Doreen was enjoying her pre-Christmas holiday down south in Denmark when she awoke to a burning sensation and tightness in her chest.
She went to lift her arms to get out of bed but they flopped back down beside her.
“It was a scary experience, I immediately began to panic,” she said.
Her partner Leith woke up and took her pulse when he noticed she was also having difficulty breathing.
Recognising the situation, Leith called 000 straight away. The ambulance arrived and took Doreen to the Denmark emergency unit.
The nurse’s assessment confirmed Doreen had had a heart attack and she was immediately transferred to Albany for retrieval by the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS).
“I am not overly keen on flying but the RFDS staff were very considerate and the Flight Nurse held my hand to get me through the flight to Perth,” she said.
“The flight went by so quickly, I was there before I knew it!
“Being transported with the RFDS was brilliant. I couldn’t fault anything, the staff were fantastic.”
Shortly after arriving at the Flying Doctor’s Jandakot aero medical base, Doreen was taken to Fiona Stanley Hospital for an angiogram and observation and subsequently discharged with strict instructions to rest and slow down. Recovering well, Doreen is appreciative of the RFDS who looked after her and flew her to the specialist care she needed.
“Having now been in a situation where I needed the RFDS, I can truly understand what people go through,” she said.
“Leith and I see the RFDS planes fly over us from time to time. We always look up and are grateful to have them servicing Western Australia.”
Leith was very happy and relieved to have his go-getter wife in the hands of the Flying Doctor and safely returned home to him.
“The Royal Flying Doctor Service is the most amazing thing in Australia. They are such an incredible organisation who provide emergency care to those in need,” Leith said.
