Severe migraine leaves mother of three struggling to breathe

As Rosalind Kelly was being flown through the sky in a race to get to hospital, her husband and baby followed in a car below. 

The nightmare was brought on by a migraine which quickly escalated into something more sinister when Rosalind lost her speech and sensation to half of her body, developed a dangerously elevated heart rate and began having trouble breathing.  

Rosalind, who has battled with migraines since she was nine, has been told by her neurologist that she suffers from “the mother of all migraines”, caused by hypersensitivity of the brain stem.  

The 44-year-old music teacher and kaiāwhina (supporter) for mums and babies’, carries a Sumatriptan injection with her, which she injects into her leg to relieve migraines.   

“The first sign of my migraines is usually flashing lights across my vision. As soon as that happens, I jab myself with an injection and lie down with my eyes closed,” she said.  

After resting for a couple of hours, Rosalind’s symptoms of hemiparaesthesia (numbness in half of her body) and dysarthria (inability to speak) usually subside, but in April 2021, the injection didn’t work.  

“I’d followed my usual routine, but for some reason, my migraine wasn’t getting any better. My head just kept getting worse, my slurred speech wasn’t improving, and I had lost the feeling to half of my body,” Rosalind said.  

After a couple of hours, with her symptoms worsening, Rosalind’s husband Louis drove her to the Hanmer Springs Health Centre with their 9-month old baby. Their two older children were at preschool at the time.  

Rosalind was seen by the medical team within minutes, but her level of consciousness started deteriorating. As the migraine worsened, it began to affect her heart, leaving her struggling to breathe. 

Staff urgently called for a Westpac Rescue Helicopter, which arrived within an hour.  

When Rosalind was loaded into the helicopter, her husband Louis gave her a kiss and said “you’re in good hands. We’ll see you soon”.  

He then jumped in the car with their baby and followed the chopper 135km to Christchurch Hospital while Louis’ mother looked after their other two children. 

Rosalind described the experience as a blur but remembered seeing the helicopter paramedics in their red suits enter the room. 

“I was drifting in and out of consciousness. I was quite confused, and I didn’t know what was going on. It took me a while to realise I was in the chopper.”  

“I had a lot of confidence in the medical staff that helped me and the decisions they were making. I knew I was in good hands, so I wasn’t panicked because I knew they were doing what needed to be done, and the chopper was the quickest way to get me help.”  

Rosalind arrived at Christchurch Hospital promptly, where she was given intravenous medication and had her heart monitored.  

One of the helicopter paramedics texted Louis to say they had arrived safely and that she was doing well, a huge relief to the worried husband and father. 

As the migraine eased, Rosalind regained consciousness and was relieved to find Louis and their baby waiting for her. She was able to go home that evening. 

The days that followed saw Rosalind struggling to regain her speech and taking it easy as her head was still tender, causing her to feel significant pain if she stood up too quickly.  

Looking back, Rosalind is grateful for the swift response of the clinic staff and helicopter paramedics. She believes that without the urgent call out to the helicopter, the outcome could have become a lot more serious.  

She’s looking forward to Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa’s Night for Flight event to raise funds for the Westpac Rescue Helicopters.  

“We’re so lucky to live in this beautiful part of the world, but there are some sacrifices we have to make, like being far from major hospitals,” Rosalind said.  

“When I think about our community, it’s filled with children, the elderly, and people we deeply care about. If any of them, or their loved ones, faced a medical emergency, we’d all want the very best care, delivered as quickly as possible. That’s why this cause means so much to me, and why I’m proud to support it.”