"My time at Fiona Stanley Hospital"

So, my journey commences a couple of months ago at about 5:45am, when my wife took me to the Joondalup Hospital with a very sore stomach, with suspected pancreatitis or stomach ulcers.

When we got to the Joondalup Emergency Department, it was completely empty, with the triage nurse and one other person in the room. Miracle #1, as Joondalup ED is never empty.

The triage nurse took down my details and instead of sending me to the general ED section, she directed me to the Resuscitation Section. They completed a Triponium test which determines whether you have had a heart attack or not, and the results showed no heart attack, however, as the doctors were doing the handover, and with two cardiologists, and 4 Cardiac nurses present, the pain in my stomach moved to my chest and increased with intensity and I had a heart attack, I said to my wife and the doctors, I’m not OK, I’m going, love you, and I passed out.

The doctors managed to stabilise me and transferred me to Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital (Charlie's), so that the blockage in my stent could be unblocked. I was duly transferred to Charlie's, however on the way I had my first Cardiac Arrest in the ambulance. I got to Charlie's and they did what they could do to unblock the stent, however I had worsened to such an extent that I was about to die. Charlie's got hold of Fiona Stanley Hospital's Advanced Heart Team and they gladly accepted the challenge to restore me back to being healthy.

I duly arrived at Fiona Stanley Hospital on the Saturday evening where my stay at the hospital commenced. This journey is 6.5 weeks in length for that is the length of time I spent in hospital. Yes, a total of 45 days. Of the 45 days I spent in hospital, 25 days were spent in Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and 12 of those days I was totally unconscious in an induced coma, I was then transferred to Cardiac Care Unit (CCU) and spent the next 15 days in recovery, and the remaining 5 days spent in 4D Ward where they put in a pace/defib maker and monitored and assessed my ability to get back into the wide wild world.

During my period in ICU, I spent 9 days on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) and after ECMO, unfortunately flat-lined on 4 separate occasions. I duly received heaps of CPR, and was shocked on numerous occasions. My wife and family were advised to say their goodbyes to me on four separate occasions due to me deteriorating so badly so many times. However the advanced heart team continued to work hard to restore me. Praise God for these wonderful people.

I was really a very sick puppy indeed. During my stay in ICU I had severe deterioration of my body muscle, I had could not walk, or even lift my arm to scratch my nose. I had to learn to walk all over again. After ICU I was sent to CCU to recover and recoup and to receive rehabilitation.

I am now at home in recovery and attending the Cardiac Gym 3 times a week, and getting stronger and stronger each day.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the personnel who attended to me during these 45 days, especially the ICU Advanced Heart Team. I sadly did not get to know many of them due to being in a coma, however the care and respect and love I got was beyond anyone's expectations and very heartfelt (excuse the pun). Thank you! Saying Thank you is so inadequate to express how grateful my wife and I are for the service and care that I received, The team was awesome and amazing in all respects. We love you guys heaps, and thanks once again.

The CCU team was just as great, and the care and concern of the staff was paramount, and appreciated immensely by us. Whist all the staff were astoundingly amazing and so caring, one nurse in particular stood out as he was instrumental in providing me the confidence to move forward in my walking rehabilitation. His name is Jan. Thank you Jan for providing me with great confidence and challenging me to greater heights during my stay in CCU.

The caring did not stop there, and Ward 4D were just as great, with wonderful exemplary and impeccable care and concern for me.

There is nothing I can say negatively about Fiona Stanley Hospital, my experience was amazing and most certainly an awe-inspiring, wonderful and marvellous positive experience. The medical staff, admin staff, support staff, where all just so wonderful and caring and I will certainly be praising this hospital to all those that I come in contact with.

Many thanks and keep up the great work.