Craig Arras’ heart has been quite disruptive to the Geraldine community. It’s stopped a soccer game and brought the volunteer fire crew out at night.
“We won’t have that issue now we have a helipad though,” Craig says.
Craig has had a tough few years. It wasn’t long after recovering from “a bout of cancer” that he had his first heart attack in 2011. He was only 40 years old.
In the years that followed he had the same heart attack two more times.
“I had no idea what was happening to me. It was pain like I had never experienced and I’d never felt so hot, yet I was cold to touch.”
He didn’t think it was his heart; he’d had a stent inserted to fix that. The Westpac Rescue Helicopter was called.
“There was a soccer game going on at the domain so they had to clear everyone out so the rescue helicopter could land.”
It turned out Craig’s stent had blocked. Doctors fixed the problem and Craig returned home to Geraldine.
Two years later, when Craig started feeling unwell at his daughter’s rugby game, he had an inkling his heart was again to blame.
“This time the pain just got worse and worse and I felt tight across my chest and the back of my shoulders.”
Hato Hone St John arrived first, then the fire crew. When they established he was having a heart attack they called the rescue helicopter.
“I said ‘that’s a bit extreme; doesn’t the rescue helicopter only get called for really serious cases?’ That’s when I realised how serious my case was.”
This time, the fire crew had to bring the trucks out to light up a spot where the helicopter could land near the back of the fire station.
“Both times I’ve needed the rescue helicopter I’ve been amazed at how quickly they arrived and got me to Christchurch Hospital. It’s a fantastic service with amazing people; really quite incredible.”
After Craig’s third heart attack, and thanks to some updated medical technology, specialists worked out that Craig needed a larger stent. They have since replaced Craig’s stent with one that’s twice the size.
While Craig’s hoping he won’t need the rescue helicopter any time soon, he says it’s great to see Geraldine now has a dedicated emergency helipad.
“When faced with a health emergency the faster we can get treatment the more chance we have of surviving. The rescue helicopter is a lifesaver and the new Geraldine helipad will make it easier and faster to access this vital service.”
