Flight surgeon makes sky-high save

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Benjamin Raughton
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  Capt. Lindsay Matney, 96th Bomb Squadron flight surgeon, was awarded the Air Force Commendation medal by 2nd Bomb Wing Commander, Col. Andrew Gebara, Thursday.

During a medical crisis onboard an aircraft en route to Alaska in March, Matney saved the life of a flight attendant, as she was returning home from a deployment.

The crisis occurred overnight while Matney was trying to sleep during the flight.

"Other officers walked past and kicked me awake and told me I was needed," she said. "At first, I thought they were just playing a practical joke on me because I'd just fallen asleep. It was around 4 a.m."

When Matney turned around, she noticed a flight attendant lying on the floor behind the passenger cabin. Matney was thankful she had her stethoscope with her and quickly went to work on the patient.

"I thought, 'This isn't good," when I got there, a lot of people were crowding around her," said Matney. "She was hyperventilating and not breathing too well."

Matney listened to the flight attendant's lungs, and they sounded congested, which is a sound doctors describe as wheezing. The remaining flight staff was also able to assist Matney by providing whatever materials she needed that were on-board.

"We took an oxygen bottle and rigged it up to a facemask like one that would drop down during depressurization," said Matney. "We put her on some oxygen and put wet, cool rags on her to get her to calm down since was overheating. Then we worked on her breathing and keeping the oxygen flowing."

Under Matney's care, the flight attendant's breathing became stable, and she was able to stop working and take a seat while Matney continued to monitor her breathing. Fortunately, no further intervention was necessary, and the attendant was able to sleep for much of the remainder of the flight.

"I became a doctor to help people," said Matney. "It just so happens every day I take care of Airmen and work for the greatest military in the world, so it's gratifying enough to know she got better. The award is just the icing on the cake."