After developing pneumonia in hospital, he was placed in an induced coma to allow his body to rest, after which he had to get back to breathing by himself again.
“Coming out of the coma they weighed me and I’d lost 15kg, I was pale and skinny and looked ill. I usually worked out a lot in the gym so it was tough to see,” he said.
Intensive rehab followed in the spinal injuries centre where he relearned how to sit, stand, walk and write.
Despite the severity of his injuries and the uncertainty about his future, from the moment he arrived at the Northern General Hospital, Bartlett described the care as “outstanding”.
“The care in ICU was truly incredible. They were on top of everything and I knew they just wanted the best for me and were looking after me.
“The respiratory team were also amazing – they were called numerous times during the night and were always there.”
