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00:00:01,450 --> 00:00:03,410
I'd been defibrillated eight times.

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My heart had not returned
to a normal beating rhythm.

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00:00:07,780 --> 00:00:10,329
So what they had to do is they
had to make a decision on whether

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00:00:10,330 --> 00:00:12,170
or not they would continue care.

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They decided to keep working on me.

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00:00:15,139 --> 00:00:18,109
And they made the call to ... Read More

1
00:00:01,450 --> 00:00:03,410
I'd been defibrillated eight times.

2
00:00:03,610 --> 00:00:07,220
My heart had not returned
to a normal beating rhythm.

3
00:00:07,780 --> 00:00:10,329
So what they had to do is they
had to make a decision on whether

4
00:00:10,330 --> 00:00:12,170
or not they would continue care.

5
00:00:12,270 --> 00:00:14,799
They decided to keep working on me.

6
00:00:15,139 --> 00:00:18,109
And they made the call to
the Frankston Hospital.

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00:00:18,330 --> 00:00:22,720
When I arrived at the Frankston Hospital,
93 minutes later, from the time of

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birth, When they were transferring
me from the ambulance trolley to the

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hospital bed, my heart miraculously
just started beating by itself.

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Welcome to Don't Be Caught Dead, a
podcast encouraging open conversations

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00:00:37,435 --> 00:00:39,844
about dying and the death of a loved one.

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00:00:40,404 --> 00:00:45,334
I'm your host, Katherine Ashton, founder
of Critical Info, and I'm helping to

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00:00:45,334 --> 00:00:47,824
bring your stories of death back to life.

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00:00:48,404 --> 00:00:52,575
Because while you may not be ready
to die, at least you can be prepared.

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00:00:55,955 --> 00:00:59,205
Don't Be Caught Dead acknowledges
the lands of the Kulin Nations

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and recognises their connection
to land, sea and community.

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We pay our respects to their Elders,
past, present and emerging, and extend

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00:01:07,844 --> 00:01:11,314
that respect to all Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander and First

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Nation peoples around the globe.

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Today I'm

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I'm speaking with Justine Phillips,
the sudden cardiac arrest survivor and

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the founder of Heart Matters Australia.

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I'm really looking forward
to our conversation today.

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Welcome to the show, Justine.

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Hello.

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How are you?

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Good.

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Thank you.

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That's good.

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Now, I normally ask people a
question about their experience

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with death to open up the show.

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But I've never had the opportunity.

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To someone who died themselves
and let me explain this because

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as you explained on your website
for 93 minutes, you had continual

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CPR and you were clinically dead.

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Could you perhaps tell that story?

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Absolutely.

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So I guess, first of all, I'll
explain what sudden cardiac arrest is

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00:02:11,169 --> 00:02:15,165
because there can be some confusion
around Sudden cardiac arrest.

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And sudden cardiac arrest is
when your heart stops beating.

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And when I say stops beating, the
heart stops pumping the blood around

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the body to the vital organs, which
essentially keeps us upright and alive.

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And what it does is your heart
is It's either stopped or

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else it's erratically beaten.

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So it's beating so fast that it actually
can't get any blood into the heart

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whatsoever to pump that around the body.

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So what happens in that instance is
a person then will suddenly collapse,

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become unconscious and unresponsive.

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And without CPR and defibrillation,
that person then will pass away.

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So there's a very short timeframe for.

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Someone to intervene, commence
CPR, and then that person's heart

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defibrillated to shock it back
into rhythm to keep them alive.

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So in my instance, I had my
cardiac arrest at home during

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the lockdown period back in July.

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2020.

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Now I'm a single parent, so I was
home with my children and they were

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actually homeschooling that day.

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So even though COVID was a terrible time,
for me, there's a lot of positives that

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came out of COVID that I'm here today.

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So we were home.

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It was my son's 16th birthday.

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My daughter was in the kitchen.

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She had decided that she wanted to make
him something for his birthday lunch.

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I had actually, at the time,
I was a personal trainer.

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So I had come down to my bedroom to
record a workout that I could do.

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Put up on my socials that if anyone wanted
to work out, they had some, an exercise

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or program that they could do that day.

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So I had come up here and my daughter
had this funny feeling when she was

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in the kitchen that she just needed to
run it past me what she should cook.

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her brother for lunch.

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And when she came down to my
bedroom, she found me on the

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floor, unresponsive, unconscious.

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Now my son was having a shower
at the time, so she alerted him.

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He quickly jumped out.

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Anyway, they both came into the
room and they called triple zero.

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My daughter at the time was just
so shocked from what had happened.

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The triple zero operators told
her to go out to the front of our

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driveway and wait for the ambulance
and they advised my son to start CPR.

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So my son had to start CPR and they
believed that was in a matter of

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minutes of me actually collapsing.

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So he had to perform CPR until the
ambulance officers arrived and they

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arrived approximately nearly eight
minutes after the ambulance arrived.

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The call was made.

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So the ambulance officers arrived
along with the local fire brigade.

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They came in, the firefighters took over
the CPR, and while the ambulance officers

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just started doing what they needed
to do to assess what had gone on, and

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Check vitals and all that sort of stuff.

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So once they arrived, they called the MICA
paramedic, which is the paramedics that

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come out that have had additional training
that provide intensive care treatment.

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They arrived.

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Within a 25 minute period, I'd
been defibrillated eight times.

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My heart had not returned
to a normal beating rhythm.

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So what they had to do is they
had to make a decision on whether

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or not they would continue care
or else if they would just stop.

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And that was it.

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And luckily for me, because
I was so young, I was 46

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when I had my cardiac arrest.

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I was young, I had children and I was fit.

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Cause as I mentioned earlier, I
was a personal trainer at the time.

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They decided to keep.

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Working on me, and they made the call
to the Frankston Hospital, and when

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I arrived at the Frankston Hospital,
93 minutes later, and the 93 minutes

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is from the time of call to arrival
at Frankston Hospital, when they were

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transferring me from the ambulance
trolley to the hospital bed, my heart

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just miraculously just started beating.

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beating by itself.

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Now what happened is once they had
made the decision to keep working on

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me, instead of having CPR performed
by an individual person, they decided

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to connect the mechanical CPR machine,
also known as the Lucas machine.

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So that actually takes
over the compressions.

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So it allows the paramedics to do what
they need to do without having someone

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having to focus on performing CPR.

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They've got a machine for that?

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Yes, they do.

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And it's, it's brutal,
but it's very effective.

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I've had the opportunity to actually
see one working on a mannequin and.

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It's actually when, when I stood
there watching it, I was just

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like, Oh my goodness, that is what
was pumping my chest at the time.

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And yeah, I don't know, it's brutal,
but when you watch it, it's, it's so

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effective and you know, it's performing
CPR at a depth that we need to be

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performing CPR, which then limits.

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the chances of a person having
brain damage because blood's

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not getting to the brain.

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So they're very beneficial.

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So once I had actually, my heart had
started beating, they then had to

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sedate me because I'd been intubated
at home before I was taken to hospital.

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I was biting on the intubation tube.

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So they had to sedate me.

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I was taken to what they call a cath
lab, which is where they run a whole

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hippocampus test on your heart.

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And it had shown that with my
particular heart, I had an enlarged

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left ventricle, which is also
known as Takotsubo cardiomyopathy.

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broken heart syndrome, which is caused
from physical and emotional stress.

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So I had Takotsubo cardiomyopathy.

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They then put me in an induced coma
and I was in there for four days.

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00:08:02,059 --> 00:08:05,769
And I was once they took, cause they
weren't sure to start off with if

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I was going to survive the event.

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00:08:07,509 --> 00:08:09,980
So for my family, because
it was during COVID.

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There was no one allowed
at the hospital at all.

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00:08:13,845 --> 00:08:15,965
So, that was on the Wednesday.

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It wasn't until the Friday afternoon that
signs were looking good and they knew that

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I was going to be okay and survive it.

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00:08:25,085 --> 00:08:28,405
But they didn't know whether or not
I would have any brain injuries,

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what my outcomes were going to be.

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00:08:30,915 --> 00:08:35,085
So, once I came out of that, I was
in Franksville Hospital for a little

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00:08:35,085 --> 00:08:36,405
bit, down on the Mornington Peninsula.

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00:08:37,235 --> 00:08:40,845
And then I was transferred
to the Alfred Hospital.

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00:08:41,424 --> 00:08:46,545
And there I had surgery and had what
they call an ICD implanted in me, which

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is an implantable cardio defibrillator.

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00:08:50,265 --> 00:08:53,905
So what that is, it's the pacemaker
and a defibrillator all in one.

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00:08:53,905 --> 00:08:57,819
So that just monitors my heart now,
moving forward, which is, Great to

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have, cause it's a little safety net,
but yeah, that is pretty much my story.

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00:09:03,660 --> 00:09:05,390
There's so many questions that I have.

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00:09:05,660 --> 00:09:06,120
Yeah.

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00:09:06,400 --> 00:09:12,199
Firstly, I have to congratulate you
on remembering all the correct terms

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00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:15,129
because they seem like a mouthful.

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00:09:15,369 --> 00:09:18,760
Oh, look, there's a lot of them and some
of them I still get wrong every now and

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00:09:18,760 --> 00:09:23,470
then cause yeah, as we know, medical
terminology can be a bit of a tongue

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00:09:23,470 --> 00:09:25,500
twister and yeah, there's a lot of it.

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00:09:25,500 --> 00:09:25,720
Yeah.

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00:09:26,130 --> 00:09:27,340
Yeah, I bet you there is.

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00:09:27,680 --> 00:09:33,369
The first thing that comes to
mind from your story is you say

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that your daughter was in shock.

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00:09:35,399 --> 00:09:39,829
So it was interesting that the
paramedics identified that, that were

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00:09:39,829 --> 00:09:48,040
on the call and sent her out of the
situation to do, meeting the ambulance.

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00:09:48,480 --> 00:09:52,949
And then obviously then identified
some particular skills or skills.

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Strengths that they found
in your son to be able to, I

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00:09:57,125 --> 00:09:59,935
assume, did he know CPR at all?

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No, so he had never had any
CPR training through school

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or anything prior to my event.

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00:10:07,814 --> 00:10:12,115
So the triple zero operator actually
guided him through what he needed to do.

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00:10:12,364 --> 00:10:18,610
And the triple zero operator was obviously
fantastic with him because He, the CPR

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that he performed was effective CPR.

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00:10:21,829 --> 00:10:27,249
It kept my blood pumping around my body
so that the only side effects I have.

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00:10:27,540 --> 00:10:33,270
Since having the cardiac arrest is my
brain gets fatigued very easy, but after

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being down for 93 minutes, I'm told
that's going to, that's going to happen.

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00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:38,259
I'm going to fatigue easy.

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00:10:38,280 --> 00:10:40,040
The body gets tired easy.

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I can be talking and I can feel, I can,
I know what I want to say, but I can't

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00:10:46,540 --> 00:10:50,790
sometimes think of the word that I'm
trying to get out and sometimes I can be

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00:10:50,790 --> 00:10:55,120
talking and if I pause for too long, I can
actually forget what I was talking about.

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So, they're the only side effects.

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So, in that instance, I'm very lucky
that the CPR that I actually got was

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00:11:02,775 --> 00:11:07,944
good quality effective CPR by my son,
guided by that triple zero operator.

185
00:11:08,455 --> 00:11:14,854
And from my understanding, CPR seems
to change if anyone has done CPR

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00:11:16,184 --> 00:11:18,675
through work or anything like that.

187
00:11:18,685 --> 00:11:22,525
But it seems to be one thing
that is constantly being

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00:11:22,635 --> 00:11:25,725
updated with new thoughts and.

189
00:11:26,550 --> 00:11:27,300
Guidelines.

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00:11:27,839 --> 00:11:34,099
So is it my understanding correct
where it's the palpation on the

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00:11:34,099 --> 00:11:40,260
chest to actually keep the blood
circulating, that is the the priority

192
00:11:40,260 --> 00:11:41,040
in CPR?

193
00:11:41,610 --> 00:11:42,480
Absolutely.

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00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:47,550
So the best way I put it when I'm
talking to someone is that when you

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00:11:47,550 --> 00:11:51,630
think your heart, and for us sitting
here right now is automatically just.

196
00:11:51,935 --> 00:11:53,655
Pumping blood around the body.

197
00:11:53,655 --> 00:11:54,865
We don't have to think about it.

198
00:11:54,905 --> 00:11:56,435
It just automatically does that.

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00:11:56,825 --> 00:12:02,634
However, when our heart stops,
our heart can't can no longer

200
00:12:03,265 --> 00:12:04,575
pump blood around the body.

201
00:12:04,604 --> 00:12:08,354
So we need to become that
manual pump for the heart.

202
00:12:08,414 --> 00:12:13,234
So the big push is on
ensuring our compressions.

203
00:12:13,995 --> 00:12:14,395
Correct.

204
00:12:14,395 --> 00:12:19,015
In regards to the depth that we
require and the right that we require.

205
00:12:19,035 --> 00:12:24,975
So on an adult, for example, we want
to be aiming around five, four to

206
00:12:24,975 --> 00:12:27,815
five centimeters depth from the chest.

207
00:12:28,205 --> 00:12:31,524
So that way we're getting that,
those compression rates down.

208
00:12:31,524 --> 00:12:33,115
We're letting that heart,
we're pumping that heart.

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00:12:33,115 --> 00:12:36,805
And then when we come up, we want to
make sure that we get the full rise

210
00:12:36,805 --> 00:12:38,865
of the chest and then compress again.

211
00:12:38,915 --> 00:12:42,784
Because what that does is that allows
the heart to refill with blood.

212
00:12:43,140 --> 00:12:47,819
And as we compress down, we're then
pumping that blood around the body.

213
00:12:47,819 --> 00:12:52,819
So yes, definitely the compression depth
is vital, as well as the rate, because

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00:12:52,819 --> 00:12:57,080
if we're pumping, if we're doing our
compressions too slow, we're not pumping

215
00:12:57,100 --> 00:13:01,020
the heart fast enough to be able to push
that blood all the way around the body.

216
00:13:01,410 --> 00:13:06,730
if we're pumping, doing pumping also,
if we are doing our compressions too

217
00:13:06,760 --> 00:13:11,209
fast, we're not allowing the heart
to recoil to be able to fill up with

218
00:13:11,209 --> 00:13:13,140
blood to then push around the body.

219
00:13:13,150 --> 00:13:17,110
So yeah, definitely the
compressions are such a vital part.

220
00:13:17,630 --> 00:13:20,680
And five centimeters is
quite deep, isn't it?

221
00:13:20,930 --> 00:13:21,880
Absolutely.

222
00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:22,730
Absolutely.

223
00:13:22,730 --> 00:13:29,145
So, you know, you, I now, since I had the
cardiac arrest, I now actually teach CPR.

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00:13:29,145 --> 00:13:30,675
I'm qualified to do that.

225
00:13:30,944 --> 00:13:35,695
And the biggest question that
comes up is, oh, but what happens

226
00:13:35,695 --> 00:13:37,395
if I, you know, break a rib?

227
00:13:38,045 --> 00:13:42,894
At the end of the day, if you break
a rib or, you know, you, there's some

228
00:13:42,895 --> 00:13:45,965
form of injury to a rib, it means
you're doing good compressions because

229
00:13:45,965 --> 00:13:47,495
we need to get that compression depth.

230
00:13:47,574 --> 00:13:51,620
Unfortunately, yes, that will happen to
that person, but What's the alternative

231
00:13:51,680 --> 00:13:55,350
if we don't perform CPR, that person
will pass away, unfortunately.

232
00:13:55,350 --> 00:13:59,510
So, yeah, there's always going to be a
nasty noise that you're going to hear.

233
00:13:59,709 --> 00:14:04,000
I know after mine, I was so sore for
a couple of months after it, but in

234
00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:08,050
saying that, that I was happy to put up
with that because I'm still here today.

235
00:14:08,790 --> 00:14:09,690
Yeah, of course.

236
00:14:10,530 --> 00:14:14,550
And what does the breath play in the role?

237
00:14:14,689 --> 00:14:15,949
Is that still part of the

238
00:14:15,949 --> 00:14:17,520
process or?

239
00:14:18,350 --> 00:14:22,849
So the Australian Resuscitation
Council guidelines, when you complete

240
00:14:22,850 --> 00:14:27,100
a CPR course, state that you must
do 30 compressions, 2 breaths.

241
00:14:27,590 --> 00:14:29,090
30 compressions, two breaths.

242
00:14:29,090 --> 00:14:32,330
Now that's the same whether
you are performing CPR on an

243
00:14:32,330 --> 00:14:35,060
infant, a child, or an adult.

244
00:14:35,470 --> 00:14:38,200
So yes, there's two breaths involved.

245
00:14:38,910 --> 00:14:45,560
However, if you go on a, you're out
on a walk and you stumble across

246
00:14:45,560 --> 00:14:50,430
someone who has collapsed, they're
unresponsive and you need to commence CPR.

247
00:14:51,450 --> 00:14:55,410
You might not be comfortable giving
the two breaths to a complete stranger.

248
00:14:55,770 --> 00:15:00,880
Which, I don't know if I would be if I, if
I had no idea what their background was.

249
00:15:00,880 --> 00:15:01,610
I'm not too sure.

250
00:15:01,640 --> 00:15:04,340
I would be keen on doing the
breaths on a complete stranger.

251
00:15:04,619 --> 00:15:08,140
So focusing on those compressions
becomes your priority.

252
00:15:08,380 --> 00:15:13,759
So yes, the breaths are also included, but
in today's world, unfortunately we can't,

253
00:15:14,080 --> 00:15:15,610
we don't know everyone's background.

254
00:15:16,290 --> 00:15:19,120
We don't know what their
illnesses are at the time.

255
00:15:19,130 --> 00:15:19,400
So.

256
00:15:20,405 --> 00:15:24,215
You might not want to do the breaths
and as long as you're doing the

257
00:15:24,215 --> 00:15:28,725
compressions, that's, as far as I'm
concerned, that's a, that's a priority.

258
00:15:29,234 --> 00:15:35,302
And just thinking about that also is the
like car accidents, things like that,

259
00:15:35,302 --> 00:15:39,564
that you may come across where people
might have blood or something like that.

260
00:15:39,565 --> 00:15:41,625
And that's why I know you're.

261
00:15:42,075 --> 00:15:46,254
First aid kit we bought last
year had the little thing

262
00:15:46,254 --> 00:15:48,155
that you can put over people's

263
00:15:48,194 --> 00:15:48,385
mouths.

264
00:15:48,875 --> 00:15:50,045
Yeah, so it's great.

265
00:15:50,045 --> 00:15:53,874
These days there's so many
variations on instruments that

266
00:15:53,885 --> 00:15:55,454
you can use in that situation.

267
00:15:55,464 --> 00:15:59,364
You've got masks, like a little mask
that you can put over the mouth.

268
00:15:59,684 --> 00:16:02,895
There's lots of little key rings
that you can get now that will have a

269
00:16:02,895 --> 00:16:06,805
little plastic sheet in there with a
mouthpiece there that you can blow into.

270
00:16:06,844 --> 00:16:11,964
So there's definitely items out You
can use and carry around with you,

271
00:16:11,964 --> 00:16:13,584
whether that's in a first aid kit.

272
00:16:14,155 --> 00:16:18,045
It's, you know, key ring
on your set of car keys.

273
00:16:18,084 --> 00:16:19,365
There are options there.

274
00:16:19,665 --> 00:16:24,724
And with that, I will add that
the breaths actually increase a

275
00:16:24,724 --> 00:16:27,824
person's chance of survival by 15%.

276
00:16:27,825 --> 00:16:29,905
So that's why those breaths, yeah.

277
00:16:30,075 --> 00:16:35,345
So yes, they are important, but
also we know that people don't

278
00:16:35,355 --> 00:16:37,935
like to do the actual breath.

279
00:16:38,255 --> 00:16:39,015
That's okay.

280
00:16:39,064 --> 00:16:43,265
Just as long as you can start compressions
and continue compressions to help rise.

281
00:16:43,609 --> 00:16:45,349
Or the person becomes responsive.

282
00:16:45,859 --> 00:16:46,959
And this is something,

283
00:16:47,400 --> 00:16:52,350
from what I understand from your
story, is we need to be aware of.

284
00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:58,829
Given the fact that you were 46, a
personal trainer, did you have any

285
00:16:58,869 --> 00:17:01,119
indication of family history?

286
00:17:01,149 --> 00:17:06,329
No, so I can look back now and I can
see that I did have some signs, and

287
00:17:06,329 --> 00:17:08,889
the signs that I had was there was
a little bit of shortness of breath.

288
00:17:09,439 --> 00:17:12,819
However, I put that down to that
I had asthma because when I get

289
00:17:12,819 --> 00:17:15,970
run down, I'd get asthma and I
have a bit of shortness of breath.

290
00:17:15,980 --> 00:17:19,349
So that's what I put it down to
because I was training excessively,

291
00:17:19,810 --> 00:17:21,609
going on long walks and everything.

292
00:17:21,609 --> 00:17:25,189
So I just put it down to having asthma
because I was tired and run down.

293
00:17:25,210 --> 00:17:28,949
I never ever thought it would
have been something to do with

294
00:17:29,259 --> 00:17:32,190
my heart and the cardiac arrest.

295
00:17:32,730 --> 00:17:36,620
And I guess that's the thing, an
important takeaway from this is that

296
00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:38,560
cardiac arrest can happen to anyone.

297
00:17:39,270 --> 00:17:43,570
At any age, at any time,
there are no guidelines when

298
00:17:43,570 --> 00:17:44,780
it comes to cardiac arrest.

299
00:17:45,220 --> 00:17:47,160
It does not discriminate at all.

300
00:17:47,209 --> 00:17:51,870
And I think that's probably been the
biggest wake up call for me because

301
00:17:52,370 --> 00:17:56,159
cardiac arrest, I thought that was
a heart attack, in all honesty.

302
00:17:56,920 --> 00:17:59,129
Cardiac arrest and heart
attack are so different.

303
00:17:59,230 --> 00:18:03,240
And the best way you can explain
the difference is with a heart

304
00:18:03,240 --> 00:18:05,669
attack, it's blockage of the artery.

305
00:18:05,669 --> 00:18:06,860
So it's like a plumbing issue.

306
00:18:07,620 --> 00:18:09,250
Whereas with a cardiac arrest.

307
00:18:09,905 --> 00:18:11,014
It's an electrical fault.

308
00:18:11,024 --> 00:18:12,504
Your heart is playing up.

309
00:18:12,514 --> 00:18:15,774
So that's how you
distinguish between the two.

310
00:18:15,855 --> 00:18:17,914
So, yeah, look, I was oblivious.

311
00:18:17,914 --> 00:18:20,864
I honestly thought, yeah, heart
attack, cardiac arrest is the same

312
00:18:20,864 --> 00:18:22,294
thing, but they're totally different.

313
00:18:22,344 --> 00:18:24,954
And with a heart attack, a person can
have a heart attack and their heart's

314
00:18:24,965 --> 00:18:29,639
still beating and they're still breathing,
whereas with a cardiac arrest, The person

315
00:18:29,639 --> 00:18:31,969
will collapse, they'll be unresponsive.

316
00:18:32,199 --> 00:18:37,519
So there's, there are very
important differences, but we

317
00:18:37,519 --> 00:18:38,690
just don't talk about it, so.

318
00:18:39,139 --> 00:18:40,989
And are they treated differently?

319
00:18:41,420 --> 00:18:42,360
Absolutely.

320
00:18:42,980 --> 00:18:46,660
So, you know, with a heart attack, as I
said, their hearts can still be beating.

321
00:18:46,660 --> 00:18:50,550
So that person, you just want to sit
still and wait for the ambulance to come.

322
00:18:50,840 --> 00:18:53,910
Whereas with cardiac arrest, that
person's heart's not beating.

323
00:18:53,910 --> 00:18:56,029
So we need to commence CPR.

324
00:18:56,340 --> 00:18:59,220
immediately to give them
any chance of survival.

325
00:18:59,310 --> 00:18:59,920
Well, I suppose the

326
00:18:59,920 --> 00:19:03,880
big difference from that is that
one will be conscious or possibly

327
00:19:04,040 --> 00:19:06,499
conscious and the other won't be.

328
00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:08,180
Yeah, absolutely.

329
00:19:08,499 --> 00:19:12,090
And the thing is someone can
also have a heart attack and then

330
00:19:12,099 --> 00:19:13,879
have a cardiac arrest as well.

331
00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:17,520
So, you know, when you look into it
medically, there's so many things.

332
00:19:18,095 --> 00:19:19,895
that can lead to a cardiac arrest.

333
00:19:19,975 --> 00:19:23,225
You know, it's not just maybe a
heart attack and cardiac arrest.

334
00:19:23,345 --> 00:19:25,175
As you said, it could
be from a car accident.

335
00:19:25,855 --> 00:19:30,394
It could be from a drowning, a
drug overdose, alcohol poisoning,

336
00:19:30,465 --> 00:19:33,684
like there's lots of things
that can cause cardiac arrest.

337
00:19:33,965 --> 00:19:34,844
But not heart attacks.

338
00:19:35,115 --> 00:19:36,055
Because that's a plumbing

339
00:19:36,055 --> 00:19:36,395
issue.

340
00:19:36,745 --> 00:19:37,195
Yeah, exactly.

341
00:19:37,655 --> 00:19:38,545
Absolutely.

342
00:19:38,625 --> 00:19:39,055
Yeah.

343
00:19:39,165 --> 00:19:43,124
I love the fact that it's a plumber,
you call for one problem, and an

344
00:19:43,124 --> 00:19:44,994
electrician, you call for another.

345
00:19:45,295 --> 00:19:45,914
Absolutely.

346
00:19:45,914 --> 00:19:46,954
That's a great way to look at

347
00:19:46,954 --> 00:19:47,144
it.

348
00:19:47,145 --> 00:19:47,734
Yeah.

349
00:19:47,815 --> 00:19:48,675
Yeah, it is.

350
00:19:48,675 --> 00:19:49,145
Definitely.

351
00:19:49,145 --> 00:19:51,215
It's the best way to
explain it to someone.

352
00:19:51,654 --> 00:19:52,815
Yeah, that's really clever.

353
00:19:53,154 --> 00:19:56,865
And tell me, what are your memories
of that time when you had your

354
00:19:56,865 --> 00:19:57,885
cardiac arrest?

355
00:19:58,345 --> 00:19:59,585
I actually don't have any.

356
00:20:00,104 --> 00:20:04,725
I lost a month's worth of memory
around that period of time.

357
00:20:04,725 --> 00:20:09,514
So for me, it's interesting, I could
sit here and talk about cardiac arrest

358
00:20:09,514 --> 00:20:13,444
all day because I, I, because I, because
I can't remember anything, I don't

359
00:20:13,445 --> 00:20:14,974
have any emotional attachment to it.

360
00:20:14,995 --> 00:20:17,184
So it's very easy for me to talk about it.

361
00:20:17,764 --> 00:20:21,784
Whereas when you talk about my
children and the effects it's had on

362
00:20:21,784 --> 00:20:26,105
them, that's when I become emotional
because I see how it's affected them.

363
00:20:26,265 --> 00:20:27,984
And it's, it's.

364
00:20:28,430 --> 00:20:33,040
Not nice and to see the on effect the
on flow effects that it still has today,

365
00:20:33,100 --> 00:20:37,130
you know I think oh my goodness, like,
you know, that really breaks my heart

366
00:20:37,160 --> 00:20:43,420
that that's affected them as such But
yeah, I'd my first memories of after the

367
00:20:43,490 --> 00:20:47,339
cardiac arrest is the day I'm actually
leaving the hospital in the alpha when I

368
00:20:47,339 --> 00:20:52,420
was being discharged and I had my dad come
down from country Victoria to pick me up.

369
00:20:53,150 --> 00:20:56,254
I remember being in the
wheelchair and being wheeled out.

370
00:20:56,304 --> 00:21:01,485
They had to wheel me down to the entrance
of the hospital where he was allowed to

371
00:21:01,485 --> 00:21:05,484
come into the hospital to collect me,
but then we had to leave straight away.

372
00:21:05,484 --> 00:21:08,484
So that's my first memory
after the incident.

373
00:21:08,885 --> 00:21:13,645
However, in saying that, like I know
there were conversations that were had

374
00:21:13,645 --> 00:21:16,405
because I knew something had gone wrong.

375
00:21:16,445 --> 00:21:21,045
I couldn't remember what they
had said I'd had, but everyone

376
00:21:21,045 --> 00:21:22,755
was talking about cardiac arrest.

377
00:21:22,795 --> 00:21:25,494
So I would just go along with
conversations that, okay,

378
00:21:25,495 --> 00:21:26,625
it was a cardiac arrest.

379
00:21:27,435 --> 00:21:30,695
And even though I can't remember the
conversation of someone sitting down

380
00:21:30,695 --> 00:21:34,925
with me saying, this is what happened,
I know we had that conversation.

381
00:21:34,935 --> 00:21:38,975
And I know that we had the conversations
about going to the Alfred to have

382
00:21:38,975 --> 00:21:41,664
the, the ICD implanted in my chest.

383
00:21:41,784 --> 00:21:49,035
So yeah, it's, it's a really strange
period of time for me, that trying to

384
00:21:49,035 --> 00:21:50,995
remember around that time, it's just.

385
00:21:51,395 --> 00:21:52,254
Yeah, there's no memory.

386
00:21:52,254 --> 00:21:53,764
So it's really hard to explain.

387
00:21:54,235 --> 00:21:58,875
And it must be amplified by the
fact that you didn't have any family

388
00:21:58,885 --> 00:22:02,994
around you to hear those conversations
because it was during COVID.

389
00:22:03,565 --> 00:22:05,104
Yeah, exactly.

390
00:22:05,125 --> 00:22:10,054
So the way I would communicate with
people like we all did was via telephone.

391
00:22:10,154 --> 00:22:14,265
So it's interesting hearing the people
I was talking to, the conversations I

392
00:22:14,265 --> 00:22:16,395
was having with because a lot of them.

393
00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:22,080
Particularly early on after I came out
of the ICU, I was very bit agitated.

394
00:22:22,210 --> 00:22:24,720
My personality was different
to who I usually am.

395
00:22:24,950 --> 00:22:28,889
So it's quite interesting hearing
those sorts of conversations because

396
00:22:28,900 --> 00:22:30,870
it's like, Oh wow, that's so not me.

397
00:22:31,410 --> 00:22:34,960
But that was just due to the brain
injury at the time, the brain

398
00:22:34,960 --> 00:22:37,760
recovering from the episode I just had.

399
00:22:37,760 --> 00:22:39,510
So yeah, it's interesting.

400
00:22:39,770 --> 00:22:44,930
But it's good to know for people
listening that that is a normal process.

401
00:22:46,430 --> 00:22:47,170
Can happen.

402
00:22:47,370 --> 00:22:47,760
Yeah.

403
00:22:47,820 --> 00:22:48,310
Absolutely.

404
00:22:48,350 --> 00:22:52,940
The brain's been through the, not just
the brain, the whole body's been through

405
00:22:52,940 --> 00:22:59,060
a traumatic event and our brain will
block out information to protect us.

406
00:22:59,120 --> 00:23:03,329
Because you can't really remember
much about that time, certainly that.

407
00:23:03,790 --> 00:23:08,210
That month block, is it, when
you think about your children,

408
00:23:08,330 --> 00:23:12,770
that was one of the motivating
factors for starting Heart Matters?

409
00:23:12,880 --> 00:23:13,740
Absolutely.

410
00:23:14,230 --> 00:23:17,879
Cause I can see the trauma that,
you know, that they've been through.

411
00:23:17,879 --> 00:23:22,489
I've been through it with them in regards
to after it, like we'd have incidences

412
00:23:22,490 --> 00:23:26,640
and there'd only be little incidences or
little triggers that would set them off.

413
00:23:26,670 --> 00:23:30,030
And you know, so I can see
how this has affected them.

414
00:23:30,070 --> 00:23:34,349
And for me, it's just Heart Matters
Australia came around because.

415
00:23:34,864 --> 00:23:37,534
Lots of people that I spoke to
didn't know what cardiac arrest was.

416
00:23:37,564 --> 00:23:40,844
They thought heart attack cardiac
arrest was the same and didn't

417
00:23:40,854 --> 00:23:42,995
know how to treat cardiac arrest.

418
00:23:43,665 --> 00:23:47,785
And the most important thing we can do
is educate ourselves on how to perform

419
00:23:47,785 --> 00:23:52,884
CPR so that if we ever need to know,
or if we even need to provide CPR on

420
00:23:52,885 --> 00:23:55,095
someone, we all know what we need to do.

421
00:23:55,715 --> 00:23:59,035
Um, we're not flying in blind
and we're giving that person

422
00:23:59,035 --> 00:24:00,215
the best chance at life.

423
00:24:00,235 --> 00:24:05,445
But also I think, But if we can equip
ourselves with those skills, what

424
00:24:05,445 --> 00:24:09,725
it does is if that person makes it
fantastic, we did an amazing job.

425
00:24:09,765 --> 00:24:14,705
If that person doesn't make it,
that is a real shame, but we did

426
00:24:14,705 --> 00:24:18,804
the best we could with the skills
and the knowledge that we had.

427
00:24:19,214 --> 00:24:23,574
And I think that's important because
particularly if I look at it from a parent

428
00:24:23,574 --> 00:24:29,520
and a child, If I had a past, my kids
would have carried that guilt with them

429
00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:34,459
forever and a day, because they wouldn't
have known how to perform effective CPR,

430
00:24:34,719 --> 00:24:36,540
which, you know, that's not on them.

431
00:24:36,659 --> 00:24:40,310
That's on me as a parent to ensure
that they know that, but, you know,

432
00:24:40,499 --> 00:24:41,740
they're always going to be questioning.

433
00:24:41,770 --> 00:24:42,849
Oh, I should have done this.

434
00:24:42,930 --> 00:24:43,840
I should have done that.

435
00:24:44,405 --> 00:24:45,605
because they didn't have the training.

436
00:24:45,605 --> 00:24:49,764
Whereas if we can provide everyone
with the training, whether they are

437
00:24:49,774 --> 00:24:54,784
children, whether they are adults, if we
can provide everyone with the training

438
00:24:54,784 --> 00:24:59,615
of performing good quality, effective
CPR, well then that person knows that

439
00:24:59,615 --> 00:25:03,254
they did the best they could with the
skills and the knowledge that they had.

440
00:25:03,734 --> 00:25:03,944
And

441
00:25:03,944 --> 00:25:08,904
tell me, what is Heart Matters
doing to, to increase the education?

442
00:25:09,529 --> 00:25:15,679
Yeah, so as I mentioned earlier
on, I can now officially teach CPR.

443
00:25:15,949 --> 00:25:18,509
So for me, my goals are
to go around and teach.

444
00:25:18,919 --> 00:25:23,040
As many people as I can, whether
they are community groups, sporting

445
00:25:23,040 --> 00:25:28,370
groups, businesses, families,
friendship groups, is to teach

446
00:25:28,370 --> 00:25:30,509
everyone how to perform effective CPR.

447
00:25:30,520 --> 00:25:33,959
And I say effective CPR because,
you know, we want to make sure

448
00:25:33,959 --> 00:25:36,469
we've got good compression
depth and good compression rate.

449
00:25:36,529 --> 00:25:39,439
And if we have that, that's effective CPR.

450
00:25:39,820 --> 00:25:45,969
So teaching everybody effective CPR and
also How to use defibrillators, because

451
00:25:45,979 --> 00:25:49,999
there's, you know, there's this thought
that defibrillators can only be used by

452
00:25:49,999 --> 00:25:54,320
people who are being trained and, you
know, no one wants to touch them because

453
00:25:54,320 --> 00:25:56,379
they're not too sure how they work.

454
00:25:56,639 --> 00:26:01,339
So I want to take that stigma away that,
you know, only someone who's trained can

455
00:26:01,339 --> 00:26:04,429
use a defibrillator and, oh, we don't
touch those, they're scary, we're going

456
00:26:04,429 --> 00:26:07,409
to get a shock, all this sort of stuff.

457
00:26:07,469 --> 00:26:11,329
So anyone can use CPRs.

458
00:26:12,705 --> 00:26:17,125
And how to use a defibrillator,
but also raising funds to get

459
00:26:17,125 --> 00:26:19,065
defibrillators out into communities.

460
00:26:19,554 --> 00:26:22,985
And the defibrillators that we put
out in communities, that they're

461
00:26:22,985 --> 00:26:28,384
accessible 24 7, any time of the day,
any time of the week, for anyone,

462
00:26:28,384 --> 00:26:31,454
so that if anyone needs it, they can
just go and get the defibrillator.

463
00:26:32,990 --> 00:26:37,010
It's interesting to say that because
sometimes defibrillators are put

464
00:26:37,010 --> 00:26:43,349
in the most weirdest spots behind
locked doors and in public places.

465
00:26:43,459 --> 00:26:44,899
That's kind of useless, isn't it?

466
00:26:45,389 --> 00:26:46,199
Absolutely.

467
00:26:46,199 --> 00:26:49,519
Because if you can't get a
key to get into that door, the

468
00:26:49,520 --> 00:26:52,239
defibrillator is useless, so to speak.

469
00:26:52,289 --> 00:26:56,740
And, you know, as I've said, cardiac
arrest happens any time of the day,

470
00:26:57,370 --> 00:27:01,460
you know, so we can't just have them
available between nine and five because.

471
00:27:01,949 --> 00:27:05,370
That person might have a cardiac
arrest at 6pm at night and we don't

472
00:27:05,379 --> 00:27:06,820
have access to the defibrillator.

473
00:27:06,830 --> 00:27:10,289
Whereas, if we can get defibrillators
out in our communities where they're

474
00:27:10,289 --> 00:27:15,759
accessible 24 7 days a week, you
know, it provides a bit of security

475
00:27:15,759 --> 00:27:20,060
and comfort for that local community
knowing that if something was to happen,

476
00:27:20,510 --> 00:27:22,980
They know where that defibrillator
is and that they can use it.

477
00:27:23,350 --> 00:27:26,890
And from my memory,
they're almost idiot proof.

478
00:27:27,110 --> 00:27:28,120
Oh, absolutely.

479
00:27:28,550 --> 00:27:32,949
Because, like, you just pop
them on and then if the heart's

480
00:27:32,949 --> 00:27:34,349
fine, it doesn't do anything.

481
00:27:34,820 --> 00:27:35,590
Absolutely.

482
00:27:35,649 --> 00:27:39,979
All you do is you just press the on button
and then you listen to the instructions.

483
00:27:40,029 --> 00:27:43,620
They will tell you, they will
give you step by step instructions

484
00:27:43,639 --> 00:27:44,679
on what you need to do.

485
00:27:45,335 --> 00:27:48,255
So you turn the button on and
you just follow the instructions.

486
00:27:48,505 --> 00:27:53,065
And as you said, if the person's
got a heartbeat, they will not be

487
00:27:53,065 --> 00:27:55,135
delivered a shock by the defibrillator.

488
00:27:55,155 --> 00:27:59,625
It will only shock a person if their
heart is in a shockable rhythm.

489
00:28:00,084 --> 00:28:00,394
Yeah.

490
00:28:00,395 --> 00:28:04,255
And I'm like, it was just
like Siri telling me what to

491
00:28:04,255 --> 00:28:05,645
do and I'm like, yeah, okay.

492
00:28:06,115 --> 00:28:07,235
Yeah, absolutely.

493
00:28:07,475 --> 00:28:08,535
And the great thing is.

494
00:28:09,155 --> 00:28:12,905
You know, a lot of them will have
a tone, so, for the compression

495
00:28:12,905 --> 00:28:13,805
rate that you need to do.

496
00:28:13,835 --> 00:28:17,114
Because you put the, once the,
the fibrillator arrives, why

497
00:28:17,115 --> 00:28:18,865
a person's performing CPR.

498
00:28:19,255 --> 00:28:21,925
You have the other person put
the pads on, and it will tell you

499
00:28:21,925 --> 00:28:26,215
to stand clean while it runs its
analysis and does what it needs to do.

500
00:28:26,785 --> 00:28:32,145
But if a defibrillator needs to deliver
a shock, and it does, and then, say for

501
00:28:32,145 --> 00:28:35,905
example, it hasn't restarted their heart,
and you are required to commence CPR

502
00:28:35,905 --> 00:28:38,255
again, it will tell you to commence CPR.

503
00:28:38,285 --> 00:28:40,559
A lot of them will have a light.

504
00:28:41,110 --> 00:28:43,639
and or a beeping sound.

505
00:28:43,649 --> 00:28:45,379
So it gives you a compression rate.

506
00:28:45,870 --> 00:28:48,070
Yeah, I remember that
actually now you're saying it.

507
00:28:48,410 --> 00:28:48,870
Yeah.

508
00:28:49,060 --> 00:28:49,240
It,

509
00:28:49,720 --> 00:28:51,319
it had a beep, the one that I

510
00:28:51,320 --> 00:28:51,530
was

511
00:28:51,530 --> 00:28:51,910
using.

512
00:28:52,310 --> 00:28:53,579
Yes, exactly.

513
00:28:53,579 --> 00:28:55,260
So it was really, really helpful.

514
00:28:55,899 --> 00:28:56,820
Absolutely.

515
00:28:56,829 --> 00:29:00,825
So, you know, yeah, we, we need to
get rid of that stigma that Yeah.

516
00:29:01,135 --> 00:29:04,075
Defibrillators are dangerous
to use and you should only use

517
00:29:04,075 --> 00:29:05,705
them if you've been trained.

518
00:29:05,754 --> 00:29:07,595
Definitely anyone can use them.

519
00:29:07,965 --> 00:29:10,104
They are so, they are very user friendly.

520
00:29:10,575 --> 00:29:11,365
And tell me,

521
00:29:11,995 --> 00:29:17,254
what sort of changes have you had in
your life since your cardiac arrest?

522
00:29:17,445 --> 00:29:17,644
Yeah.

523
00:29:17,644 --> 00:29:20,504
So for me, at the time I was a
personal trainer when I had the cardiac

524
00:29:20,644 --> 00:29:23,754
arrest, I've since stopped doing that.

525
00:29:24,074 --> 00:29:26,154
And that's a personal
reason, just because.

526
00:29:26,975 --> 00:29:31,344
If I can't train the way I would train
someone, I don't want to do that.

527
00:29:31,815 --> 00:29:34,405
I don't think that's fair that I
ask someone to do something that I

528
00:29:34,405 --> 00:29:38,445
can't necessarily do, even though
medically there's a reason why,

529
00:29:38,485 --> 00:29:40,765
it's just, that's just, just me.

530
00:29:41,235 --> 00:29:47,565
But yeah, I'm just more aware of
sort of environments I put myself in.

531
00:29:47,815 --> 00:29:51,355
I get very fatigued easier
if there's a lot of people.

532
00:29:51,830 --> 00:29:56,040
So I tend to, I will go, but I
just know that my time there will

533
00:29:56,040 --> 00:29:59,980
be short because I just find it
too overwhelming, too fatiguing.

534
00:30:00,500 --> 00:30:02,050
And what else?

535
00:30:02,070 --> 00:30:03,939
Oh, yeah, there's lots of changes.

536
00:30:03,950 --> 00:30:08,210
Just physically I don't push
myself like I used to when it

537
00:30:08,210 --> 00:30:10,289
comes to training or exercise.

538
00:30:10,835 --> 00:30:13,605
I tend to steer clear of a
lot of high impact training.

539
00:30:13,605 --> 00:30:18,115
I just will, at the moment I'll just go
for walks and just do strength training.

540
00:30:18,115 --> 00:30:20,255
So for me that, that works well.

541
00:30:20,695 --> 00:30:25,205
Yeah I guess I just know that there's
just job opport like if I was to step back

542
00:30:25,205 --> 00:30:29,270
from Heart Matters Australia, I know that
there's Limited job opportunities that I

543
00:30:29,270 --> 00:30:32,790
would have, like, if it was something that
required me to stand up on my feet all

544
00:30:32,790 --> 00:30:35,840
day, I couldn't do that five days a week.

545
00:30:35,900 --> 00:30:40,190
Probably, actually, in all honesty, I,
in regards to the fatigue, I don't think

546
00:30:40,420 --> 00:30:45,399
I'd be able to hold down a full time job
because I, I find the mental capacity,

547
00:30:45,399 --> 00:30:48,180
particularly, to be really draining.

548
00:30:48,740 --> 00:30:52,660
So, I know that if I'm at home and I
spend a lot of time on the computer

549
00:30:52,660 --> 00:30:59,250
working, like once I shut that down,
it's like, okay, I'm, I'm done now.

550
00:30:59,300 --> 00:31:03,170
I will either have a nap or
else I just need to sit and just

551
00:31:03,179 --> 00:31:06,350
have, quiet time and not talk.

552
00:31:06,350 --> 00:31:10,090
And so there's a few things that,
yeah, that have really changed.

553
00:31:10,370 --> 00:31:12,140
It sounds like your pace

554
00:31:12,300 --> 00:31:13,340
has slowed down.

555
00:31:13,990 --> 00:31:15,600
Yeah, absolutely.

556
00:31:15,900 --> 00:31:17,940
But obviously you're still
very busy at the same time.

557
00:31:18,869 --> 00:31:19,219
Yes.

558
00:31:19,570 --> 00:31:19,880
Yeah.

559
00:31:20,360 --> 00:31:22,659
But I'm busy doing the stuff
that I'm passionate about.

560
00:31:22,659 --> 00:31:27,520
I'm not busy, you know, out socializing
or doing things that don't fill my cup.

561
00:31:27,590 --> 00:31:31,760
It's all I'm doing I'm busy
with things that fill my cup.

562
00:31:32,240 --> 00:31:34,450
And is that one of the big changes?

563
00:31:35,230 --> 00:31:36,030
Oh, absolutely.

564
00:31:36,030 --> 00:31:37,560
I used to be a yes person.

565
00:31:37,680 --> 00:31:39,540
I was never a, oh no, look, sorry.

566
00:31:39,540 --> 00:31:41,389
I'm, I can't take that on right now.

567
00:31:41,390 --> 00:31:44,360
I was a yes person, a people pleaser.

568
00:31:44,540 --> 00:31:47,299
And now that's, yeah, that's changed.

569
00:31:47,790 --> 00:31:51,289
And have your priorities
changed along that line?

570
00:31:51,759 --> 00:31:55,749
Yeah, look, I don't, I certainly
don't sweat over the small stuff.

571
00:31:55,960 --> 00:32:00,659
I used to worry about everything, whereas
now I only worry about what I can control.

572
00:32:01,140 --> 00:32:03,350
I don't worry about
what's out of my control.

573
00:32:03,830 --> 00:32:07,920
And I surround myself with
people that I want to be around.

574
00:32:08,380 --> 00:32:11,960
And I do things that I want to do.

575
00:32:12,080 --> 00:32:16,840
I don't necessarily do things that I
know will make me feel uncomfortable.

576
00:32:17,199 --> 00:32:21,890
And I mean that in a sense that it's just
something that I will dislike completely.

577
00:32:22,090 --> 00:32:24,570
And it's, I'm not going to
get any value out of it.

578
00:32:24,580 --> 00:32:26,220
So has it made you,

579
00:32:26,960 --> 00:32:31,260
you know, I feel like I'd be more
reckless in relation to whatever I said.

580
00:32:32,160 --> 00:32:36,510
I'd just be quite, you know, open
about my thoughts and feelings.

581
00:32:37,160 --> 00:32:39,590
Have you had something along that line?

582
00:32:40,180 --> 00:32:45,800
Yeah, look, I have a tendency to sit back
and observe, and that's just what I do.

583
00:32:45,800 --> 00:32:46,930
I sit back and observe.

584
00:32:46,930 --> 00:32:50,170
Previously I might have
Automatically jumped.

585
00:32:50,240 --> 00:32:53,900
Whereas now I sit back and observe
because I just think, is this worth

586
00:32:53,950 --> 00:33:00,689
me saying something and potentially
causing upset or an issue that I

587
00:33:00,689 --> 00:33:04,749
really don't want to involve myself
in or put any more energy into?

588
00:33:05,469 --> 00:33:10,255
So in that sense, Yeah, look, if I
get to a certain point and I think,

589
00:33:10,255 --> 00:33:14,245
no, this is continuing behavior, I'm
not having that, I will say something,

590
00:33:14,265 --> 00:33:18,645
but other times I will just assess,
is this really worth my energy?

591
00:33:18,704 --> 00:33:23,475
And if it's not, I just think, oh, you
go do you, or, you know, depending on

592
00:33:23,475 --> 00:33:27,635
what the situation is and where and who
it's with or whatever, I'll just remove

593
00:33:27,635 --> 00:33:29,639
myself from a situation and, you know.

594
00:33:30,010 --> 00:33:34,540
I either won't go back,
or, yeah, I just cut it.

595
00:33:35,110 --> 00:33:35,230
Yeah.

596
00:33:35,830 --> 00:33:36,650
I'm brutal.

597
00:33:37,440 --> 00:33:38,200
So, no.

598
00:33:38,480 --> 00:33:42,790
So, yeah, that's, that's where,
yeah, that's probably what I do.

599
00:33:43,120 --> 00:33:50,380
And tell me any memories from when you
actually had that 93 minutes where you

600
00:33:51,150 --> 00:33:52,750
weren't reading?

601
00:33:53,020 --> 00:33:57,380
I guess the only memory I have, which
has come about through breathwork,

602
00:33:57,830 --> 00:34:02,780
I've often I had the thought, do
maybe I go see a hypnotherapist to

603
00:34:02,860 --> 00:34:05,090
try and take myself back to that time.

604
00:34:05,580 --> 00:34:08,839
I haven't ventured down that track,
however, I've done breath work.

605
00:34:09,070 --> 00:34:13,190
I've got a very good friend who
facilitates breath work sessions

606
00:34:13,220 --> 00:34:18,399
and done quite a few of his and
I did have one really profound.

607
00:34:19,905 --> 00:34:25,175
where I guess the best way to describe
it is for me, it feels like where I

608
00:34:25,175 --> 00:34:32,974
went when I was in that limbo period
of choosing to stay or go, so to speak.

609
00:34:33,204 --> 00:34:41,410
And it's a feeling of just being
in an Open area and it's nothing

610
00:34:41,930 --> 00:34:48,039
but love and light, and I know that
probably sounds very cliche, but I

611
00:34:48,090 --> 00:34:52,730
really don't know how to explain it
apart from using those two words.

612
00:34:52,740 --> 00:34:58,229
It was just, was so full of
love and just the lightness.

613
00:34:58,230 --> 00:35:03,480
It was like anything that was
heavy had been left behind.

614
00:35:04,225 --> 00:35:09,095
And it was just a beautiful,
peaceful, loving space.

615
00:35:09,115 --> 00:35:14,265
And I couldn't see, like,
there was a bright white light

616
00:35:14,265 --> 00:35:15,864
that was up above my head.

617
00:35:15,934 --> 00:35:20,945
I couldn't see anything, but I
could feel, so it was more like I

618
00:35:20,945 --> 00:35:23,534
knew that my loved ones were there.

619
00:35:23,875 --> 00:35:26,095
I couldn't see them, but I
could feel their presence.

620
00:35:26,575 --> 00:35:31,805
That's the only experience I've had
where I can remember anything, but

621
00:35:31,894 --> 00:35:38,400
after I had that, it was I had this
profound feeling of everything's okay.

622
00:35:38,610 --> 00:35:43,710
Like, before I'd had that experience,
there was lots, I had a lot of questions

623
00:35:43,740 --> 00:35:51,890
myself, but after that experience, it was,
I'm okay, and I know where I'm going when

624
00:35:51,890 --> 00:36:00,930
I end up there, that it's going to be okay
because it's just, it was peaceful and

625
00:36:00,930 --> 00:36:04,060
beautiful, like it was really beautiful.

626
00:36:04,060 --> 00:36:06,760
It's probably the only
way I can describe it.

627
00:36:07,310 --> 00:36:08,100
Wow, that's

628
00:36:08,750 --> 00:36:09,950
absolutely amazing.

629
00:36:10,420 --> 00:36:16,770
And I wouldn't say it's cliché, obviously
there's something in that because the

630
00:36:16,770 --> 00:36:20,089
stories throughout time are very similar.

631
00:36:20,440 --> 00:36:20,980
Yeah.

632
00:36:21,079 --> 00:36:25,090
But that's amazing that you feel that way.

633
00:36:25,499 --> 00:36:26,640
Oh, absolutely.

634
00:36:26,750 --> 00:36:29,390
And I haven't really had a
lot of conversations with

635
00:36:29,390 --> 00:36:31,310
people about this experience.

636
00:36:31,310 --> 00:36:31,740
I have.

637
00:36:31,740 --> 00:36:31,860
Yeah.

638
00:36:31,860 --> 00:36:31,870
Yeah.

639
00:36:31,870 --> 00:36:31,879
Yeah.

640
00:36:32,060 --> 00:36:35,740
a handful of people because,
you know, I know people be

641
00:36:35,740 --> 00:36:37,210
out there like, yeah, right.

642
00:36:37,440 --> 00:36:38,570
She's making that up.

643
00:36:38,620 --> 00:36:43,710
But it's just, yeah, it's
honestly, I can't explain it.

644
00:36:43,770 --> 00:36:50,080
It's just, it's taken that, you know,
that fear of death away from me.

645
00:36:50,080 --> 00:36:54,480
Like I no longer have that because I know
that where I'm going, it's beautiful.

646
00:36:54,530 --> 00:36:59,350
And yeah, and I say cliche because I
guess, you know, I guess what, before

647
00:36:59,350 --> 00:37:01,000
I had my experience, I was always.

648
00:37:01,825 --> 00:37:05,055
wondering what there was and you know,
you hear people say, Oh, it's, you know,

649
00:37:05,675 --> 00:37:07,245
love and light and that sort of stuff.

650
00:37:07,245 --> 00:37:08,965
I'm like, Oh, everyone always uses that.

651
00:37:09,545 --> 00:37:15,125
And I never really understood, but
that's, yeah, it's just, that's the way

652
00:37:15,174 --> 00:37:18,775
that I can describe it really to, yeah.

653
00:37:19,265 --> 00:37:20,355
Love and light.

654
00:37:21,355 --> 00:37:24,515
What a beautiful thing to
think that that's what's there.

655
00:37:24,895 --> 00:37:25,825
Absolutely.

656
00:37:26,015 --> 00:37:26,695
Absolutely.

657
00:37:26,705 --> 00:37:29,225
And I know people said they
have the experience where they

658
00:37:29,235 --> 00:37:31,190
visualize They're loved ones.

659
00:37:31,320 --> 00:37:35,970
I never had that, but I had the feeling,
the feeling of love and, you know, which

660
00:37:35,970 --> 00:37:41,339
I think for me would be more beneficial
than having the visual, like seeing them,

661
00:37:41,339 --> 00:37:46,230
like actually feeling their love was
what I needed when I had that experience.

662
00:37:46,680 --> 00:37:51,900
And isn't it interesting it appeared
to you in a manner that you needed it?

663
00:37:52,580 --> 00:37:54,110
Yeah, absolutely.

664
00:37:54,340 --> 00:37:55,250
Absolutely.

665
00:37:55,580 --> 00:37:57,710
And I guess also is that.

666
00:37:58,495 --> 00:38:02,195
when I've had that experience, the
memory of the experience, it's been

667
00:38:02,195 --> 00:38:05,755
a time that I've also been ready
for that experience to remember that

668
00:38:05,755 --> 00:38:09,835
particular moment when I was in limbo.

669
00:38:10,565 --> 00:38:11,225
Yeah.

670
00:38:11,474 --> 00:38:13,165
As to do I stay, do I go?

671
00:38:13,545 --> 00:38:14,494
And I'm very fortunate.

672
00:38:14,545 --> 00:38:20,295
I've got two friends who are very
intuitive and they don't know each other

673
00:38:20,295 --> 00:38:25,175
and I've had separate conversations
with them and they have both said to

674
00:38:25,175 --> 00:38:28,275
me that, you know, where you went.

675
00:38:28,510 --> 00:38:32,610
You were quite happy and neither
of them knew if I would come back.

676
00:38:33,030 --> 00:38:36,830
One in particular, she was channeling
in and she just said that she did

677
00:38:36,830 --> 00:38:38,949
not know which way I was going to go.

678
00:38:39,370 --> 00:38:43,089
And so yeah, so I find it very interesting
that these two individuals who are on

679
00:38:43,340 --> 00:38:48,720
separate sides of Australia have both
had similar feelings about and the

680
00:38:49,400 --> 00:38:52,980
feeling that not knowing what I was
going to do and that I was conflicted.

681
00:38:52,980 --> 00:38:55,120
So I found that rather fascinating.

682
00:38:55,610 --> 00:38:59,050
And when you, remember that experience.

683
00:38:59,130 --> 00:39:02,900
Is it a memory that you,
you have, do you think?

684
00:39:02,910 --> 00:39:04,670
Is that the right thing to call it?

685
00:39:04,970 --> 00:39:13,529
I honestly, I, it's, it's obviously a
memory that I've had to work, do a bit of

686
00:39:13,530 --> 00:39:16,140
work with for it to actually come forward.

687
00:39:16,430 --> 00:39:22,085
Cause For me, that came forward in a
breathwork session, so it's obviously one

688
00:39:22,085 --> 00:39:25,505
of the memories that have been suppressed
throughout that one month period of

689
00:39:25,535 --> 00:39:28,815
losing memory from that period of time
around the event of the cardiac arrest.

690
00:39:28,815 --> 00:39:32,805
So I guess, I guess it's a memory
that's ingrained, but it's just

691
00:39:32,805 --> 00:39:36,744
something that for me that had to
be released through a particular.

692
00:39:37,255 --> 00:39:37,835
Practice.

693
00:39:37,855 --> 00:39:38,275
Yeah.

694
00:39:38,835 --> 00:39:39,125
And

695
00:39:39,445 --> 00:39:44,185
when you recall that memory,
do you feel that there was a

696
00:39:44,185 --> 00:39:45,685
choice that you were there?

697
00:39:46,205 --> 00:39:48,855
You had to be pulled one
way or another as you were

698
00:39:49,585 --> 00:39:51,445
talking about what your
friends were saying?

699
00:39:51,604 --> 00:39:53,535
With that particular memory
that we just spoke about?

700
00:39:53,565 --> 00:39:57,425
No, but I've had another experience
in a breathwork session that

701
00:39:57,425 --> 00:40:00,775
I'd done earlier to that one.

702
00:40:00,865 --> 00:40:05,950
And I have a memory of it was like,
The only way I can describe it,

703
00:40:05,950 --> 00:40:10,130
it was like, I was on one side of
the door, and there was an open

704
00:40:10,140 --> 00:40:12,480
door, and I had to make a decision.

705
00:40:13,270 --> 00:40:17,939
Do I go through that door and see the
people that I've lost, that I miss dearly,

706
00:40:18,350 --> 00:40:21,610
or do I stay over this side of the door?

707
00:40:21,980 --> 00:40:23,150
And go back to my children.

708
00:40:23,150 --> 00:40:28,400
So I have had a breathwork session where
I have had a moment where I've felt like

709
00:40:28,640 --> 00:40:33,440
I needed to make a decision and that one
I found a really traumatic experience

710
00:40:33,440 --> 00:40:39,299
like I was sobbing throughout that and
I was sobbing after that experience.

711
00:40:39,590 --> 00:40:45,610
Because it felt so heavy
and raw and heartbreaking.

712
00:40:45,980 --> 00:40:49,120
Like that was a really heartbreaking
session that particular one.

713
00:40:49,120 --> 00:40:52,259
But yeah, so I have had a separate
experience to the previous

714
00:40:52,259 --> 00:40:55,089
one in regards to whether or
not I had to make a decision.

715
00:40:55,110 --> 00:40:56,929
And that was that breathwork session.

716
00:40:56,930 --> 00:41:01,810
So I would assume That why I was,
that, you know, I've got that memory

717
00:41:01,810 --> 00:41:03,350
that I've had to make that decision.

718
00:41:03,430 --> 00:41:04,360
I just don't have that

719
00:41:04,360 --> 00:41:05,980
clear of it,

720
00:41:06,270 --> 00:41:07,220
so to speak.

721
00:41:07,540 --> 00:41:12,380
It's interesting though, because they,
you know, Vessel van der Kolk talks about

722
00:41:12,410 --> 00:41:15,829
in his book how the body keeps a score.

723
00:41:16,430 --> 00:41:21,970
And the fact that you had that
memory and then you had a physical

724
00:41:21,980 --> 00:41:25,300
response to it is quite interesting.

725
00:41:25,300 --> 00:41:25,519
Yes.

726
00:41:25,520 --> 00:41:25,870
Yes.

727
00:41:26,175 --> 00:41:26,585
Yeah.

728
00:41:27,045 --> 00:41:27,645
Absolutely.

729
00:41:28,025 --> 00:41:30,415
And those two experiences
were totally different.

730
00:41:30,535 --> 00:41:32,755
As I was saying, the one where
I had to make the choice, like.

731
00:41:33,780 --> 00:41:38,120
That was so physically draining, even
just talking about it now, it just,

732
00:41:39,180 --> 00:41:42,600
like, I feel really heavy at the
moment and it just, I could sit here

733
00:41:42,600 --> 00:41:46,190
and cry because it was just so heavy.

734
00:41:46,190 --> 00:41:51,590
Whereas when I think of the, when I was
up there and I had, there was that light

735
00:41:51,649 --> 00:41:56,010
and I could feel the love, like, that
just brings me immense joy, whereas, but

736
00:41:56,010 --> 00:41:58,120
yeah, two totally different experiences.

737
00:41:58,120 --> 00:41:59,479
And I came out of that one.

738
00:41:59,980 --> 00:42:04,660
Where I was up there and I felt the
presence of my loved ones, I, I was really

739
00:42:04,660 --> 00:42:07,700
calm and relaxed and I was at peace.

740
00:42:08,619 --> 00:42:12,040
The previous one, yeah,
that was terrible, to be

741
00:42:12,040 --> 00:42:12,360
honest.

742
00:42:13,239 --> 00:42:17,489
It sounds like a decision that no
one should really have to make.

743
00:42:18,069 --> 00:42:18,369
Yeah.

744
00:42:18,369 --> 00:42:19,480
That's very, very difficult.

745
00:42:20,495 --> 00:42:20,795
Yeah.

746
00:42:20,845 --> 00:42:21,705
Absolutely.

747
00:42:21,855 --> 00:42:27,765
And tell me, how has your experience
informed, you know, you've

748
00:42:27,785 --> 00:42:31,205
mentioned that, that you're not
scared about death any longer.

749
00:42:31,725 --> 00:42:37,135
What other things have you, has it
made you put planning in place or?

750
00:42:37,654 --> 00:42:37,954
Yeah,

751
00:42:37,955 --> 00:42:42,775
I have, I've spoken about what I
would like, not in full detail,

752
00:42:42,785 --> 00:42:46,005
which I probably need to write that
down if I'm honest with myself.

753
00:42:46,085 --> 00:42:48,875
I've definitely had conversations
about, this is what I like.

754
00:42:49,815 --> 00:42:53,135
I've made sure that my will
is all finalized in regards to

755
00:42:53,145 --> 00:42:54,945
assets and all that sort of stuff.

756
00:42:54,945 --> 00:42:58,874
So that's all, all finalized because
I did need to make some changes

757
00:42:58,874 --> 00:43:00,975
to that and that's all been done.

758
00:43:01,525 --> 00:43:08,275
But for me, it's mainly just the, the
thought and the discussion around, okay,

759
00:43:08,275 --> 00:43:10,184
that if I get sick, this is what I want.

760
00:43:10,225 --> 00:43:13,685
And, you know, I don't want it to go
past this point or, you know, this

761
00:43:13,685 --> 00:43:17,665
is what I want for the funeral and
I don't want this or I do want that.

762
00:43:17,695 --> 00:43:19,065
So it's just making sure
that everyone knows.

763
00:43:19,895 --> 00:43:20,905
I don't want this.

764
00:43:20,955 --> 00:43:22,035
This is what I do want.

765
00:43:22,065 --> 00:43:28,354
And yeah, and I think that is so important
and something that we should all think

766
00:43:28,354 --> 00:43:33,315
about, not just when we're older, but when
we're younger as well, just letting people

767
00:43:33,324 --> 00:43:36,785
know what we want and what we don't want.

768
00:43:36,915 --> 00:43:39,635
Just voice, like we don't necessarily
have to have it written down as

769
00:43:39,635 --> 00:43:42,645
long as we voiced it to those who
are closest and dearest to us.

770
00:43:43,230 --> 00:43:46,440
So they are aware, I
think is very important.

771
00:43:46,930 --> 00:43:50,670
And your son is in his 20s now?

772
00:43:51,090 --> 00:43:55,970
He's 20 on Monday, so it makes,
that comes around to four years on

773
00:43:55,970 --> 00:43:58,500
Monday since the event happened.

774
00:43:58,759 --> 00:43:59,219
Yeah.

775
00:43:59,770 --> 00:44:03,300
How are you feeling about that milestone?

776
00:44:03,580 --> 00:44:06,640
Because I don't remember it,
I don't, it doesn't bother me.

777
00:44:06,670 --> 00:44:12,829
It's just more that, because it's my son's
birthday, it more, because he doesn't

778
00:44:12,829 --> 00:44:15,910
like to celebrate his birthdays anymore,
so we don't do the birthday cakes.

779
00:44:15,949 --> 00:44:20,050
I was trying to focus more on
him, And also my daughter, just

780
00:44:20,050 --> 00:44:21,430
to ensure that they're okay.

781
00:44:22,150 --> 00:44:25,410
I don't make a big fuss
about it with them.

782
00:44:25,480 --> 00:44:27,610
If they want to talk about
it, we talk about it.

783
00:44:28,110 --> 00:44:30,020
But yeah, I don't know.

784
00:44:30,020 --> 00:44:33,570
It's, it's, it's, and I guess
internally, and I've got friends

785
00:44:33,570 --> 00:44:36,899
and stuff that are very happy and
everything, but I just, I try not to

786
00:44:36,899 --> 00:44:39,734
make too much of a big deal about it.

787
00:44:40,155 --> 00:44:45,615
In front of them, because I know how
traumatic that day was and, you know, my

788
00:44:45,615 --> 00:44:49,275
daughter's a lot more accepting of what
happened and will speak about the event,

789
00:44:49,275 --> 00:44:52,595
whereas my son's still very closed off
and it's not something that he wants

790
00:44:52,595 --> 00:44:55,755
to discuss openly, which I get that.

791
00:44:55,975 --> 00:44:59,135
And as we know, men process
differently to women.

792
00:44:59,165 --> 00:45:01,295
So, yeah, but no, I don't know.

793
00:45:01,295 --> 00:45:03,345
It's just, it's, yeah, it's exciting.

794
00:45:03,345 --> 00:45:07,114
And I am involved in some cardiac
arrest groups and so forth.

795
00:45:07,114 --> 00:45:08,585
And, you know, we chat in there.

796
00:45:08,614 --> 00:45:09,565
So I guess.

797
00:45:10,330 --> 00:45:14,330
I actually talked to other cardiac arrest
survivors about these milestones because

798
00:45:14,340 --> 00:45:18,370
they understand and, you know, we all
understand that our families, it's very

799
00:45:18,380 --> 00:45:22,729
hard for them to celebrate these moments.

800
00:45:23,350 --> 00:45:26,110
Not everyone has difficulty
celebrating the moment, those

801
00:45:26,110 --> 00:45:29,400
particular, these particular days,
but I'm finding out a lot of people.

802
00:45:30,040 --> 00:45:33,960
And loved ones and, and friends of
those who have suffered a cardiac

803
00:45:33,960 --> 00:45:35,690
arrest, they do struggle with it.

804
00:45:35,700 --> 00:45:36,000
So,

805
00:45:36,570 --> 00:45:37,030
yeah.

806
00:45:37,380 --> 00:45:42,270
I remember seeing an interview recently
and I think we mentioned it when

807
00:45:42,310 --> 00:45:44,580
we initially met a few weeks ago.

808
00:45:45,049 --> 00:45:49,349
And that was Greg Page,
the former Yellow Wiggle.

809
00:45:49,900 --> 00:45:57,785
And we, When he had his cardiac arrest and
he was on SBS Insight and he was talking

810
00:45:57,795 --> 00:46:06,994
about how he also has no memory of that
period and his wife has all the memories

811
00:46:07,075 --> 00:46:15,235
of that period and she You know, obviously
is very similar, the story about the

812
00:46:15,235 --> 00:46:18,115
impact that that has on loved ones around.

813
00:46:19,215 --> 00:46:19,865
Absolutely.

814
00:46:19,925 --> 00:46:24,925
And tell me you're now, you know,
really made your purpose of your life

815
00:46:25,215 --> 00:46:31,154
to educate people about what's the
plumbing and what's the electrician,

816
00:46:31,514 --> 00:46:33,235
which is, I think is fantastic.

817
00:46:33,895 --> 00:46:37,065
How do your, your friends
and family feel about that?

818
00:46:37,065 --> 00:46:37,199
Absolutely.

819
00:46:37,490 --> 00:46:40,640
No, everyone, everyone's really
pleased and, and, and happy

820
00:46:40,640 --> 00:46:41,780
that I'm, I'm doing that.

821
00:46:41,780 --> 00:46:47,890
Cause I guess I can see the fire
in my belly of what excites me in

822
00:46:47,890 --> 00:46:54,299
regards to, you know, just educating
people on this and helping save lives.

823
00:46:54,300 --> 00:46:55,719
Cause at the end of the day,
that's what I want to do.

824
00:46:55,720 --> 00:47:00,039
I just want, want to save a person's
loved ones so that they get to spend

825
00:47:00,039 --> 00:47:02,239
more quality time with each other.

826
00:47:02,550 --> 00:47:06,419
And so they were all very
supportive and very, yeah.

827
00:47:07,195 --> 00:47:10,235
If I need anything, they're always
there on the end of the phone or in

828
00:47:10,235 --> 00:47:13,385
person if I need to run something
by them, they're like, yeah, great

829
00:47:13,385 --> 00:47:15,385
idea, or maybe, oh, what about this?

830
00:47:15,385 --> 00:47:19,285
And, you know, so they're great
for bouncing ideas off and always,

831
00:47:19,425 --> 00:47:20,665
they've always got my back.

832
00:47:21,015 --> 00:47:23,244
And your kids, how do they

833
00:47:23,690 --> 00:47:29,050
My son's very much doesn't want to know a
lot about, he knows what I do and stuff,

834
00:47:29,050 --> 00:47:32,520
but he's not really big on the details.

835
00:47:32,560 --> 00:47:34,249
Whereas my daughter's very open about it.

836
00:47:34,259 --> 00:47:34,810
She's good.

837
00:47:35,000 --> 00:47:39,160
She always throws an idea here
and there every now and then, and

838
00:47:39,240 --> 00:47:44,050
apparently I need to get on TikTok,
which, um, I'll just steer clear of

839
00:47:44,050 --> 00:47:46,340
that, but you know, they're good.

840
00:47:47,020 --> 00:47:49,550
My daughter particularly is more
supportive than my son, but I

841
00:47:49,550 --> 00:47:51,760
totally understand why with my son.

842
00:47:51,760 --> 00:47:53,400
Cause he did experience.

843
00:47:53,485 --> 00:47:59,765
It's a lot more of the, you know,
the visual and the physical trauma

844
00:47:59,765 --> 00:48:02,985
that he had to go through with
seeing what I was going through.

845
00:48:04,380 --> 00:48:08,020
And tell me, what's the
future for Heart Matters?

846
00:48:08,610 --> 00:48:14,830
Well, the future is that I would
like to just keep educating on CPR.

847
00:48:15,260 --> 00:48:18,340
I'd love to get into schools,
particularly secondary schools, and

848
00:48:18,340 --> 00:48:24,750
just, you know, I think CPR is something
that our politicians need to look

849
00:48:24,750 --> 00:48:26,620
at, maybe putting on the curriculum.

850
00:48:26,680 --> 00:48:30,550
Um, so I think that's a very
important life skill that You know,

851
00:48:30,610 --> 00:48:33,730
that we should have from a very
early age, the younger we learn it.

852
00:48:33,730 --> 00:48:39,710
And if we keep continuing that, you know,
with the updating the upgrades of any new

853
00:48:39,710 --> 00:48:43,730
information that comes to light with CPR,
if we can keep that going off for our

854
00:48:43,730 --> 00:48:45,770
young ones, it just becomes second nature.

855
00:48:45,770 --> 00:48:49,210
So by the time we hit adulthood,
by the time the kids hit

856
00:48:49,250 --> 00:48:50,790
adulthood, it's going to be cool.

857
00:48:51,925 --> 00:48:54,335
like riding a bike to them,
which is what we need.

858
00:48:54,415 --> 00:48:58,345
And certainly for me, it's just,
yeah, that's what it's about for Heart

859
00:48:58,355 --> 00:49:01,035
Matters is getting out there and getting
defibrillators out in communities.

860
00:49:01,525 --> 00:49:05,475
That's a big passion for me is to
get as many defibrillators out as we

861
00:49:05,475 --> 00:49:10,005
can, you know, and the cost, there's
a cost involved with doing that.

862
00:49:10,014 --> 00:49:14,525
So I guess at some point I would
really love to have Heart Matters

863
00:49:14,555 --> 00:49:18,465
Australia with the training side of
things, and then maybe a Heart Matters

864
00:49:18,795 --> 00:49:20,884
foundation so that, you know, we can.

865
00:49:21,435 --> 00:49:23,945
have money coming in and then
putting that money straight back

866
00:49:23,945 --> 00:49:27,565
out into communities in the form of
a defibrillator that's accessible.

867
00:49:27,575 --> 00:49:34,064
So yeah, that's what I want to do and
just some public speaking to sort of raise

868
00:49:34,065 --> 00:49:36,445
your awareness of what cardiac arrest is.

869
00:49:36,645 --> 00:49:38,524
And what, how could people support

870
00:49:38,554 --> 00:49:38,824
you

871
00:49:39,154 --> 00:49:40,275
and the future

872
00:49:40,275 --> 00:49:40,614
of Heart

873
00:49:40,624 --> 00:49:40,984
Matters

874
00:49:41,074 --> 00:49:41,664
Australia?

875
00:49:41,804 --> 00:49:45,355
The way they can support
me is just by learning CPR.

876
00:49:45,495 --> 00:49:49,950
Book a course, I teach
first aid, Teach CPR.

877
00:49:49,960 --> 00:49:52,920
We also teach first aid in an
education and care setting.

878
00:49:53,350 --> 00:49:56,580
So there's a variety of courses
there that cover everyone.

879
00:49:56,630 --> 00:50:01,330
I do a CPR and AED awareness session,
which if people don't want that formal

880
00:50:01,330 --> 00:50:06,030
qualification, it's an hour and a
half session where I can come to your

881
00:50:06,040 --> 00:50:10,199
home, your business, and I'll teach
you how to perform effective CPR.

882
00:50:10,500 --> 00:50:14,890
And you also have the opportunity
to sit down and have a play with the

883
00:50:15,000 --> 00:50:19,070
defibrillator, put the pads on the
mannequins and, you know, just follow

884
00:50:19,150 --> 00:50:23,049
the prompts, see how it works so
that we take that fear out of people.

885
00:50:23,260 --> 00:50:24,510
using a defibrillator.

886
00:50:24,530 --> 00:50:33,180
So to support is to learn CPR, book a
course, and if you want to help with

887
00:50:33,200 --> 00:50:37,669
getting defibrillators out in communities,
I have a donation tab on my page.

888
00:50:37,670 --> 00:50:42,620
You can donate five dollars, two dollars,
ten dollars, a couple of hundred dollars

889
00:50:42,620 --> 00:50:47,955
if you like, and that money goes straight
towards Purchasing a defibrillator that

890
00:50:47,955 --> 00:50:50,305
will be donated to a local community.

891
00:50:50,505 --> 00:50:55,275
Well Justine, we'll certainly make sure
that we have all of that information in

892
00:50:55,275 --> 00:51:01,454
the show notes and certainly encourage
people to donate and you know, get

893
00:51:01,454 --> 00:51:06,344
behind the training in their places
of employment and also education.

894
00:51:07,204 --> 00:51:11,544
And I just really thank you
for being honest and open and

895
00:51:11,544 --> 00:51:13,184
sharing your story with us today.

896
00:51:13,524 --> 00:51:15,234
It's been really insightful.

897
00:51:15,715 --> 00:51:16,665
Thank you so much.

898
00:51:16,965 --> 00:51:18,195
No, thank you for having me.

899
00:51:18,205 --> 00:51:23,185
And for me, the biggest thing I can do
is share my story, which helps raise

900
00:51:23,185 --> 00:51:28,485
awareness on cardiac arrest, but also
the importance of knowing how to perform

901
00:51:28,485 --> 00:51:30,644
CPR, particularly for our children.

902
00:51:31,094 --> 00:51:35,365
If we can help them provide them with
a life skill so that if they ever do

903
00:51:35,375 --> 00:51:38,955
find themselves in a situation where
they're home alone with a parent, a

904
00:51:38,965 --> 00:51:44,245
grandparent, an aunt, that if anything
does happen to them, We've provided

905
00:51:44,245 --> 00:51:48,045
them with the knowledge and the skills
of what they need to do so that if

906
00:51:48,045 --> 00:51:55,255
anything happens, they can just go and
do it and hopefully that person is okay.

907
00:51:55,594 --> 00:51:58,305
And we can reduce the trauma
that they're going to experience.

908
00:51:58,315 --> 00:52:02,595
And I guess that's probably the biggest
thing for me is reducing people's

909
00:52:02,605 --> 00:52:04,865
trauma in these sorts of events.

910
00:52:04,965 --> 00:52:07,909
It's not going to eliminate the trauma,
it's just going to reduce the trauma.

911
00:52:08,580 --> 00:52:09,320
the trauma.

912
00:52:09,700 --> 00:52:10,160
And

913
00:52:10,940 --> 00:52:15,120
you sharing your story is so
powerful and a beautiful way

914
00:52:15,120 --> 00:52:16,410
in which you could do that.

915
00:52:16,989 --> 00:52:18,090
Thank you so much.

916
00:52:18,260 --> 00:52:19,369
No, thank you for having me.

917
00:52:19,380 --> 00:52:20,120
It's been a pleasure.

918
00:52:21,019 --> 00:52:21,789
Thanks Justy.

919
00:52:24,555 --> 00:52:27,975
We hope you enjoyed today's
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00:52:28,285 --> 00:52:29,875
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