Man takes heart from cardiac warning signs

Feilding man Neil Gerrish loves his food and drink, but he is working to curb his appetites because he wants to stay alive.

After treatment for potentially fatal blockages in his coronary artery, the building control consultant is stepping out as a volunteer for the Manawatu Branch of the Heart Foundation, determined to promote heart health awareness among younger New Zealanders.

It is been more than a decade since his doctor warned him that he was becoming a prime candidate for heart disease and urged him to make lifestyle changes.

"I loved my food and drink, and wasn't overly fond of exercise, other than mowing the lawns, a bit of gardening, and the usual odd jobs around the house.

"As the years went by, my lifestyle remained more or less the same. I reckoned I felt good, so why change? What is the point in fixing something that is not broke?"

The doctor's prophecy came good in April 2007 when Mr Gerrish suffered his first angina attack.

It was a wake-up call, but the changes he made were short-lived, and two years later he was in hospital again.

He said his "it will never happen to me" attitude brought suffering for his wife, Rosie, and family, plus himself, because of the worry over each episode and the care he needed during recovery.

An accident forced him to take responsibility. He needed surgery to fix a knee cartilage, but because of his poor heart health he was not fit for a general anaesthetic.

The further cardiac tests showed how bad his condition had become. He had two big blockages in his right coronary artery. They were able to be fixed with angioplasty – inserting stents to keep the arteries open – but had they gone undetected he could have died from a heart attack at any time.

Aged 55, Mr Gerrish decided he was too young to die. "I now realise how perilously close I came to a premature death."

He's making the changes, even though it is not easy to change the habits of a lifetime.

"The hardest thing to give up is booze and food.

"Although a little alcohol is OK, it's more of a problem when you are overweight and need to get your weight down. Every bottle has calories in it that you don't need."

Mr Gerrish said exercise was difficult as well, while he was still waiting to get his knee fixed.

He is hoping his story will encourage more Kiwis to look after their heart health before they let it slide as far as he did.

"The essential thing is to ensure that each and every step you make is a step toward a prolonged life."Mr Gerrish will be at the Feilding Farmers' Market on Friday at the Heart Foundation's stall helping to raise awareness and money to support its annual street appeal.

- © Fairfax NZ News