5x Lucky - I shouldn't be alive. Long road to recovery.

Hi Everyone,

I’m not the type to ask for help, I’m stubborn in that regard. I’ve worked through just about everything life’s thrown at me. But this one, this one hit different. I’ve really struggled with the thought of doing this and asking for help but have come to the decision to do so. To be honest, this is hard for me to write. But I need help from family, friends, and even strangers.

I’m sharing this across my network: Facebook friends and family who know me personally, connections on X, and LinkedIn contacts I’ve crossed paths with professionally. You each know a different side of me. I’ve kept this cardiac event private for the most part, only sharing with a few people. But now, I need help and that’s not easy for me to admit.

Here’s the truth.

I shouldn’t be alive. I’ve faced death five times. And at some point, my luck’s going to run out.

Weirdly enough, most of it happens in May.

Anesthesiologist: “If you waited any longer, we’d be making different arrangements.”

Specialist: “You’re the worst case I’ve ever seen.”

Troponin levels were 10x normal - even a week later

May 9th, 2025

At the age of 52, I had a double bypass. That’s what saved me — this time.

Cardiologist said my heart was “stopped” for 62 minutes - whatever that means. An artery on the posterior side of my heart is dead. A vessel off the coronary artery is what was keeping me alive. One intern commented that my heart was performing at 30%, if that and I was in serious condition. So yeah, it was only a matter of time. I was/am a ticking time bomb.

Add this to everything else:

The DKA episode resulted in diabetic neuropathy. What is that? Imagine wrapping your feet in barbed wire, lighting it on fire, and trying to walk. That’s every day. Pain level? Usually a 6 or 7. Other days? Off the charts and I wish they were cut off.

The accident in 2023 jacked up everything. I was in physio due to the litigation I have in place. I am suing the 3rd party for his negligence. That is a slow and draining process. Now fast forward – I get hit with a heart attack. That has now thrown everything off kilter.

Sure, on the outside, I may look “fine” but on the inside, that’s a different story. I am still the sarcastic a-hole you know and “love”.

Some context and background.

Many of you know, I spent 40+ years in competitive swimming: athlete, coach, consultant. I was passionate about it and I think I was pretty good (I have a long pedigree). I fell a bit short of the ultimate goal but still had some great accomplishments – Canadian record holder twice and a 5x Masters National champion. In total and throughout my career, I think I held over 200+ records (club, provincial and national). I suppose that’s a feather in my cap. I was nationally ranked (near the top) in my specialties.

Aside from swimming, I still had a deep passion for golf. I enjoyed it and I went from 60+ rounds a year prior to my DKA event to maybe 20 and I may not even golf at all this year. You know, a lot of people said I will feel great, even fantastic but to be honest, I do not. Certainly not at the moment – things hurt and they hurt a lot. This recovery takes a toll on me physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. I certainly didn’t have “getting my chest cracked open/having a heart attack/bypass surgery” on my bingo card.

But on the flipside, it has put a lot of things in perspective. I recognize that the lifestyle I once had is most likely gone and it may not come back. This recovery sucks.

Why I’m asking for help.

My life’s on hold. I cannot work – not by choice. I do not have an income. I have applied for EI medical benefits but that takes time and is certainly not going to cover all my expenses. I have the lawsuit in place – well that’s going to take even longer. I’m burning through savings, deferring mortgage and car payments, and trying to stay above water.

I honestly do not know what recovery looks like or the timeframe of said recovery. All I know is that it’s going to be a long time – upwards of 12 months.

What the funds will help with:

I’ve kept quiet about a lot of this. I’ve stayed working, kept going, didn’t complain.

But this time, I need help. I need a hand to get through it.

If you can contribute: THANK YOU!

If you can share this, that helps too.

I’m not chasing anything here. I just want to recover, stay on my feet, and rebuild what’s left of the life I was trying to hold onto.

:Coach Clint