A WOMAN who underwent a life-saving operation 35,000ft in the air yesterday put the ordeal behind her and got married.
Ms Paula Dixon survived thanks to a combination of quick thinking and improvisation by two doctors aboard the fateful flight.
They performed emergency surgery using a coathanger, sticky tape, a bottle of mineral water, and a catheter tube after the divorced mother-of-three's lung collapsed on a 14-hour trip from Hong Kong.
Yesterday, however, only love was in the air as Ms Dixon tied the knot in the British colony with her second husband, Thomas Galster from Germany.
After the ceremony, the new Mrs Galster, 39, whose ordeal was re-enacted dramatically on the BBC's 999 TV series, revealed that an American film company was interested in making a movie of the story.
Mr Galster, 31, a factory manager, proposed just days after meeting Ms Dixon when she arrived in Hong Kong last May for a three-week trip to see her sister, Kathleen, 45.
However, the engaged couple were involved in a motor-cycle crash en route to the airport for her flight back to London.
Although Ms Dixon, who had lived in Aberdeen for 14 years, walked away from the accident, apparently with only a bruised arm, she became ill 20 minutes into the flight.
Nottingham-based surgeon Professor Angus Wallace and Dundee-based Dr Tom Wong battled to save her as she lay across a row of seats.
Ms Dixon, who now lives in Hong Kong, said: ``If it wasn't for the doctors, I wouldn't be here today. I can't thank them enough. I'd have loved them to be here for my big day but they are both very busy men who are tired of the publicity.''
She plans to visit her family on her honeymoon later this month, including daughters Samantha, 20, and Kirsty, 18, who live in Aberdeen. Her son Curtis, 12, lives with her first husband in Newcastle.
Yesterday, Professor Wallace was not available for comment but his private secretary claimed he wasn't interested in the wedding. ``Paula's getting married, well ho ho ho,'' she said. ``As far as Professor Wallace is concerned, it's all over and done with. It's of no interest to him.''
Dr Wong, a senior house officer at Dundee's Ninewells Hospital, said: ``It's great news and I'm very happy for her. I would be delighted to see her again when she comes to Scotland.''
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