"My experience of Heart Attack and follow up treatment"

Before I start, I want to say I was not aware that I had any problems with my heart. I am 64 still working and relatively fit and active.

On a Wednesday in July, I started to have what I thought was severe heartburn.  The usual remedies did not make any difference.  I did not at any time think I was having a heart attack.  After about an hour of being very uncomfortable my wife phoned for an ambulance. The advice from the 999 call centre was to take aspirin.  The ambulance arrived in approximately 10 minutes.

The two ambulance medics were excellent, very professional if you have watched 999 ambulances on TV you know what I mean. 

I was taken to A&E at Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy-where I was stabilised before being transferred to the Cardiology ward.

After four days I was transferred to the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh for an angiogram and further treatment.  I had an angiogram which showed that I was not able to be treated with stents, after further investigation I was told I required a triple bypass operation.   After a couple of postponed operations, I was operated on in July.  After one day in ICU I was returned to the ward.  In the same month of July, I was on my way home to continue my recovery.

I was so glad to get home into the care of my wife and family and friends.

I will not sugar-coat my operation and recovery. It is not an easy time. But when you consider the alternative, every day is a day in the right direction.  You have good days and bad days but eventually you have less bad days.  Take your paracetamol, even when you do not feel you need it.

When I got home my care was in the hands of my local GP surgery and community Nurses. It was sometimes difficult to get through to the surgery by phone, but it was not like I had anywhere else to go or something else to do. Everyone one I spoke with at surgery or local chemist were very supportive and helpful.

I have been contacted and visited by a community cardiac rehab nurse.  First visit was in August- six weeks after the operation, to discuss my continual treatment and recovery.  Second visit to take bloods etc is in September.

We bought a blood pressure monitor, which just gives you piece of mind that everything is okay.  

There is no quick fix, the healing time for your chest area can take up to 3 months. Possibly more.

Everyone that I came into contact through this journey has been supportive and helpful. I do not know the names of everyone that I came in to contact with.  They all have my thanks.