A loving mum died suddenly on holiday after suffering weeks of unexplained pain which turned out to be pancreatitis.
Lucy Broome, 36, collapsed in pain at her hotel in Blackpool and was taken to hospital for emergency treatment.
A lack of critical care beds meant she was seen by a nurse and a doctor in the back of the ambulance while waiting for space to free up on the ward, an inquest heard.
But Lucy's condition was so serious that they could not wait any longer and she was taken to a busy Covid isolation unit where she could be hooked up to a ventilator.
She continued to appear agitated and ripped out one of her cannulas during her discomfort, it was said.
Lucy, of Walsall, West Midlands, was incubated at Blackpool Victoria Hospital and given the maximum dose of glucose to deal with her low blood sugar.
But it was not enough to treat her symptoms and her treatment was ended that afternoon reports Lancs Live.
She was pronounced dead in the early hours of the following morning, on October 28.
An earlier CT scan had not shown the gallstones which may have contributed to the pancreatitis which caused her death, the inquest heard.
Blackpool Town Hall was told that Lucy had suffered with chronic pain in the weeks leading up to her death but that no answers were found.
She had twice attended A&E at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton due to her symptoms including pain, weight loss and dehydration, it was said.
The second visit came while she was awaiting referral for a CT scan and involved an ultrasound check which failed to pick up any problems.
Lucy was referred for further tests and given the results but they were not sent to her consultant for two weeks.
Victoria Davies, assistant coroner for Blackpool and Fylde, said this led to a delay in her being referred to gastroenterology but that there was no evidence it caused or contributed to her death.
She also said there was no evidence her treatment during her hospital stays contributed to her death.
After her hospital visits in the Midlands, Lucy and her family travelled to Blackpool for a break.
On October 27, Lucy was suffering from agonising pain and was struggling to speak during a hypoglycaemic episode.
She was said to be mumbling, agitated, and struggling with breathing when paramedics arrived.
Glucose treatment initially improved her condition but it soon deteriorated again.
The inquest heard that her liver problems gave an initial suspicion of a paracetamol overdose but this did not prove to be the case.
A consultation was carried out with experts at the Leeds Liver Unit.
But they could only offer advice as they also had no bed availability and because Lucy’s condition was not stable enough for her to be transported.
Her treatment progressed to the maximum dose allowed but tragically the doctors were unable to save Lucy.
A post-mortem gave a cause of death of acute pancreatitis.
The inquest heard evidence from doctors who had treated her in the months before her death.
It was accepted that gallstones found in her body may have contributed to the acute pancreatitis.
However, there was no evidence to confirm this was definitely the case and CT scans recorded before her trip to Blackpool did not show the stones.
Members of Lucy’s family including her parents and Kevin, her husband of 13 years, were present at the hearing.
They were given an apology over the delays in performing a CT scan and in referring her case to a gastroenterologist.
However, Ms Davies said: “We can’t say earlier gastroenterology referral would have saved as there is no evidence how long their waiting list was or what they would have done.”
Lucy, who worked as an office manager, was described as “kind, caring and witty” and someone who would do anything for her family.
Ms Davies recorded a medical cause of death of pancreatitis and a conclusion of natural causes.
A funeral notice following her death described her as a beloved wife and loving mother.
