My Story
1 in 10 Survivor

It started with a football tournament at Caldicott Leisure Centre on the 3rd April 2022, nothing out of the ordinary. After playing the first match, I was standing talking to the players and collapsed, suffering a cardiac arrest. I was dead on the floor. I had no pulse and my eyes had glazed over. I was put in the recovery position.

 

One of the players (Shaun) administered CPR and Caldicott Leisure centre used their Defibrillator to shock me back to life. An air ambulance was called which arrived from Cardiff, 2 critical care personnel attended the scene, I was assessed and I needed a general anesthetic. Therefore, another air ambulance was sent from Llanelli with a doctor on board.  I was intubated, sedated, and off to Cardiff hospital by normal ambulance.

 

Waking up in Coronary Care, my family and friends had undergone 27.5 hours of trauma, watching me, hoping and praying that I would pull through.

 

After scans, two stents were fitted to correct a blockage of arteries. Then an Internal Cardiac Defibrillator (ICD) was fitted in my chest which will monitor my heart and provide a shock if I need it as I have been diagnosed with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy For this procedure, they had to flatline me to test if the Defibrillator was working. Dead twice in 8 days!

 

As a family we have a history of heart attacks, my father died from his 3rd heart attack in 1994 aged 52, my brother died aged 31 in 1996, and my sister also had a heart attack. So I have joined the club.

 

The Professor in charge of my care is interested in my genealogy and has taken blood for tests and more will follow. My son will also undergo an ultrasound scan. The legacy of Nuclear Testing will always be with us as a family.

 

I am extremely lucky, to have someone experienced in CPR, to be in a location with Defibrillator and to have the excellent medical attention of the West Wales Air Ambulance service and the NHS.

 

My wife, sister, son, family members, friends (especially Amanda), neighbours, NHS Staff, and football colleagues have been amazing. Picking up my car and delivering it home, helping with Joseph who unfortunately saw me collapse.

 

Life can change in an instant and without these special people, I would not be writing this. You never know when your time is up. It obviously wasn't my time yet.

 

I now have a long road for recovery, 6 months of not driving, hospital and GP appointments, but I am still here. I have a second chance and will be taking it.

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It is important that more defibrillators are installed at venues and portable ones are available. We have purchased a portable defibrillator for the football team.

 

As a family we will await the genealogy results and continue to monitor the family, but for now, the immediate priority is recovery and I want to thank everyone who has ensured that I am still here and that I can continue my life. 

 

I will be helping the West Wales Air Ambulance at events and raising awareness wherever I go.

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UPDATE DECEMBER 2023

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The initial genetic results showed that I do not have the gene which causes Cardiomyopathy. An extended search also came back negative, so I am classed as an abnormality. It is unknown what cuased my Cardiomyopathy to develop.