[beemerbird]

As some of you know I went to UK8 and my partner Steve came with me and we had a great time. What none of those who attended would have known is that he wasn't quite himself over the weekend, mainly quieter than usual which he put down to being tired due to being busy at work.

As some of you already know on Tuesday morning Steve unfortunately suffered a heart attack due to a collapsed artery. Thankfully the entire NHS system could not have been more efficient and excellent in every aspect of dealing with what happened and he has made what appears to be a full recovery following a coronary angioplasty and is now back home believe it or not!

Obviously for the patient it can have a profound effect on how you view life when you honestly believed at the time that your life was about to expire.

Look after yourselves Guys is all I'm saying as unfortunately virtually every patient I saw in the cardiac unit was male. Not trying to be doom and gloom either, just life is precious ok.

[jjbirch]

sorry about your sudden shock beemer,hope hes ok and i hope he makes a full recovery,

[MattOz]

Crikey Helen,

Don't know either of you personally, but glad Steve is back home. 16 years ago we weren't so lucky when my Dad suffered a heart attack, so I know how devastating it can feel. I wish him a full and speedy recovery.

Matt

[Walesy]

yeah I can relate to this actually, my Dad (best friend and boss) was diagnosed with an unusual form of cancer in the rectum a few months back, unfortunatley he passed away 7 weeks ago as it had spread to his liver and stopped the organ function. Thing is though, the doc told him it was piles for about 5 weeks on the trot and look where we are now.

Get yourself checked out if you are in any doubt and look after yourself. It has certainlygave me a wake up call.

[ed335d]

Blimey Helen, that was sudden. So pleased Steve has got through what I can only imagine as a thoroughly unpleasant and frightening experience.

It does make you think.

Does this mean you'll have to brush up on your bedside manner?

Ed

[lolololol]

Wow - so glad this story doesnt have a horrible ending.

Best of luck to you and yours Helen - when I hear of stories like this I can help but reflect.

[JLR1969]

Hi Helen

It certainly makes you stop and think, it was only a week ago that I was chatting with him at UK8.

Really am sorry to hear what has happened and I hope he has a full recovery.

Please give him my best.

[willhollin]

So sorry to hear about this Helen. Hope he is doing well and wish you both all the best.

[E92Fan]

Whaaat ?! That's shocking news, especially given we'd just spent a weekend up in the Lakes. Am so glad that Steve is on the mend. Please send him my best wishes for the speediest of recoveries. Hope you're ok too Helen


ps... I dread to think how different it could have been had Steve fallen ill whilst we were traversing the Hardknott Pass... horrifying thought

[trixman]

Really sorry for the shocking news Helen, thank god he's on the mend though.

[Dave_3]

Sorry to hear that. Good news if they hope for a full recovery.

Touching your own mortality makes you truely enjoy the life you have.

D.

[- Paul -]

You both have our thoughts - you are right and it takes things like this to make us realise unfortunately.

All the best and get well soon.

As Tony has said - thankfully it didn't happen whilst in the middle of Hardknott pass.

[Steve A]

He was thoroughly disgusted though at that so called Italian restaurants menu, i mean no calzone.

[matt@stratford]

Hope your both ok. Must have scared the life out of you.

[beemerbird]

It did cross my mind that what if the heart attack had occurred during the weekend......and Tony yes, especially down Hardknott Pass

It happened the usual time ie. early in the morning, only been up a couple of hours and was at work so demands are made on the body etc. and Tuesday morning was quite cool up here. If the artery hadn't collapsed then no heart attack would have occurred as the heart wouldn't have tried to pump like a bugger for so long trying to get blood through the collapsed artery.

Steve being as he is had to watch via the TV monitor the surgeon performing the angioplasty as by this point he'd had copious amounts of various drugs and a local anesthetic for the operation. Says it was fascinating watching the wires travelling up the body from the groin and eventually to the heart. He just managed to glimpse as the stent was inserted and the artery opened up again, there was a whoosh of blood and he saw his heart actually start to pump more slowly. Made him feel very light headed as his brain obviously suddenly received the correct amounts of oxygen. He's not ashamed to say that the pain from during the heart attack was absolutely excrutiating.

Anyhow main thing is every NHS person he came across was superb in the way they treated him and the ultimate professionals and without doubt they saved his life.

Is going to give up the cigs now ahem, but the consultant did say he has a very strong heart which is what helped to save him. He's been checked out for all this sort of thing before and given the all clear but as we've found out, no-one can predict when and if an artery will collapse.

Thanks for all your kind words Guys. He's on ebay at the mo lol.

Ed: Take it you mean my bedside manner now requires certain attire and a 'caring' attitude................and a cook in the kitchen as well.

[Snooky]

Jeez Helen you must have had some fright. We all (understandably) get caught up in our daily lives and think we have problems and then something like this happens and brings a heavy dose of perspective to proceedings. I wish Steve the most straightforward and speedy of recoveries and my thoughts are with you in what must be a horrible time.

J

[MIKEYBMW1]

Helen ,hope you are both ok and I wish Steve a full recovery , I am always at work and under a hell of a lot of pressure all the time ,a real stress head ,this has concerned me a lot .
I must slow down a bit .

Kind Regards

Michael.

[willhollin]

Naturally you will be supporting Steve by giving up smoking as well Helen?

[Steve A]

Originally Posted by willhollin

Naturally you will be supporting Steve by giving up smoking as well Helen?

when hell freezes over

and if Steve stops smoking after 42 yrs then ill set fire to my genitals at UK9

[dxb335d]

Helen, as said in PM few earlier this week. Glad stevie is making a good recovery.

[Palmnuts]

Hi Helen,

I'm truly as shocked as anyone else at this news; it's so sad to find out things like this when all seemed so normal at the weekend.

I hope he's makes a (quick) full recovery and wish you both the best.

Andrew

[beemerbird]

Originally Posted by willhollin

Naturally you will be supporting Steve by giving up smoking as well Helen?

Of course Will Seriously though, yes I'm going to have to try.

The consultant is VERY anti-smoking for obvious reasons but was honest enough to say that even though Steve has smoked for so many years his levels of fitness are excellent for a man of his age.

Originally Posted by Steve A

when hell freezes over

and if Steve stops smoking after 42 yrs then ill set fire to my genitals at UK9

Steve has just said that he'll bring some petrol along to UK9 to assist you Steve, but then changed his mind and said no, he'll make it diesel as it burns for longer.