroking my head, and at the time I was so worried for her being in alone while I was out cold. Next thing I knew I was in resuscitation."

For the three paramedics who arrived on the scene, it was not a straightforward call.

The only clue they had to her condition was the inhaler lying beside her, and the trio - Paul Gaughan, 38, Graeme Tilbury, 34, and Mat Stephenson, 32 - had to act fast.

Mr Gaughan said: "When I saw how young she was, and of course the wee one on her own, my jaw hit the floor.

"I knew we had to make it right for both of them."

Working on the assumption she had suffered a severe asthma attack, the crew began treating Ms Paterson, who in fact had gone into anaphylactic shock.

Another problem presented itself when police, who had also arrived at the scene, attempted to track down family members. Her partner and Mya's father Sandy Douglas has a different surname so they were unable to trace him quickly, while her mother Irene didn't hear her mobile phone ring. Fortunately, Mya pointed out to officers which car was the family's, and through that they were able to track down Mr Douglas.

"She was an absolute star throughout the whole thing," added Ms Paterson. "I think she's young enough that she won't remember the whole thing or be scarred by it.

"All she ever says every now and then is 'Mummy was silly to go to sleep outside'."

Once stabilised, she was rushed to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary while Mya remained with police.

And far from simply finding her and taking her to hospital, it was the intervention by the paramedics that saved her life.

"That's what the consultant told me, if they hadn't done what they had done it would have been a far different outcome, and when I asked what that was, the answer was a coma or death.

"I just wanted to thank them in person, because I could just walk past them on the street and never know.

"It's given me a bit of closure as well. They just shrug it off as they do it every day, but it's not like that for everyone else, and I wanted them to know they are miracle workers,"

The consultant involved even took the rare step of dropping a note to the paramedics congratulating them on the clinical decisions they took which saved Ms Paterson's life.

Paramedic Mr Gaughan added: "I popped my head in to see how she was doing when we got to the hospital. Obviously in this job you have to always be moving onto the next call, but with her being so young and the wee one involved, it wasn't one you forget."

His colleague Mr Stephenson said while the service received "thank you" cards from the public quite often, to be tracked down personally was somewhat more unusual.

As well as the heartfelt gratitude, Ms Paterson also gave the three a bottle of champagne each, adding: "I just wish I could give them more. If I was a millionaire I'd write them all million-pound cheques."

Ms Paterson spent the night in hospital before deciding she felt well enough to go home.

"I think the fact I knew what caused it helps," she said. "I've never been around that sort of thing before so I've just been told to stay well away from it. I now carry medication in case it does happen. I try not to think about the whole thing too much because you have to move on.

"At first when I went back to the house I felt a bit funny because I could see all the stuff I'd scattered around in my panic, but it's become much easier."

Her mum Irene Handy, 52, added: "Ambulance workers can get a lot of flak, but they really deserve more recognition for the amazing job they do."

ALLERGIC REACTION THAT CAN BE TRIGGERED BY ALMOST ANYTHING

ANAPHYLACTIC shock is known for striking in people who suffer from nut allergies, though it can be sparked by an allergic reaction to almost anything.

The attack hits the whole body, and anyone suffering it needs urgent medical attention or could risk permanent disability or even death.

The first signs are itching and swelling, which can occur in the throat if an allergic substance has been eaten or inhaled.

The reaction spreads throughout the body as blood pressure plummets, meaning an adrenalin injection is needed.

Those at risk are warned that, even if an attack doesn't occur for some time, they will never be guaranteed to be free of it.

It isn't clear why some people get it while others don't.