Heart Hiccups

In this episode we hear from Arnold and Colleen Bond about Arnold’s experience of having heart attacks. He shares how ticking a box on a form lead to lifesaving surgery. They also talk about what they have realised about farmer lifestyles and how it can impact the heart. 

If you think there is a possibility you are experiencing a heart attack call 000.

Interested in the topic and looking for more?

What exactly is a heart attack? Check out the information here to find out.

Had a heart attack or have another type of heart condition you can find information on living with it here.

Want find tips on looking after your heart? Check out these pages:

Healthy eating to protect your heart

Keeping your heart healthy

Physical activity and your heart

Arnold and Colleen talk about reducing their how much salt they eat, but why? Check found out more about this here.

For exercise and keeping active advice check out the below websites:

Heart Foundation

Better Health Channel 

Health Direct

National Centre for Farmer Health

Check out our ‘Guys Just Wanna Have Fun’ and ‘Social Side of Exercise’ episodes to hear how other farmers are getting active together.

Join the conversation
Facebook: @FarmerWantsaHealthyLife                                       Twitter: @_FWAHL

Facebook: @FarmerWantsaHealthyLife                    Twitter: @_FWAHL 

Transcript

Brigitte 

This is a West Wimmera Health Service podcast. 

Presented by me Bridgette Muir.

48 years ago, Arnold and Colleen Bond left Gippsland and cattle farming, for sheep and cropping under the big sky. 17 years ago, they sold the farm and moved to the outskirts of St Arnaud’s. Why did they leave the farming life?

Arnold 

The children weren't interested in farming. I'd already had a bit of a heart hiccup by then, and it just seemed a good idea at the time, to get out and retire, and kept the truck after, after the farm and did a bit of grain and hay work. And that's what started the second episode, I was 48 on the farm, when I had my first heart hiccup

Brigitte 

What was a heart hiccup?

Arnold

A … 

Brigitte

Colleen?

Colleen 

A heart attack

Arnold 

A heart attack … But typical farmer *chuckles* thought everything, this couldn’t be a heart attack, pulled a muscle or something, which spilt grain at the silos at Charlton on a really hot day, and we'd shovelled grain up and heading out past the hospital, in the truck, get severe chest pain and thought well, I pulled a muscle or something. Halfway home about 25k’s thought this is not good. I ended up getting out of the truck and lying on the side of the road for a while, but still thought it was good idea to drive home and by the time I got home, I couldn't use the gear stick, my left arm had stopped working and…Colleen being a nurse took me straight in the care and took me back to Charlton, where I had just driven past. And that's where I was informed, I had a heart attack but was too long, I lost one artery in the heart that was passed redemption. 

Life went on, but one thing they do when you have had a heart problem, they put you on cholesterol and blood pressure tablets, just makes the heart work a little bit easier and decreases your blood pressure, I guess. Many years later, redoing my license, which I got a B Double license. There's a little bit on the bottom of the licenses, that says are you on medications, and the first time I renewed it I must have missed that little bit …perhaps on purpose, I don’t know. But then talking to other fellows, when my license was nearly due for renewal, they were saying… if you don't tick that box and you do have an accident… and something serious happens, and they find out you're on medications you in.. invalidate your insurance, your TAC and thought that wasn’t a good idea, so I ticked the fact that they're on blood pressure tablets, and then Mr. VicRoads wanted to know why. So, I had to get a doctor's report and when he said “I'd had a bit of a heart problem”, they sent me for a angiogram in Bendigo. I didn't think I had any problems, getting a bit short of breath but I was getting older, not as fit as I should be, as farmer do, as men do, I guess.

Fronted up into the angiogram. And the cardiologist said “well have you bought your bag with your bag with ya, your going to Melbourne”. Yeah, so went down and saw the surgeon there and said, “well, I've got a six week waiting list. I'll do you on Thursday. Don't do anything in between”. So, we did come home …and got a few things together and six days later I had five bypasses

Brigitte 

That is serious. Now tell me… let's go back to you first heart attack. Did you change any of your lifestyle habits besides… taking the pills that you were given?

Arnold

Probably not a lot, no. 

Colleen

Changed diet a bit

Arnold 

A little bit but obviously not as much as I should have. But there's a bit of family history there too, Dad had five brothers and two of them died in their 60s, from just sudden heart attacks, just died in the sleep basically, they didn't have the technology back in those days, and I was gonna be one of them, I guess. Because if I didn't go there…at the request of  VicRoads I wouldn't be here now. 

Brigitte

Right, right, wow. 

Arnold

He said he had to do four bypasses, but he's taken the vein right from top to bottom of my arm and he thought it was…the vein was that good he couldn't waste it, so, he did five instead.

Brigitte 

You're looking very healthy…and young. May I ask you how old you are?

Arnold 

68 …. So yeah that started bring about a few life changes then, mainly dietary I guess

Brigitte 

What was your normal diet? Before all this…

Arnold

Well we probably ate more red meat and, or fatty type meats before then. Like my sugar like my salt, according to them in cardiology salt is the biggest enemy. Yeah, and just kept right back on the sugar and sweet things. Although we do have the odd cake and things, but takeaway food don't go into the greasy fish and chips, perhaps about once a month fish and chips, or McDonald's, or Kentucky or something. They are just a bit of a treat that we didn't have before.

Brigitte 

You’re talking about cutting out stuff from your diet. Did you add anything to your diet that you had been ignoring before? Like rabbit food?

Arnold 

*Laughter* Not so much of that… we went on to all steamed vegetables, Colleen cooks everything in the steamer… trimming all meat, taking the fat of steaks and chops, and all those nice little bits of the outside. 

Colleen

Probably eat more fruit and veggies

Arnold

Yeah, that's another good prereq, eat more fruits and veggies rather than meat, eat a bit more fish.

Brigitte 

I always imagined that farmers have got a very active lifestyle. But there is a lot of sitting involved isn't there?

Arnold 

Yeah. That's a bit of the problem in farmers, they say they work hard, and I know they do but they do a lot of hours in a day… but that doesn't get your heart rate up. Like, instead of go down the paddock and park the tractor, and walk back to get the ute or whatever, ring up the wife to come and get ya, go for the walk. If it takes you 10 or 15 minutes, get your heart rate up and do a bit of exercise

Brigitte 

and I’ve always noticed that when I take the time to walk somewhere, that also gives me time to think about whatever it is that I need to think about. It's not wasted time, it's actually well invested in sorting out problems.

Arnold

Yeah, your walking in the fresh air and …. nowadays you're sitting in air conditioned cabins and get out go for a walk, take a few deep breaths in the fresh air. Do ya a lot of good

Brigitte 

Colleen. Do you have anything to add to that? Like did you notice anything?

Colleen 

The last time yes, the shortness of breath because I’m an old smoker and he …he was not keeping up with me when we were walking and but ah I’m right yeah… eventually did

Brigitte 

So the first time he had a heart attack you'd have not noticed anything at all

Colleen 

The first one no, there's… because he doesn't get any pain is…

Arnold

That’s the bigger problem. I don't get pain. 

Colleen

There was just that first one that he had the angina when he was coming home in the truck. That's the only time he's had any… any obvious heart pain

Brigitte 

How often did you go to the doctor before that problem?

Arnold 

I knew what it he looked like… 

*Chuckling*

Brigitte 

Are you …very vocal about what happened to you, and in helping other people being aware of what could happen to them? 

Arnold 

Yes, we do talk to other farmers, mates, friends quite a bit. You know, oh well what have you changed, and you tell them, and well yeah, perhaps …they should do. A lot of them they love the sugar bowl, love their salt. 

Colleen

Love their white bread. 

Arnold

Some other friends… the main snack in the tractor is these barbecue shapes, and little biscuits, and cakes, and things all very high in salt. A lot of them start very early. Have breakfast at five o'clock in the morning… and then don’t have lunch till one or two, and then get home at midnight for tea and gulp it down, and snacking in between

Brigitte 

Colleen as it is often men and farmers who get into trouble. What …what would your advice be two wives out there?

Colleen 

I think most of the wives would really like to …to change their diets, and they do change it but they just don't do it all the time, they… they might be good for a few days. Then their back on, and out with their extra hours and…. and they just pick up whatever they can quickly to take to eat in the tractor or just whatever their doing

Brigitte 

Yeah when you get very busy, you just can't be bothered basically.

Colleen 

Doesn't work some days with some of them.

Brigitte 

What would you tell people out there as far as learning from your experience goes?

Arnold 

Well listen to your body, I s’pose. Look after your diet a lot better, do the tests.

Colleen 

Oh, just your blood test will tell you anything and everything. Learn to relax, take time off, especially if you've got someone else on the farm with you. You're not indispensable. You know, it's your turn to relax and just supervise rather than do all the hard work.

Brigitte 

Anything else to say about heart health?

Colleen 

No, not really. I think most of its covered there is just look after your diet, to rest, relaxation, do your blood tests and any problems just go and see about it straightaway. Don't keep putting off.

Arnold 

Thinking it'll go away.

Brigitte 

Very sound advice. 

Arnold 

Do a bit of exercise… should really do… at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise through the day.

Colleen 

But with exercise, you don't have to do it all in one go either. You can do it in three or four different times of the day, rather than just go out for half an hour's walk. You can do it in 10 minute bursts.

Brigitte 

Which makes it a lot easier to handle

Colleen 

Yeah, for some people, yeah

Brigitte

It certainly seems to be working for you two, you're looking… very healthy

Arnold 

We enjoy our country life.

Colleen

Oh, yeah

Brigitte 

We do

Colleen

Yeah. 

Brigitte

Well, thank you very much for your time… both of you. Thank you, Colleen. Thank you Arnold. 

Arnold

That’s alright

Brigitte

For talking time today to talk about heart health and thank you for the advice that you're…

Arnold 

That’s alright 

Brigitte

…giving our listeners.

Arnold

As long …someone changes their habits, t's good, it's worth it …yeah. Look after yourselves.

Brigitte 

That was Arnold and Colleen Bond in St Arnauld’s, talking about heart health and lifestyle. 

You will find us always contact numbers and details in the notes attached to this episode. And while you're at it, please give us a star rating. We'd also love to hear your comments and suggestions. Our Facebook and Twitter details are in the notes. Until next have a healthy life won’t you. 

Transcribed by https://otter.ai edited by WWHS Health Promotion