Activators beware!

Gerald,

I can relate to your relief at being treated promptly and gratitude at having been granted a second chance. I had an experience earlier this year that led to a triple bypass operation as my blockages were deemed too serious and too many for stents to be effective. More details on my blog vk1da.net. I am in the third month of the recuperation and recovery period now.

I hope all the guys out there who think it is smart and manly to “soldier on” despite odd symptoms, chest stress, arm pains, etc, will think again and take those symptoms seriously. Google “angina symptoms” and you find the many odd symptoms. Your life may depend on recognising the symptoms for what they are. And the medical profession does not mind throwing you out if it turns out to be benign. That is a better option than others.

Guys in particular: the heart does not call the ambulance for you, you have to engage your brain (and disengage any pride or embarrassment you may feel).

73 Andrew VK1DA/VK2UH

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Wow Gerald - that was a blow! Good advice which we should all heed - including myself.

You take care now and look forward to working you soon (along with your fellow collaborator - G4MD).

73

Jack(;>J
GM4COX

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Hi Gerald,just read your message.Well what a blow thankfully you got the immediate treatment.
I look forward to your recovery and working you again on 2mtrs from the beacon in the S/W.
All the best take care.Don G0RQL.

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Sorry to hear about this Gerald. I hope you get well soon.

Jimmy M0HGY

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Hi Gerald,
Just seen your report, SOTA activators often go into the hills alone and are hence at the most vulnerable. I hope you make a speedy recovery, when I used to do DoE support one of the other lads had had similar work and made a full recovery.

Keep smiling.

David G0EVV

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Hi Gerald,

Very sorry to hear your news, but glad that you received such excellent treatment. Judith and I were thinking about you only yesterday as we drove back from Nine Standards Rigg, and returned to our holiday cottage to see your report. Best wishes for a complete and quick recovery, and hope to see you back on the hills soon!

73, John M0VCM and Judith 2E0MDY

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What a shock, Gerald. Very glad you got excellent prompt treatment and the prognosis is good. A friend now in his 70’s went back to running after he had one 15 years ago; still running.

Very best wishes and look forward to some s2s once you are back on the hills.

73,
Rod & Vicki, M6BWA/P

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That’s a bit of a bummer Gerald. Glad to hear not too much damage done and you are out of immediate danger. I look forward to seeing you recovered and out on the hills again and hope we can have an S2S reasonably soon to show you are recovering nicely.

Andrew VK1DA is right, far too many of us ignore warning signs until too late. Just because you are an active person, as he is, doesn’t mean that problems cannot creep up on you. It’s just more likely to affect people who are inactive and sedentary. As a self-inflicted diabetic, I get hauled off for regular check ups and in theory, these problems should be detected early, that’s the purpose of screening; to find the problems before they get serious. If you’re not in a group being screened it’s easy for problems to go unnoticed.

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Sorry to hear of your health issue Gerald, wishing you all the best and a speedy recovery.

Another thumbs up for the NHS from me. I was diagnosed with a serious illness in 2006 and had major surgery two days later. I don’t need to go into detail but I believe when you really need it the NHS is there for you.

73 Chris M0RSF

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Gerald, I wish you get well soon.
Your signals from the hills are much appreciated…

Vy 73 de Pedro, CT1DBS/CU3HF

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Thanks Gerald for telling us… I look forward to meet my doctor just in case.
I’m glad you are well and back soon on summits.
73 Gerald F6HBI

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Get well soon Gerald.

Allan GW4VPX

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Many thanks for all the kind comments and best wishes which are very much appreciated. I continue to feel well and will be doing a little more day by day, walking being highly recommended (surprise, surprise :slight_smile: )

I am having to adjust to some unusual factors - the world seems too bright, too colourful, too noisy and too smelly. The low frequency tinnitus that I have had for some years has disappeared. This is all Phase 1 of course. The next phase will be determined once I meet the Consultant at Papworth. It may be that I will get out onto some minor summits between times, but the trip to activate Ben Nevis GM/WS-001 with Paul G4MD this autumn is obviously off the menu. Watch this space!

… and as for the NHS, I totally agree with Tom that I could not have been better served by private health care.

73, Gerald

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Hi Gerald,
G4SSH told me about this and what a shock. What bad luck also. It could happen to anybody but sounds like you didn’t get much warning. Thank goodness for our excellent NHS services which continues to be our impression & experience of it also. Hope you get fully fixed up and recovered very soon, then back on the hills again. Yes, leave WS1 out for now.
Take it steady,
Get well soon,
73, John

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Get well soon Gerald

73, Hans F/PB2T

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Wishing you the best, thanks for sharing.

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Many thanks for the comments John. I have no option other than to take it easy - the XYL has nailed my foot to the floor! I am taking it day by day and currently getting used to the side effects of the medication and blood pressure that is sitting at 75 to 80% of what it has been. I doubt I could ascend any hill of significance at the moment - two flights of stairs are enough!

I think that I will need to do a bit of chasing as I can see boredom being a significant issue. At least SOTA has two facets and a bit of chasing will allow me to keep in touch.

73, Gerald G4OIG

P.S. Thanks also to Hans and Kevin for their posts.

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Hallo Gerald
Sorry to hear about your issues and get well soon.
You make an important point about stress which I am not certain has been taken in here. I made the mistake of thinking that hard mountain walking would alleviate all forms of mental stress and get you better. Unfortunately it adds to the stress on your whole system, far safer to take a gentle walk in the park first or solve the stress if possible first. It kicked in chronic fatigue which hasnt gone away but the symptoms were heart problems.
NHS treatment excellent. Its a fact that per pound spent its one of the most efficient in the world, its being starved of funds to make it look bad so that some greedy people can make money from shares when its privatised. When its gone its gone forever.
Robert GM4GUF

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Very sorry to hear the news Gerald. Get well soon and don’t rush you recovery. The hills aren’t going anywhere! 73 John MW0XOT

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Glad to hear you’re doing better, thanks for sharing this with us. Sounds like the heightened senses are giving you a new outlook on life.

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