A father who suffered a massive heart attack and collapsed – only for his wife to be told there was no ambulance available – has relived his terrifying ordeal.
Michael Heafey, 62, opened up about the horrendous experience as he recovered from a triple heart bypass operation at home in Ardrishaig, Argyll.
In an exclusive video interview with the Press and Journal, he said had it not been for the quick actions of his wife and neighbour in rushing him to hospital, he would not be here today to tell his story.
Michael, who works in recycling at a landfill site in Lochgilphead, said his first aid training kicked in – and he remembered to repeatedly cough as he battled to survive.
The harrowing incident unfolded at home with wife Grace, 63, on July 14 just before 6am.
‘I was screaming’
He said: “I am usually an early riser in the morning for work. I got up that particular morning and I just felt pains in my chest. I knew there was something severely wrong.
“I shouted Grace, I was screaming. I was violently sick.
“I do not have much recollection. After the second call to the ambulance I have no recollection.
“I was just in complete agony. I knew myself it was a heart attack because of the agony and the fact I have experienced it before, although not as bad. I was really scared.
“I had this feeling before. I suffered a heart attack in 2014. I was screaming out in pain.
“I was aware of my wife calling 999. The pain was so severe, I think I lost consciousness for a while.”
Grace, 63, phoned 999 twice before giving up and seeking the help of her 70-year-old neighbour Joan Ralston, who was there within five minutes and drove them the three miles to Mid Argyll Community Hospital in Lochgilphead.
Michael said: “How Grace and Joan managed to get me down the outside steps and into that car I have no idea. Grace is small and I’m pretty tall and hefty. Joan is a 70-year-old lady.
“I owe so much to these two, and also the staff in the hospital. But particularly my neighbour and my wife. Because without them I wouldn’t be here today, telling the story.
“Something needs to be done about the lack of ambulances. I didn’t realise there was such a shortage until it happened to me.”
Grace said: “He had recently suffered a fall at work. The doctors had said it was either internal bruising or broken ribs. So that morning at first I wasn’t sure if this was to do with the ribs.
“When I first phoned 999 I explained we needed an ambulance. I didn’t know if this was anything to do with the fall. That’s when they said it would be muscular.
“Two or three minutes later he was screaming and holding his chest – this wasn’t muscular.”
Michael opens up about the panic he felt in our video –
‘I needed an ambulance – like now’
“I phoned again and said I need an ambulance – like now. They asked for my postcode and when I replied they said sorry, there wasn’t an ambulance available.
“I asked, can you not hear him howling? I phoned my neighbour Joan and between the two of us we got him down and into the car.”
She continued: “When we arrived at hospital I rang the bell.
“An ambulance was sitting outside the hospital. I was told that just because there was an ambulance there, doesn’t mean there is a fleet of drivers.
“I had to wait outside in the car. An hour and a half later I went in to find out what was happening and was told he had a massive heart attack and would be going by helicopter to the Golden Jubilee Hospital in Clydebank.”
The Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) issued a public apology to the family when daughter Karen Heafey, 40, spoke out about the incident earlier this month.
A spokeswoman said a full investigation had been launched.
‘No-one has been in touch…’
In a statement last week, the SAS and NHS explained that the situation is the result of a post-lockdown spike in admissions to A&E wards, which are still operating at reduced capacity due to Covid.
It means that, in many cases, paramedics are being forced to wait hours before being able to take patients through hospital doors.
It means staff are “under more pressure than at any other time throughout the pandemic”.
Health chiefs also appealed for people to do their bit to help, by only calling 999 when absolutely necessary.
However, Karen said: “No-one has contacted myself or my dad personally. When people have contacted the ambulance service on our behalf they said they have issued an apology.
“But no-one has been in touch with us. I raised a complaint and they have all my contact details.”