|
 I
am a keen sportsman and have represented my Corps at rugby and windsurfing.
I cycled approx 10 miles a day to and from work and considered myself as one
of the fittest amongst my work colleagues.
It was
Saturday 26th September 2006. I'd been out for a run with my dog Amber in
the morning, and was heading out for a few beers with the boys that evening.
On our return from the club in the car, I found myself sweating and out of
breath, it was about 2am.
I got home and remember
my partner giving me grief for the state I was in. I could feel my heart
racing, and decided to call an ambulance as I was struggling to remain
conscious.
The
paramedics arrived in what seemed like minutes, and diagnosed me as being in
VT (Ventricular Tachycardia), with a sustained heart rate of 240 bpm. I was
rushed to Antrim hospital and was defibrillated back into normal sinus
rhythm.
I spent a
week in hospital connected to an ECG and showed no further symptoms. I then
had an Echo scan on my heart and exercise stress test on a tread mill and
still showed no symptoms of VT. My consultant, Dr Tom Trouton,
discharged me with suspected ARVC and I was to return at a later date for an
Angiogram and EP studies. These were both carried out and I was still
un-diagnosed. The next step was for me to have a cardiac MRI scan
which I would have to wait for 4 months. Luckily the Army paid for my MRI
privately at St Georges, which confirmed that I had ARVC.
I was
shocked, I considered myself as a healthy and fit guy, with a promising
future as a pilot, and until that night in September, I'd had no symptoms at
all.
On 19th
January 2007 I was admitted to the Royal Victoria hospital in Belfast to
have my ICD fitted, which will protect me from abnormally fast heart
rhythms. I was discharged the same day and am currently on 2 weeks sick
leave to recover.
I am slowly
coming to terms with the fact I'll never fly again, or do all the things
I've enjoyed as a soldier. I am lucky though, I very nearly didn't make it.
I've had a lot of help from my friends and family
and the Army have
re-employed me as an instructor.
I'm already
planning a fund raising sponsored walk for the summer to help support CRY. I
think their National screening programme is invaluable as most people with
my condition are diagnosed when its too late.
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