In 2021, Michael caught Covid-19 for the second time. Having been born with dilated cardiomyopathy – an enlarged heart – he faced serious complications when the virus caused chronic heart failure and left him fighting for his life in hospital.
“I’ve always been aware of my health, a fitness junkie,” says Michael, now 54. “I grew up and worked with the government in the Caribbean, living an outdoor dream life, climbing luscious green mountains, hunting and spearing fish. When I moved to the UK and worked as an accountant in London, staying fit became even more important. But then, like Jack and Jill, it all came tumbling down.”
In hospital, Michael’s heart briefly stopped. His wife and son thought they had lost him, but an eight and a half hour operation at a second hospital to have a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implanted in his chest saved his life.
“The LVAD is a kind of artificial pump which helps the failing heart and aims to restore normal blood flow,” says Michael. “Some patients will go through an induced coma for six to eight weeks, but I got up a day after. I went from 109kg of muscle to just 52kg of skin and bones. I had to be taught to walk again and could only take three steps at a time at first. I didn’t see my wife or my son for six months and I lost all my hair. But my belief never faded. A king always rises up.”
It was nearly a year before Michael was able to go home. He now wears an external battery pack which connects to the LVAD via a controller and driveline and he is on the list for a heart transplant.
Having completed his phase III Cardiac Rehab with First Community Health Care at East Surrey Hospital, Michael was referred to the YMCA for our in-house phase IV Cardiac Rehab classes. With these behind him, he was able to begin attending the YMCA gym under the Exercise Referral scheme. He has made such great progress that he now attends outside of the specialised Exercise Referral sessions, but he remains under the watchful eye of our qualified instructors.
“I can’t just sit still so it’s been vital for me,” says Michael. “It can be difficult for someone in the same position as I am to enter the front door of a gym, but I haven’t been made to feel odd or out of place. I’ve always felt welcomed here. I have to commend the staff – they are lovely and I’m in very good hands.”
“Having a life-limiting illness can often cause depression, fear and anxiety. But I want to encourage people like me to push through those feelings and have a go. When I first started, I couldn’t lift 10kg. Now I can lift 60kg. I work out three times a week. It’s a journey and I love it. It’s like Disneyland for me.”
Kate Holah, Targeted Health and Wellbeing Manager for YMCA East Surrey, says:
“Michael knows how important it is to keep his fitness up and he is now a regular and dedicated presence in the YMCA gym. He’s made phenomenal progress. It’s hard to believe he is the same man when you see videos and pictures of him in hospital. He is keen to raise awareness of his condition and treatment and, through his specialist hospital team, we have arranged to undergo LVAD training here at the YMCA. In every respect, Michael is a true inspiration to our team!”
Michael’s feelings of gratitude towards the YMCA have also motivated him to volunteer with young adults with disabilities through our LifeWorks project.
“The YMCA has left an indelible mark on me over the past year and I want to give something back. I’ve been volunteering for around nine months now and it has given me such a sense of joy. I want to reach out to others and pass on the energy I feel. If I can make someone else smile, I’m happy.”
“I can play football, basketball and cricket with my son and that’s everything I could have wished for. I live every day. I’m happy with what I have and also with what I don’t have. The best is yet to come.”