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full screen Magnus Kviske with his partner Maja. Photo: Private
Magnus Kviske saved the life of his pregnant partner when she had a cardiac arrest.
Now he wants to urge everyone to take a course in CPR.
– If I hadn’t known what to do, she probably wouldn’t have survived, he says.
April 28 started as a completely ordinary morning for Magnus Kviske, 49, and his partner Maja.
– We woke up early and lay and talked in bed as we always do. I picked up my book to read when I suddenly heard a snoring sound. I looked up and saw that she was breathing very heavily and immediately understood that something was wrong, he says.
Support by phone
Magnus Kviske called 112 and put the phone next to the speaker. He moved Maja to the floor to begin CPR.
– I spoke to the emergency operator who was with me in the moment before the paramedics arrived. It felt like an eternity. You have time to go through so many incredible emotions.
The operator asked Magnus Kviske to count out loud with her, which was very helpful.
– I became like a machine. 30, blow, blow, 30, blow, blow. Over and over again. After a while I became aware of what was happening. I thought I was losing her. It became harder and harder to count out loud. The crying stopped and I thought she was dead.
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full screen Magnus performed CPR on his roommate for eleven minutes before the ambulance arrived. Archive image. Photo: Stina Stjernkvist/TT
After eleven minutes the paramedics poured into the room.
– The staff moved me away and took out a defibrillator. Then the heart started. I want to say a big thank you to the staff we met along the way. From the alarm operator to the ambulance staff, intensive care and emergency.
Education was beneficial
Magnus Kviske’s partner was pregnant when she had a cardiac arrest. Today, according to the circumstances, both she and the child are doing well.
– On December 8, a new little person will arrive and all the checks look great. The staff told me that I have not only saved one person’s life, but two.
How did you learn CPR?
– Over the years, I have taken a few CPR courses. Then I drove medical transport during covid and then I trained again. All the knowledge was there in the back of my head when Maja’s heart stopped and I learned that on the course.
How are you thinking now?
– I am very proud of what I did. I want to tell you about this to encourage everyone to learn CPR, it saves lives, he says and continues:
– After all, it is my partner who has been affected. This is my version of the incident as a relative. She is the one who has had to take the hit and operate on a defibrillator. She is my hero, he says.
What song did you use to keep the beat?
– The classic “Stayin’ Alive” with the Bee Gees. It has been around for a while and is a good guideline for compressions.
Magnus Kviske has received a lot of support from the National Heart and Lung Association, where he has heard the stories of other relatives.
– I hope that someone who has been in a similar situation reads this and maybe feels a little less alone.