The heart incident and other news

So many things have happened....I don't even know where to start!

Well, you all know we are still in the grip of the coronavirus pandemic, which has changed our lives in a way, we never expected. For me the most significant change is in our social relationships, how we connect with people and our attitude towards each other. I'm sure it will change our lives forever. But you know all this from your own experiences.

Some weeks ago, I got a commission from a lovely lady, who wanted me to make a portrait of her family. They are a family very connected to nature, specially to out beautiful area around the jurassic coast . They are interested in the animals and plants , love walking and exploring Chesil beach and observing the changes of the seasons. She asked me to make the portraits in my usual style, which I did, as you can see here. I think she liked it very much!

The Heart incident

On the day I finally took the picture to my framer, I had a little meeting with some other artists about a project on our island,. During the meeting I suddenly felt very weird, cold and nauseous and I felt a sharp pain in my upper back.  I thought I had pulled a muscle or trapped a nerve..

To cut a long story short, In this moment I has a spontaneous tear in my coronary artery which then caused a heart attack. I made it home somehow, but was taken to hospital in an ambulance half an hour later.

After several tests and an angiogram in hospital, it was confirmed, even the doctors couldn't believe it. Nobody imagined I could have a heart attack, because I don't fit the profile and don't have any risk factors, I'm fit, eat a healthy diet, do a lot of exercise and I'm not overweight

By now I have learned that I had a SCAD, spontaneous coronary artery dissection, a rather rare condition. So far there is not known a lot about this condition, nobody knows why it happens and how to prevent it. There is a research project in the UK, where I take part in and hope to contribute to some new  insights. For now, I have to rest for a few months till the tear is healed, have to take a lot of medication every day and wait  how it goes.

Here is the artwork about the 'Heart Incident'

The heart incident has changed my life considerably. I'm aware of the fact that it can happen again and that I could die, but I'm also determined to make the most of my life.