Happy 1st Anniversary!

This article was originally posted on November 27, 2019 on a blogsite I shared with my "Zipper Buddies", Natasha and Elton.

I thought that this was a significant enough milestone to take a break from my series of articles to talk about what the past 12 months has meant to me and and my family.

Since being discharged from the Epworth Hospital in Richmond on December 6th, 2018 I have had a more positive view of the world. Prior to my open heart surgery (OHS), I had struggled to remain positive and had suffered from mild forms of depression and anxiety. It took something of the magnitude of this surgery to make me realise how much I have to be thankful for; a loving and caring family, friends (which is surprising as I didn’t think that I had as many friends as others I know), as well as supportive managers and work colleagues.

I have been able to experience many things in the past twelve months; Jarvis turning 21, then visiting Jarvis at work in Disneyworld, celebrating 25 wonderful years of marriage to Suellen, and the two of us celebrating by going on our first cruise together and visiting Havana Cuba and of course, seeing my beloved Tigers win their 12th Premiership.

In the twelve months since my operation, I realise that I do have much to be thankful for and I am eagerly looking forward to what lies ahead.

Happy Birthday to me

This article was originally posted on June 25, 2019 on a blogsite I shared with my "Zipper Buddies", Natasha and Elton.

Turning 60 is a milestone that I was looking forward to as my wife was planning a grand celebration of family and friends. An added bonus was that two days after my birthday, I’d have a life-saving operation.

Following the news that I required a bypass operation, Nurse Eliza (my good friend) sprang into action and arranged an appointment with my cardiac surgeon Mr Peter the following week. Mr Peter was told that I couldn’t have my operation until after my birthday party; he agreed as long as I took things easy.

Mr Peter asked lots of questions about my heart history, stents, and told me and my wife exactly what the operation would involve. At this stage, he wasn’t sure if I was to have a triple or quadruple bypass. He would determine that once I was on the operation table. I was very happy with Mr Peter – even though he was a Collingwood supporter!

My birthday party was a huge success and I took things relatively easy – until 3:00 AM! I felt good, but was very tired the next day.

Monday the 26th was the day of my birthday. I had decided to spend my birthday at the Pre-admission clinic where I had a chest x-ray, blood taken, and was provided with lots of information about the operation. Nurse Nanci provided information on the rehabilitation program that she runs called HeartSmart. As someone who had stents placed in his cardiac arteries years before, I had attended HeartSmart on two previous occasions so knew Nurse Nanci well. We had also participated in a bike ride to raise funds for the HeartSmart program from Ho Chi Min City to Phnom Penh in 2011. This is where I met Nurse Eliza, Physio Cathy, and another good friend Roscoe, who also had open heart surgery in the past.

We were given information about everything that would happen before, during, and after our operations. We were also shown a board which showed what we could expect when we woke up in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). We would have a breathing tube in our mouth, 2 drainage tubes below our chest scar, a tube inserted into our heart and lung through our neck to allow fluid and medication to be given, a temporary pacemaker, and a cathether. I’m glad they showed us this but at the time, I was told that I turned a little pale at the thought of all this inside me.

It was at this pre-admission clinic that I met my Zipper Buddies Natasha and Elton. Elton’s operation was the next day (Tuesday), and Natasha was being operated on Wednesday morning, with my operation commencing in the afternoon following Natasha. Mr Peter was the surgeon for the three of us.

I then had two sleeps until my operation. I was extremely nervous and worried about the outcome but was aware that the bypass was becoming a priority.

My Visit to the Cardiologist

This article was originally posted on February 14, 2019 on a blogsite I shared with my "Zipper Buddies", Natasha and Elton.

I distinctly remember my Cardiologist Dr Marty telling me in February 2011, that he didn’t need to see me any more. In October 2018, I found out that I should still have a yearly check-up. Who knew? I should have!

As someone who was the recipient of his fifth stent following a heart attack in April 2010, I should have known better. Since my last visit in 2011, I had cycled with other heart patients through Vietnam and Cambodia to raise funds for the Epworth Foundation. I should have done a better job of looking after myself. Visiting Dr Marty should have been right up there.

Having not had a regular checkup for so long, Dr Marty sent me off to have a CT Angiogram. This is where you have a dye injected into your bloodstream and undergo a CT scan. The result of the test was that there were some cardiac arteries that appeared to have some calcium deposits. This resulted in an angiogram the following week.

These days, angiograms are usually done by inserting a catheter into an artery in your wrist. Dr Marty wasn’t confident that the arteries in my arms were suitable, so the catheter was inserted into the femoral artery through my groin. I had all of my five stents inserted through the femoral artery so I knew what to expect.

Patients are usually awake during an angiogram (or angioplasty), but I’m sure that I fell asleep during the procedure as I don’t remember anything about it until I woke up from the pain of the medical team plugging the artery.

Dr Marty just looked at me and said, “You’re going to need a bypass operation”.

The Dental Appointment that Changed my Life

This article was originally posted on February 10, 2019 on a blogsite I shared with my "Zipper Buddies", Natasha and Elton.

My journey towards having a Cardiac Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) started 112 days before my operation at my new Dentist’s office. I hadn’t seen a dentist for at least 4 years and thought that it was about time to do so as I felt that I needed a couple of fillings.

Due to my having had 5 coronary stents over the years, my previous dentist required me to take antibiotics before any dental procedure. I asked my GP about it and he told me that antibiotics were only required for those people who had undergone heart valve surgery. I told this to my new dentist at my initial consultation with her. She rang my cardiologist just to make sure. My cardiologist’s receptionist said that I should come in to see the doctor for a check up and discuss it with him as I hadn’t seen him for 7 years. In my defence, the last time I saw him he said, “I don’t need to see you again”. I didn’t know that meant, “Come to see me once a year for a check up”.

I have to admit, I was a little peeved that I needed to delay my dental treatment even longer. I didn’t know at the time that this simple act of double-checking by my dentist ultimately contributed to saving my life!

Looking back, it makes me think that somebody or something was looking after me – and I’m not a religious person!

HPE lays out TRIM’s future as a Content Services hub

HPE lays out TRIM’s future as a Content Services hub

Micro Focus Content Manager, as the former TRIM records management product will shortly be known, does not represent the entire future of information management, but will act as the hub of future content services delivered by the ‘spun-merged’ HP Enterprise Software division, according to a roadmap laid out at the 2017 Information Governance Forum.

Hewlett-Packard Enterprise (HPE) agreed last…

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Good seats for Adele! (at Etihad Stadium)

Having a beer and watching the footy. Here's to a better second half!

Objective becomes a platinum partner under the HPE Software Technology Alliances Program

Extending information, process and collaboration governance for HPE Content Manager customers

Objective Corporation (ASX:OCL) a leader in public sector content, collaboration and process management solutions, today announced it has joined the Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) Software Technology Alliances Program as an accredited Platinum Partner.

Under the program, Objective has made a long-term…

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Automated Electronic Records Management? Are We There Yet?

Automated Electronic Records Management? Are We There Yet?

Cloud providers have recently introduced some new and powerful Cloud Services for Big Data and Artificial Intelligence(AI). These Cloud services have the promise to finally reap the power of AI for automating electronic records management(ERM). But is the market finally ready? And will these new services finally convince the skeptics that AI can be used to effectively automate ERM?

Years ago, at…

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Sunset in Bali (at Rock Bar Bali)

Mohitos by the pool #poollife (at Courtyard by Marriott Bali Seminyak Resort)

This is where I'm spending my work week #kalgoorlielife

Toby family sponsorship of the performance of Variations Concertantes Op.17 #3mbsmarathon

My view from the breakfast table. #notalongweekendforme (at Pt Roadnight Beach)

Our view at breakfast (at Sky Hotel)

Good morning from sunny Aspen! (at Sky Hotel)

The Ice Palace at Disney Magic Kingdom (at Disney's Magic Kingdom)