Heart attack victim gives praise

Feb 21 2008 by Louise Dicks, Gwent Gazette

A MAN who thought he may die while having a heart attack has praised a criticism-riddled ambulance service and NHS, writes LOUISE DICKS.

David Hayward, of Cwmcelyn, Blaina, said he thought the “plug had been pulled on my life” when he suffered a heart attack at his home two weeks ago.

However, he says he can’t thank enough the paramedics who came to his aid and who were on the scene within four minutes.

“They get so much bad press these days that I just want people to know about the good work they do and say thank you,” says the 61-year-old.

“I am so grateful to the three paramedics that came to the house and one of them even came to visit me at the end of her shift to see how I was doing, I thought that was lovely, especially after a 13-hour shift.”

Mr Hayward only knows the names of two of the paramedics, Andrea Morris and Paul Williams.

Mr Hayward, who is the father of rugby player and boxer Byron Hayward, started to feel ill while at home with partner Gaynor one morning.

Paramedics worked on him for 10 minutes inside the house and also in the ambulance on the way to hospital in Abergavenny.

“The only way I can describe it is like the plug had been pulled on my life and all the life drained out of me,” he says.

Mr Hayward spent five days in hospital and has to undergo rehabilitation before he can return to work as a cleaner with Blaenau Gwent Council.

Doctors say the heart attack was a result of Mr Hayward’s smoking and he admits he has smoked 200 cigarettes a week since the age of 11, but has always kept fit through walking and says he did not think something like this would happen to him.

Since this scare he has not touched a cigarette. And he had a word of advice for other smokers.

“Pack it in! Every time I even feel like smoking one now, I know it’s not worth it,” he said.