Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection

My SCAD Journey

June 24, 2021

I was lucky enough to find this very welcoming site yesterday 23rd June 2021. My SCAD journey started back in March 11th, 2018 on a very sunny day on the golf course. Three weeks before my seventy second birthday!

I was playing 18 holes with my husband and two friends when on the 11th hole I just collapsed and fell forward on my face. I use an electric buggy and this just continued on the fairway… Rob was alerted as to what had happened as his ball was in the trees and he dashed after my buggy and then dashed back to see what was happening with me. I had immediately gone into Cardiac Arrest!

Fortunately for me, I guess, a younger female Jo, had just left the club house and was driving out when she saw a small gathering on the 11th fairway, for some reason she straight away grabbed her phone and ran across to see what was happening. This probably all happened in the space of two to three minutes. Asked the group what was going on, they responded they were checking my pulse, Jo said, “Forget the pulse, quick, ring Triple 000”. I think my friends and Rob were in shock and hadn’t got round to doing that! Jo started CPR and did it for 7 minutes then Rob started and he kept going until the Defibrillator arrived from the Pro Shop, helped him tremendously, he needed a rest by that time.

I believe Jo and Rob are my special heroes, couldn’t have survived without their hard work. Because I had collapsed on the golf course, holes 10 and 11 were closed for the time being. My friends were so shocked to hear that it was me who had collapsed! The Ambulance, Fire Brigade and the Micra Van all turned up, so plenty of support. I was taken to Monash Medical Centre, Melbourne, in an induced coma for two days and 10 days in hospital. No operation of course.

I arrived home with a very sore chest area where the CPR had taken place, very fortunate not to have any cracked or broken ribs. Needed help to lie down and get up for the first few weeks. Went to rehab for seven weeks which helped tremendously to start getting fit again and back playing golf in five months. I now take three tablets a day. I haven’t looked back… so much support from Rob, family and friends and now three years on…..Alison x