As an avid golf player and active retiree in the Sydney community, Alan Coleman thought his health was in excellent condition. On being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes twenty years ago, he had made a conscious effort to maintain a healthy lifestyle and admits that he was overall, feeling pretty good.
Below, Alan tells of how an unexpected check up identified potentially life threatening problems that might have otherwise gone undetected. In telling his story, he is urging people to continually monitor their health, even when they are feeling fine.
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Twenty years ago I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and was told that I would have to follow precautions and carefully look after my health. I was a happily married retired bookmaker, with three children and five grandchildren. Other than having diabetes I felt fit, happy and healthy. Or so I thought.
I was accompanying my wife, Barbara, who was getting her heart checked in a ‘stress test’ after she had been experiencing chest pain. Fortunately, Barbara was fine. Even though I had no symptoms and I was feeling healthy, on a whim, I decided to have my heart checked as well. My test revealed that I may have a problem and I was sent for an angiogram, which showed five blockages – three in the main arteries to the heart and two minor blockages. I thought the machine must have made a mistake; I was shocked at the extent of the damage that I saw.
A few months after the stress test, I was recovering from a triple bypass surgery.
I am grateful that my problem was picked up before I had symptoms and it became life threatening. I contacted a Sydney radio station to tell my story and within 24 hours, more than 1,000 people had contacted the clinic where I had undertaken my test.
I hope my story will encourage people to monitor their heart health to avoid potentially serious problems, especially for people with diabetes as they often fall into a higher risk category for developing heart disease. I was not aware of this increased risk until I was diagnosed with heart disease one year ago.
I urge others to consult with their general practitioner to detect potential problems and to stay on top of their health, particularly when it comes to their hearts.
Because luck saved my life, I am still able to enjoy my much loved round of golf.