Husband claims he saw ailing wife's sister smothering her with a pillow

Two prominent Hawkes Bay health facilities were allegedly "too busy" to help a man during his wife's final hours in her long battle with cancer.

Gordon Graham's 52-year-old wife Sandra died in their Bay View home on September 6, 2003, after being diagnosed with lymphoma cancer.

At an inquest this week Mr Graham said that on the day of his wife's death he saw one of her sisters attempting to smother her with a pillow, while another sister lay across her legs.

At the same time, Mr Graham said he had been drugged with some of his wife's medication and kicked out of his house.

His other allegations against his wife's family include threats of body- snatching, theft, and chanting in tongues.

Mrs Graham's family have denied all the allegations, saying what Mr Graham saw was Reiki healing (spiritual energy) being performed on his wife.

Earlier in the proceedings, Mr Graham outlined how he phoned The Doctors in Napier and Cranford Hospice after he saw his wife with her sisters.

Staff at The Doctors would not put him through to a GP, and Cranford told him they were "busy".

After his wife died, Mr Graham again rang The Doctors in Napier, only to be told again they were "too busy."

He tried Cranford again, and was told they couldn't help, but they could come out and comfort him.

Only when Mr Graham phoned Beth Shan Funeral Directors was a doctor organised to attend to Mrs Graham's body.

Mrs Graham's doctor, Petrus Hanekom, who was based at The Doctors, said he was surprised at the situation.

"I don't think that would be standard practice," he said.

Cranford Hospice medical director Kerry Lum said that on the day of Mrs Graham's death Cranford received a call from The Doctors in Napier requesting they make a visit, but providing them with the wrong patient name.

When Mr Graham rang a second time, a nurse apparently agreed to organise a visit, but was unable to give a time. His third call was to say his wife had died.

Mr Graham earlier claimed he had been drugged with Tramadol, one of the pain-relief medicines prescribed to his wife.

Evidence from medical experts at the inquest indicated the effects of Tramadol could include lethargy, drowsiness and, in large doses, incoherence.

Dr Ingrid Muller, who examined Mrs Graham's body after she died, told the inquest there was nothing untoward in Mrs Graham's appearance, concluding she died from her cancer.

Speaking from the public gallery, Mr Graham asked Dr Hanekom if he remembered a conversation where he had asked for advice about stronger medication to control his wife's pain.

Mr Graham said when he asked about giving his wife morphine, Dr Hanekom told him he could be charged with murder.

Mr Graham said he asked the doctor if he could instead give him the morphine to administer to his wife.

Dr Hanekom said he could not remember any of the alleged conversation.

Police Senior Constable Craig Skeet, based at Bay View, told the inquest Mr Graham was concerned that while he was at his wife's funeral, her family would take over his house, and that they might kick him out of the property and sell it.

Mr Skeet said Mr Graham appeared confused and was sometimes hard to make sense of.

Coroner Warwick Holmes reserved his findings.

- HAWKE'S BAY TODAY