An Irish man who was shot by militants in Iraq was turned away twice from a hospital in Cork.
Pádraig O'Keeffe (36), from Cobh, Co Cork, arrived home on Monday afternoon.
Mr O'Keeffe escaped after insurgents riddled his security convoy with heavy machinegun fire and grenades in Northern Iraq last week.
The former French Legionnaire received two wounds to his face, a wound to the side and a shrapnel wound to his jaw.
He was also wounded in the thigh.
He was rescued by the crew of an American Black Hawk helicopter and was kept in hospital in Baghdad.
Mr O'Keeffe could have received immediate hospital treatment in Germany but he opted to return home for his operations to be close to family and friends. He was examined by his family doctor in Cobh and was referred to Cork University Hospital.
His father, Denis O'Keeffe, a former garda, said they were told there was a bed crisis.
"We went to CUH on Tuesday morning and were told he would be admitted that day. Then at 5.30pm we were informed there was a bed crisis and we were told to take him home and come back early the following morning. Pádraig was told to fast from midnight and it seemed he was going to be operated on that day."
The family returned to CUH on Wednesday but were turned away again.
"He had not taken his painkillers and was in extreme pain and very uncomfortable . . . Thankfully the hospital rang again at 4pm and said they would admit him straight away."
The security team was escorting American workers when the militants attacked their convoy.