A Kinross man had a brush with death when the pain from a ruptured spleen led to him crashing his car.
Surgeons at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, told Iain Morrison he was five minutes away from dying after he lost litres of blood following his fall at Glenshee, where he had been snowboarding.
Not realising the seriousness of the incident, the 41-year-old activity instructor was driving towards Blairgowrie when his car veered across the road and crashed into a wall.
A motorist phoned for an ambulance and, when paramedics arrived at the scene, they found Mr Morrison’s spleen had been ruptured, leading to heavy internal bleeding.
Reliving the shocking incident, Mr Morrison said: “If another five minutes had gone by, I would have been dead.
“I was taken straight into theatre and had my spleen taken out. I was bleeding heavily internally that kind of blood loss should have been fatal.
“The next thing I knew I woke up hooked up to ventilators and machines. I am so grateful to the Ninewells staff that saved me, from the paramedics through to the surgeons.”
Mr Morrison said he could remember falling in Glenshee and “seeing stars” but added that he felt fit enough to drive home.
“I was dazed and winded but I hadn’t been knocked unconscious and I felt fine,” he added.
“I got into my car, thinking the worst that I had was a cracked rib so I didn’t bother going to hospital. I was driving back towards Blairgowrie and the pain suddenly got really bad.
“I’ve had a few bumps and knocks over the years but nothing like this. If people fall like that, it pays to get checked out.
“I was lucky I didn’t die and I am fit and healthy. The driver who stopped was great and I must thank him for his swift actions.”