Ricky Te Whare in his Dunedin home. Photo by Gerard O'Brien.
Wife Sheryl made him see a doctor, even though she could not pinpoint anything wrong with him.
About 10 years ago, Mr Te Whare (51) was working as a supervisor at the Dunedin Hospital laundry and, lacking energy, went home early.
Although he did not ''feel right'', he decided against seeing a doctor and wanted to sleep.
Mrs Te Whare (51) convinced him to go to the after-hours clinic.
At the clinic, his blood pressure test read 266:199, he said.
''If I'd gone to bed, I wouldn't have woken up ... I should have been dead.''
When they called him an ambulance, he assured medical staff he could walk across the road.
''I thought, 'What's all the hoo-ha about?'''
But in the emergency department, he soon realised he needed help when his legs started cramping.
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