A father-of-two has been given the ultimate Christmas gift after surgeons saved his “ticking time bomb” heart and he survived an operation during which he suffered a stroke.
Tim Williams, 50, a director of an engineering company who lives with his wife Ellie Williams, a 56-year-old parenting assessment coordinator, was diagnosed with heart valve disease and an aneurysm in 2016.
The condition was described as a ticking time bomb and the father to Ross, 28, and Ron, 24, was told he could “drop dead at any time”.
So when surgeons in March 2022 revealed Tim’s condition had worsened to the point that he needed an urgent operation to replace his heart valve, the keen sailor and his family prepared for the worst as he had life-saving heart surgery at the Cleveland Clinic, London.
Despite complications including a stroke that left Tim under anaesthetic for 27 hours, the devoted father is now recovering well and raising awareness with the British Heart Foundation of the joys of celebrating Christmas with family.
“My wife Ellie said it was like a ticking time bomb,” said Tim.
He added: “She said if I was away she would be worried if I made it through the night, but I had to carry on.”
When a routine check in 2016 revealed a heart murmur, Tim was diagnosed with heart valve disease and an aneurysm at just 46 years old.
“It was scary but I was asymptomatic and didn’t need immediate treatment,” said Tim.
He added: “It just required twice yearly monitoring until such time as the valve deteriorated, or the aneurysm grew – whichever went first.
“I was the eternal optimist. I was just kicking the can down the road saying it’s never going to happen because you’re completely asymptomatic.”
However, when doctors revealed in January 2022 his condition had worsened the dad was told he needed life-saving surgery.
There’s a chance I wouldn’t have been here this Christmas. I’m excited to celebrate but it makes you realise not to sweat the little things this year.— Tim Williams
“It was very scary,” said Tim.
“I had a routine scan that revealed the time was pretty soon for intervention.
“I had private healthcare through my work so I went for a second opinion in March 2022. The surgeon said if I didn’t get the surgery I would only have two or three years to live with.”
With his operation booked in for June 2022, Tim prepared for his surgery while preparing his family for the worst.
“Dental bacteria isn’t great for heart tissue,” explained Tim.
“I had two teeth extracted and a filling the month before the surgery.”
The surgery was meant to take five or six hours, but the team couldn’t safely wake me for another 20 or so hours.— Tim Williams
He added: “I also had to get my nose cauterized because of a rugby accident in my youth as I would probably need to go on blood thinners.
“Then we had to sort out our financial affairs. Go through the wills and where everything was with my wife, Ellie.
“It was a difficult time; I even wrote out a list of people Ellie should contact in case something went wrong.”
During his surgery in June 2022, Tim suffered multiple complications leaving medical professionals unable to safely wake him for over 20 hours.
“I had a minor stroke during surgery,” explained Tim.
“The surgery was meant to take five or six hours, but the team couldn’t safely wake me for another 20 or so hours.”
He added: “I was under anaesthetic for 27 hours.
“When I woke up my left arm was fitting from the stroke. I was asleep so I didn’t know what has happened, but Ellie was there the whole time they were trying to wake me.”
But Tim was determined to get home and after eight days in hospital he was discharged.
“The physiotherapy basically centred around upper body strength as the operation involved cutting through my sternum,” he said.
“I lost a load of muscle mass on in my upper chest and shoulders. It was very different, not being able to do anything.
“I couldn’t leave the hospital until I could walk. Within a week at hospital, I was walking probably a mile twice a day.”
I was 46 when I was diagnosed and had my surgery at 50. It doesn’t always look like the stereotype.— Tim Williams
He added: “Once I got home, I continued to work on my recovery.
“It still hurts a bit to cough, and it’s been horrific because of the sternum wound but generally I’m recovering well.”
Now describing himself as “95% recovered” Tim cannot wait to start sailing again.
“I do more of what I like now,” said Tim.
“I think that’s my advice to anybody, do more of what you like. I missed the whole season of sailing as I was recovering during the hottest summer in years.
“I have a boat so I would like to do more sailing, see more people and just enjoy life.”
I’ve got so much to be thankful for and what I’ve been through really does make you stop and think.— Tim Williams
But most of all Tim is grateful to be able to celebrate Christmas with his family.
“It’s nice to enter the year fresh without surgery,” he said.
“It’ll just be family this year. We’ll generally just play games and chill a bit. There was a chance I wouldn’t have been here to see this Christmas.”
Tim is raising awareness with the British Heart Foundation “the gift that keeps on living” campaign, highlighting stories like his to show how vital their research is to continue giving more people Christmas with their loved ones.
“I think the stereotype of a person having heart surgery is a 70 or 80-year-old that doesn’t do exercise,” said Tim.
“I was 46 when I was diagnosed and had my surgery at 50. It doesn’t always look like the stereotype. The British Heart foundation were helpful as they have this podcast, ‘The Ticker Tapes.’”
He added: “It consisted of interviews of people that had been through surgery. It helped prepare for surgery and was so much better then reading about it.”
As Tim looked forward to festive fun with his family, he wanted to remind people “not to sweat the small stuff” during this year.
“I’m looking forward to Christmas this year,” said Tim.
He added: “I’ve got so much to be thankful for and what I’ve been through really does make you stop and think.
“Life can be like a conveyer belt but what we’ve been through this year as a family makes you value everything that much more.
“There’s a chance I wouldn’t have been here this Christmas. I’m excited to celebrate but it makes you realise not to sweat the little things this year.”
