First of April........

Well, what a start to April!

Half past four on Wednesday morning I awoke with a terrific pain in my chest, pain in my right arm and jaw. Sitting up eased the pain slightly. Managed to take my tablets but still no relief. So apologising I woke up SWMBO. She clicked into action, phoning '999'. A paramedic turned up quickly followed by an ambulance and off I was packed to the local A&E to be diagnosed with a MI (Heart Attack to you and me). Transferred to a medical ward, given morphine, intravenous paracetamol, blood tests and a blood pressure dropping through the floor.

The medical staff gave me a 'thrombolisation' (think that's the right term) to flush out any clots in the heart. The doctor then asked me, "How long have you had an irregular heartbeat?" What a question to ask me I'm not very 'medical' inclined - just know when I have man-flu!

So when my BP started to rise and normalise I was transferred to the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) for five days. Tied down to bed and wired for 'sound', more ECGs and morphine, blood tests.

Halfway through the night I called the nurse for the commode as I was wired up, restricting me to my bed area, she brought me some brilliant news. "You can walk down to the ward toilets. Your blood test has returned 'negative', you haven't had an heart attack."

After morning rounds, on Thursday, the doctor discharged me with outpatient appointments and new and changed medicine.

So a whirlwind thirty six hours! I am now bruised and exhausted but at home with thanks to the medical staff at Macclesfield Hospital especially A&E, MCU and CCU.