A Co Tyrone man has opened up on his experience of having a cardiac arrest one year ago after collapsing at home.
Frank McNally, 64, from Dungannon , had just finished a 5K run last March when he collapsed suddenly, with wife Maura crucially stepping in to perform CPR before emergency services arrived.
Paramedics arrived on the scene and shocked Frank twice with a defibrillator before he was brought to hospital and placed into an induced coma.
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Frank woke after three days and began to recover, and now one year one completed the Lurgan Park 10K fun run, raising thousands for the British Heart Foundation.
“On Sunday 21 March I ran my usual 5k route around Dungannon with my step-daughter Marianna, son-in-law Justin and grandson David,” Frank said.
“After the run I had a shower and then had lunch with my wife Maura. We were planning to go for a walk, however before doing so I decided to send a couple of texts to my daughter Jacqueline and son Paul. That’s the last thing I remember.
“Maura and my son Paul were able to see me, however I was unconscious but at least my heart was stabilised. It was a really scary time for my family.
“At that stage they didn’t know if I would recover or if there would be any internal damage.
“I was brought out of the induced coma three days later and it was another two days before I fully realised what had occurred; after consultants explained what had happened.
Frank remained in the Cardiology Unit in Craigavon Area Hospital for four weeks after the cardiac arrest, having a stent placed in his heart and an implantable defibrillator inserted.
He added he was delighted to be able to get back out running again, although admits he is taking it a bit slower now.
He said: “I was off work for almost six months and during that period I had to follow a strict cardiac rehab programme so I am delighted to be back running again, albeit at slower pace.
My ICD is monitored daily via an app on my iPhone, in the ICD clinic in the Royal Victoria Hospital. It is truly amazing the technology that is now available to keep you alive.
“I will be forever grateful to the Ambulance Service, consultants, doctors and nurses in the Cardiology Unit in Craigavon Area Hospital and the Southern Health and Social Care Trust Cardiac Rehab Team.
“Most of all I will be forever grateful to my wife, who without a doubt, saved my life.”
Head of BHF NI Fearghal McKinney thanked Frank, his family, friends and work colleagues for their generosity after they raised over £1,000 for the charity.
“We are hugely grateful to Frank, his family and friends for their generosity,” Fearghal said.
“Frank is living proof of the power of BHF heart research and how amazing scientific advances are healing people right across Northern Ireland.”
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