Costa News Spain Breaking News | English News in Spain.
Three years ago, Gareth Robinson and Katrina Robinson experienced a terrifying and unexpected turn in their lives.
What residents in Andalucia initially thought was stress at work turned out to something much more serious. Gareth was feeling unusually fatigued for the past two days. He had severe leg cramps and dizziness in the middle night, along with sudden nosebleeds. He had a grey face and just wanted to go to bed.
Gareth has always been healthy and fit. He kept himself active, slept well and drank only a little. There was no reason to think that something serious was happening with his health. Katrina, who sensed that something was wrong, insisted the family go to the local hospital. From then on, their lives would have been very different. Gareth, unaware, was suffering from severe heart failure, and just moments away from having a stroke.
A healthy British expat nearly died of heart failure in Andalucia
EWN: Many people believe that when they have heart problems, they will need to give up everything. How much has your life changed?
Gareth: My life has changed dramatically, but I have also learned that there is a chance for recovery, and even a new purpose, after heart failure. As I listened carefully to my body, I made healthier choices. I am now stronger and more fit.
EWN: What did you think when you first heard “heart attack”? Was it something you’d been ignoring or did this come as a surprise?
Gareth’s shock diagnosis of 15% ejectionfraction: “I was drowning my own blood”.
Gareth: It was completely unexpected. I had been putting all the symptoms down to stress — the tiredness, the nosebleeds, the palpitations, the cramps. I didn’t know my heart was so bad. The doctor said that I was about 20 minutes away if not less from having a stoke. when we got to hospital. My ejection factor (a measure of how well the heart pumps) had dropped to 15%. That number still shocks me It makes me feel sick to my stomach when I remember it. I was literally drowning in my blood. If Katrina didn’t insist we go to the emergency room, I doubt that I’d be here today.
EWN: It can happen over night. What was the hardest or most unexpected part of taking on this role? How did you manage your own health and wellbeing while doing so?
Caregivers’ panic: Katrina as researcher, advocate and lifeline in an instant
Katrina: It was surprising how quickly I became the researcher and advocate. While Gareth was in hospital, I was sat at his bedside on my phone, reading medical journals, looking up ejection fraction rates and trying to understand the medication he had been put on and just what was heart failure – the doctors said the words, but I didn’t know what that meant.
I’ve never done that before but I didn’t want to accept the diagnosis. I wanted to find out what I could do.
Fear was the most difficult part for me. Early searches online were terrifyingInformation suggested that people with heart failure had only a few more years to live. I quickly learned how to separate what was relevant from what was old. While trying to remain strong for Gareth, I also tried to be there for my family. I continued to go for walks and speak with friends because you cannot pour out of an empty cup. However, it was still a lonely experience.
From fear to strength – How heart failure transformed their marriage
EWN: This trip tested and strengthened your bond. Share a time when you both saw each other’s vulnerability or strength in a different light.
Gareth: Katrina is a strong woman. Even when the situation looked dire, she never panicked. She was just interested in finding out what to do next.
Katrina: Gareth showed vulnerability when he realized he was no longer able to push himself. He was the one who always kept pushing. As hard as it was to see him ask for assistance and slow down, we grew closer when we saw his bravery. We discuss everything. We’re better at expressing our true feelings than just moving on.
EWN: Heart failure is often viewed as a death sentence. What surprised you the most about recovery and your daily life since your diagnosis.
Exercise, diet and the power to say “No”: Beating heart disease
Gareth: It has been surprising to see how much power I have. My life seemed to be over but our changes have really made a difference. We stopped adding salt to our food and started reading all labels, including those on bottled waters. We stopped eating processed foods, drinking canned drinks and alcohol. We created our own cardiac rehabilitation program because the hospital didn’t offer us one. It has been crucial to my recovery.
Learning to say “no” was the biggest mental shift. I used to take too much on. Now, I put my energy and health first. This has helped me recover as much as diet and exercise.
Expats can help other heart failure sufferers by providing low-sodium food and support.
EWN: Through sharing your stories, giving advice and sharing recipes with others who suffer from heart failure, you have become a valuable source of support. What inspired you to help others?
Katrina: We were shocked at how little information was available when we really needed it. We also noticed how common some of the risk factors are in expat life — late nights, salty food, regular drinking. We wanted to demonstrate that even small changes can have a big impact. We started to share low-sodium dishes and simple advice because we had wished that someone would have done this for us.
What keeps us going are the reactions we receive from people who just got diagnosed. Many people say that they felt totally alone until they discovered our content. It’s worth it. Our membership programme supports patients and caregivers alike, because getting better again is not a solo adventure.
Heart failure sufferers: A message from the heart
EWN: What advice would you give to someone recently diagnosed with heart disease, or their partner?
Gareth & Katrina Do not Google your life expectancy. Concentrate on what you have control over today. Get moving when you are able, eat well, and build a support network — even if that is just one person who understands. Recovery is possible but looks different for each person. It is possible to live a fulfilling life despite heart failure. You and your loved ones need to find a new norm that suits you. It’s not the end, but the beginning!
Five-Day Challenge: Practical Steps after a Heart Failure Diagnosis
Now, the couple is using their experiences to help others. They have launched a free 5-day challenge for those who were recently diagnosed with heart disease. It is designed to help them take clear, manageable actions in the first few difficult weeks.
Gareth’s and Katrina’s goal is to ensure that no other person has to experience the same fear, confusion and anxiety they experienced when heart failure struck.
Contact Gareth & Katrina on their Facebook page Heart Failure to Health, from Diagnosis to Strength.
