Adrian Brooking, 55, from Clifton, Nottingham, was found unconscious and 'stone cold' in bed by his wife Julie in the early hours of April 30, after his insulin pump malfunctioned overnight. His blood sugar had dropped to 0.8mmol/L, a level doctors said was 'not compatible with life.'
Wife's discovery and desperate attempts to revive him
Julie Brooking, 49, woke up needing the bathroom and noticed her husband in an unusual position. She initially joked, but when she shook him, he was 'stone cold and rock hard.' She and their son Oliver, 28, called 999 and tried to resuscitate Adrian. The operator guided them to move him to the floor for chest compressions. Oliver used a 'bear hug' technique, which caused Adrian to gasp and regain semi-consciousness.
Paramedics arrived and treated Adrian with glucose before rushing him to Queen's Medical Centre. Doctors later told him he was 'the luckiest man in here' and 'shouldn't be alive.'
Insulin pump malfunction
Adrian had type 1 diabetes since 1984 and switched to an Omnipod 5 insulin pump six years ago. The device had worked without issues until that night. The system failed and dispensed a large amount of insulin while his blood sugar was already low. His normal range is 4-7mmol/L, but it dropped to 0.8mmol/L.
Adrian said he felt fine before bed after attending choir practice in Lincoln. He remembers only glimpses: 'seeing three faces above me' and 'the feeling of going up a ramp.'
Hospital treatment and recovery
At the hospital, Adrian received glucose, insulin, a saline drip for dehydration, and antibiotics to prevent sepsis. He was discharged after two days but continues recovery at home. The incident left him with atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm, requiring tablets and blood thinners.
Julie, his full-time carer, said: 'I thought I'd lost him, I thought he was already gone. It'll take months for his body to heal, but I'm grateful he is alive.'
Manufacturer investigation
Insulet, manufacturer of the Omnipod 5, said in a statement: 'We are deeply concerned to hear about Mr Brooking's experience... We have been in contact with Mr Brooking and are actively reviewing the report through our established post-market monitoring processes.'
Adrian hopes to meet the paramedics who saved his life. Julie added: 'Now I naturally wake up at 3am and roll over to check he is okay. I would never want to go through something like that again.'
