Hi I’m new on here and I thought I tell my story. I was diagnosed with Sarcoidosis about four years ago, I had the usual difficulty with the diagnosis, at first they thought it was Lymphoma then they thought it was TB and eventually they came up with Sarcoidosis. I lost weight, had a severe cough, sweats, fatigue and felt awful etc. but I recovered after about six months and was told that I would probably not suffer with it again and the doctors would monitor me regularly. Meanwhile I managed to get my previously good level of fitness back.
October 2017, out of the blue, developed a complete heart block. I was rushed into hospital with a heart rate dipping below 30bpm and I told the hospital I used to suffer from Sarcoidosis, they told me that they thought that the Sarcoidosis was the probable cause of my heart block and fitted me with a pacemaker and discharged me. Rarely Sarcoidosis can attack the heart.
December 2017 I suffered a full VF arrest. My wife was alone with me at home, she called 999 and started CPR on me and continued for 16 minutes, until the ambulance and then the Air-Ambulance arrived. I had to be shocked seven times in total, arresting three more times while in the helicopter en-route to hospital. I spent a day or two on life support, a week in ICU and two weeks in total in hospital. They removed the pacemaker and fitted me with a ICD (CRT/D type). My cardiologist told me I had a less that 4% chance of surviving the arrest. I now need to take a bucket full of pills each day, some of which have quite unpleasant side effects.
Due to oxygen starvation there was some brain damage and damage to my heart. I have poor short term memory now and can not concentrate. I find it difficult to climb stairs, getting breathless and dizzy with chest pains sometimes. I get tired a lot, I can walk on the flat for a reasonable distance but hills are difficult. I have lost my career, my hobby as a diving instructor, my hobby as a motorcyclist, my driving licence and my house as it will have to be sold and we will have to downsize.
My wife had done a first aid course at work and it just goes to show how effective good CPR is. She was and still is very shaken up. She had a large blister on the heal of her hand from doing compression on me. But I owe her my life.
I had a few dark times in the following couple of months. However I feel that I am coming to terms with it now and I still enjoy my life and I see no reason to let things get on top of me, “It is what it is”. I got a puppy (Hungarian Vizsla) to keep me company and he is a best friend and a life saver. I have found that with an electric bike I can cycle for miles, in fact it is easier that walking, so long as the battery does not run out (then I’m scuppered). So I have a new hobby of cycling. Last week I took part in the “BHF Peak Challenge” cycle ride and managed to raise over £250 in sponsorship for the BHF, completing the shorter course. In the summer I hope to do at least one longer distance cycle ride on my electric bike, such as the Coast to Coast (St.Bees to Robin-hoods Bay). So it is onwards and up wards 
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blue badge and airport charges
Post heart attack blues
Out of the tunnel at last, and into the light!!!
New Diagnosis of Cardiac Sarcoidosis
Returning to the bike 
