On 30th June 2020 David, my husband, had an angiogram because he has been suffering with chest pains in the last year. Even for an NHS worker, it was awkward to get seen quickly because of the lockdown.
David’s GP referred him to the cardiologist. Two weeks later he got a telephone appointment to speak to a cardiologist from our local hospital. Between them they agreed an angiogram at Barts hospital as soon as possible was the best next step.
One week later he got a phone call from Barts asking him to go to an appointment. The morning arrived and off he went in a taxi. I wasn’t able to go with him because of the Covid restrictions. A few hours later I got a phone call from David telling me that one of his main coronary arteries was completely blocked and another was very tight. He would have to have urgent open-heart surgery. They assessed his condition as so critical, they wouldn’t even let him come home.
As you can imagine, I was completely shocked and very anxious. Not being able to be with him and having to explain the situation to our 9-year-old daughter made the situation even more challenging.
Two days later he had the surgery without any complications.
He is now home, recovering with myself and our daughter Elizabeth.
He has had many medications added and we have to monitor his blood glucose, blood pressure and his wounds every day. One of the things the Cardiologists all commented upon was how good the Mediterranean diet was already. They suggested that the fact that he adopted this diet many months ago, may well have stopped the cardiac disease getting worse, given him extra time and perhaps saved his life. One thing was certain now, it is the very best diet he can adopt, now we know he has Coronary Artery Disease.
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