Steve

Heart attack

It hit me out of nowhere

At 72, Steve had never been seriously ill. A chef by trade, he prided himself on eating well and staying active. So, when a sharp pain in his chest wouldn’t ease one November evening, his instinct was to wait it out.

“I hopped into bed thinking it would go away,” he says. “But it just kept going. In the end I thought, nah, this isn’t right, I’d better ring.”

That call to 111 may have saved his life. An ambulance, already on its way to another call, was diverted to Steve’s home and arrived within minutes. From that moment on, he says, he put his life in the hands of the professionals.

“And I came out of it well. The ambulance staff were incredible. There was a cardiologist waiting for me at the hospital, I went straight up to theatre. From start to finish, the care I received was just amazing.”

A sudden wake-up call

Steve had experienced mild chest pain the day before his heart attack but brushed it off as indigestion. It was only when the pain returned, stronger and spreading to his shoulders and jaw, that he remembered seeing a Heart Foundation advert on TV.

“I think that ad planted a seed. When the pain didn’t go away, I remembered what to do. That was probably the difference right there.”

In hospital, Steve underwent an angioplasty procedure to insert two stents where he remained conscious throughout the operation.

“I was watching it all on the screen! It was surreal. But the cardiologist was calm and confident. He told me they do these procedures twice a day. That made me feel safe.”

Doctors discovered Steve’s heart had grown an extra artery (sometimes hearts create their own bypass if an artery is blocked) to try and compensate for a lack of blood flow, something that astonished him.

“The only medication I was on was Panadol. I had no warning signs. One minute I was fine, the next I’m in hospital with blockages in my heart.”

Life after a heart attack

Steve was discharged from Auckland Hospital after four days. Since then, he’s been under regular monitoring, attending follow-up appointments with cardiologists and cardiac nurses. He’s also had to adjust to a major lifestyle shift, namely, going from taking no medication at all to managing nine different pills each day.

“That’s been a big adjustment. I weigh myself every morning and take my pills before I do anything else. At night, sometimes I come close to forgetting, but I haven’t missed a dose yet.”

He’s also had to be mindful about what he eats, particularly his potassium intake, which affects kidney function and interacts with some of his medication.

“I had to give away two kilos of export cherries the other day. Too much potassium! I’m still working through what I can and can’t eat.”

It’s been frustrating at times, but Steve says he’s coping well. Having worked as a chef for 40 years, he’s always cooked his own meals and stayed away from takeaways and processed food. He’s eating lots of salads and fruit (in moderation) and sticking to a healthy routine.

“Being a chef, I’ve always eaten well. I don’t eat rubbish. And now, I actually feel better than I did before the heart attack.”

A second chance and a new appreciation

One of the unexpected benefits of his treatment has been the return of his senses of taste and smell.

“It’s like my taste buds have come back to life! I remember my mother saying something similar after her triple bypass, that it felt like she had a new life. And that’s exactly how I feel now.”

Steve’s mother was the only family member he can recall with a history of heart issues. Her experience didn’t occur to him until after his own event.

“She had her bypass in her early 60s. I guess I didn’t connect the dots at the time, but looking back now, it probably runs in the family.”

After years living and working in Australia, where he ran a kitchen in a Brisbane bowling club, Steve returned to Auckland to be closer to family, especially his grandchildren. When he ended up in hospital, he delayed telling his daughter, who was in Christchurch at the time, celebrating the birth of her own granddaughter.

“I didn’t want to worry her while she was enjoying that moment. But when I finally told her, she freaked out and flew up straight away. She came with me to all the appointments and made sure I was okay.”

Back to a new normal

Steve was back at work just a couple of weeks after his heart attack, doing three days a week as a housekeeper. At first, it was tough, his energy levels were low, and he had to stop to catch his breath. But gradually, things improved.

“This week? No problem at all. No swelling, no breathlessness. I record it all daily. I feel better than I have in a long time.”

He also recently started taking a new medication (Empagliflozin), which he was initially hesitant about due to possible side effects.

“But I feel fitter and healthier than before. No side effects at all. I don’t know what it’s doing, but whatever it is, it’s doing something right.”

Words of advice

Steve’s message for others is simple: trust the experts.

“If you think you’re having a heart attack, don’t muck around. Call 111. Then just put yourself in the hands of the professionals. Don’t stress. Just go with it - they know what they’re doing.”

He also recommends staying on top of your medication and keeping a routine.

“Going from two Panadol a week to nine pills a day was a shock. But you adapt. You’ve got to. And once things stabilise, life really can go back to normal.”

Today, Steve is optimistic, grateful, and enjoying life at a gentler pace.

“I’m not depressed. I’m not scared. I just feel lucky. I had no idea this was coming, but I got through it. And now I’m just getting on with it.”