A cool, but wet night, as a dozen or so of us set off on our weekly Wednesday night hard run 12-mile route. Felt good going up a mile long hill, leading the pack before dropping down the hill past the hospital. My chest filled up – as it had done before – my head felt like it was going to pass out – and then full stop as everyone else in the group passed me shouting encouragement and “see you back at the car park”.
Somehow, I got home and being on 6 – 2 shift the next day, labouring in a aper mill, I was keen to get to bed. My HR monitor – still wearing it – was showing 240. Anne said I am ringing 111 or whatever it was then in 2003. My chest was moving, and I felt dreadful. Next thing I knew I was being taken to A&E by my daughter’s boyfriend as 111 wouldn’t let me drive. Got into the hospital and was hooked up to an ECG – didn’t even know what that was and had never had one previously. “Get him into Resus” shouted the nurse as she ran out of the room with the ECG paper in her hand.
No success with getting the heart rate down so I was knocked out and defibrillated, waking in CCU and wondering what the hell was happening. Three days later – Dr Myers, the cardiologist, came to my bedside and said bluntly “well Mr Davies you nearly died on Wednesday night and if it happens again, you almost certainly will”. That’s a lot to take in for a guy like me 55yrs old, running 60miles a week in training, working full time as a labourer. I was as fit as a butcher’s dog; Or so I thought! Rene, the sister on the Ward recognised that this had a hard impact on me and the morning after she was in early and sat on my bed, talking to me in what I consider to be a huge expression of solidarity and compassion.
I was moved to Wythenshawe and put under the charge of Neil Davidson a most wonderful doctor who has sadly passed away. Neil had put me down for Ventricular Ablation on the basis that what I had been experiencing was life threatening. The ablation didn’t go well, and I was in VF literally within a couple of minutes. Coming round I remember asking him if “I was in trouble” to which he replied, “no you are ok”. Once I was fully awake, Neil told me that he thought I had ARVC and I wasn’t leaving the hospital until I had an ICD implanted. ICD. ARVC. Never heard of it, them.
Anyhow, that started nearly 12 years of continuous shocks in all kinds of circumstances, medications, further ablation attempts. After walking across the road one day, going into VT, getting shocked and then going into VF, coming round with a third shock, Neil gave me those fateful words when I saw him in clinic “we can’t do anything else for you”. Where do we go from here then? “I have spoken to the transplant team, and they are waiting for you in another room, go and see them now” Neil replied. I was 65 and I think I said to Neil “can I have it now” How naive. Off I went to see Steve Shaw, another doctor who came into my life – he is still there – and like Neil, did absolutely everything in his power to support me. He arranged my week of tests in the Jim Quick Ward, and I was put on the list.
One day I was sitting at the coffee stall and moving very gingerly as I was at the stage when movement tipped me into VT very easily. My mobile rang and it was Steve. He told me that I had to get into Wythenshawe straight away as I had been out on the emergency list. The rest, as they say is history. The transplant team who looked after me were brilliant. Went through some ropey times, but they got me through it.
One thing that I have learnt from all of this and the wonderful people who looked after me – Neil Davidson, Steve Shaw, Dr Venkateswaran, Professor Yeomans, Simon Williams, Jeanette Hornsey, Sue Grosvenor and many more besides – you must live your life and get on with it as best you can. Sharing our stories and remembering there are always multiple people in these scenarios – wives, husbands, partners, carers, siblings, friends – they also bear the reality and difficulties of our illnesses and that should never be lost sight of. In my own circumstances, without Anne, my wife, the whole trip would have been immeasurably more difficult. They all need looking after too.
George S Davies
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