A dad-of-three died after doctors failed to find a blood clot in his leg – despite him visiting his GP every week in the month leading up to his death.
Ricky Collier, 29, from Preston, Lancashire, had been complaining since February of pain in his calf and shortness of breath but his fiancée, Katie Hill, claims medics could not find anything wrong.
But on March 14 he rang Katie urging her to come home from work as he did not feel well and told her ‘I love you’.
A dad-of-three died after doctors failed to find a blood clot in his leg – despite him visiting his GP every week in the month leading up to his death
Ricky Collier (left), 29, from Preston, Lancashire, had been complaining since February of pain in his calf and shortness of breath but his fiancée, Katie Hill (left), claims medics could not find anything wrong
By the time she got to their front door just 15 minutes later, an ambulance crew was in the house, battling to save Ricky’s life.
Tragically, Ricky passed away before he got to hospital, leaving Katie, 29, and their three children Alicia, 10, Alfie, four, and Ava one.
Katie has since been told that Ricky was suffering from a combination of deep vein thrombosis and a pulmonary embolism – or a blocked artery in the lungs.
She believes that her fiancé’s death could have been avoided had Ricky been given a simple blood test two weeks before his passing when he visited the Royal Preston Hospital.
Instead he was only given an X-ray and ECG which came back clear. Katie claims nurses concluded the pain was from him unknowingly hurting his leg while at home.
Tragically, Ricky passed away before he got to hospital, leaving Katie, 29, and their three children Alicia, 10, Alfie, four, and Ava one (pictured)
Katie said: ‘He was the most amazing dad and he was the love of my life. We had only just moved into our first ever home together in January’
Katie said: ‘He was the most amazing dad and he was the love of my life. We had only just moved into our first ever home together in January.
‘He had started to complain about being short of breath and a pain in his leg about five weeks before his death.
‘He went to the GP five times in total and at one point he was diagnosed with laryngitis and bronchitis and given antibiotics.
‘While he was ill he was completely immobile which was unusual for him but he was never offered a blood test.
‘Days before he died he called an ambulance to the house and had an ECG and an X-ray the next day but it all showed up clear.
‘I just think a simple thing like a blood test could have helped him find the cause of the pain which was a blood clot.
‘Even if it couldn’t save his life we might have been able to do more to help him.’
Katie has since been told that Ricky was suffering from a combination of deep vein thrombosis and a pulmonary embolism – or a blocked artery in the lungs
When Ricky, a call centre operative, called her shortly before 11am on March 14 Katie knew immediately something was seriously wrong and called the ambulance
When Ricky, a call centre operative, called her shortly before 11am on March 14 Katie knew immediately something was seriously wrong and called the ambulance.
The last words they said to each other were ‘I love you’.
Ricky’s employers Akinika donated £5,000 towards the funeral and offered Katie a full month’s wage to help her find her feet.
Katie said: ‘He was such an active dad and we were always on days out with the kids, Alfie keeps asking if daddy is going to come back to play football with him.
‘The kids are having up and down days but I think the funeral will really hit them.
‘They have asked how he died and we have no answers for them which is one of the hardest things.
‘We have had so much support from friends and family though. Ricky’s local pool league, the Preston and District Pool League, have also raised £1000 to help towards the funeral which is just incredible.
‘Everyone has been incredible and we are all heartbroken. I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy and I just don’t want it to happen to another family.’
A spokesperson for Royal Preston Hospital declined to comment on the death, but said: ‘If the family wish to discuss anything with us we are happy to facilitate this.’
A spokesperson for Northwest Ambulance Service confirmed that they were called to the address, but were unable to comment on the death.