Heart attack survivor thanks medics for their kindness

A Wolverhampton man has thanked medics after he went to A&E feeling unwell and was told he was "in the middle of a major heart attack."

Chris Parsons went to Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley where doctors told him an artery was completed blocked and he needed an urgent angioplasty procedure.

"I was fully conscious during the procedure and the team talked me through each stage," he said.

Now recovered, he is enjoying a healthier lifestyle - including losing 22kg (3.4 stone) - and has thanked the paramedics, nurses, doctors and rehab teams who treated him "with kindness".

Mr Parsons said he had fallen ill in May last year and his wife insisted he sought medical help after struggling to walk.

"Within two minutes of arriving at Russells Hall Hospital's A&E, I was lying on a bed being wired up to an ECG machine," he said.

He was urgently transferred to New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton where a specialist cardiac team treated him by inserting a stent to open up a completely blocked artery, the hospital trust said.

"From the moment we arrived at A&E to lying in a hospital ward post procedure, only three hours had passed – it was incredible," said Mr Parsons.

He spent three days at New Cross Hospital and continued his recovery with cardiac rehabilitation at Russells Hall, including being given exercise guidance, nutritional advice and emotional support.

"At first, I wasn't sure about counselling, as I felt fine," he said. "But after the first session, I realised how much the heart attack had affected me.

"It helped me process what had happened and gave me the tools to move forward positively."

Nine months later, he continues to exercise regularly and said he felt healthier than he ever had.

"I was made to feel safe and cared for by everyone, from A&E staff to the ambulance crew, nurses, doctors, and rehab teams. They treated me as an individual and with kindness," he said.

"This has helped me get to a position where I am healthier than I have been for years, have a new lease of life, and I'm looking forward to what the future brings."

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