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FRIDAY FEBRUARY14, 2014
Matters of the heart
Every 90 minutes a New Zealander dies of Heart Disease. Today the Heart Foundation has volunteers on the street collecting money to put towards fighting New Zealand’s biggest killer. Any one of us could be affected. Be generous Horowhenua. Today we feature Kenneth’s and Rowena’s (page 3) stories, but it could be yours. Chronicle reporter Frankie Webb tells their stories.
Kenneth’s story: Shannon’s Kenneth Stuart Senior wants to get back to work, he was told he would be back within months of life saving heart surgery, three years later he’s still on time out. ‘‘It’s really frustrating, I’m a dad, a husband . . . I feel like I should be working,’’ Kenneth said. ‘‘Sometimes you realise too late you need to take care of yourself when you’re younger, you know, you have a few beers, enjoy yourself.’’ Kenneth has a hereditary heart condition. ‘‘I didn’t know about it,’’ he said. ‘‘I’m Maori, my family don’t communicate that well. I lost my mum at 43, but you don’t really talk about that sort of thing.’’ Kenneth and wife Charmaine have six children. ‘‘We’ve discussed it with them,’’ Charmaine said. ‘‘They know it’s in the family, I don’t know if they totally understand but our son, who is 22, has changed his lifestyle and he’s taken it on board.’’ Kenneth was diagnosed with hypertension in his 30s and medicated accordingly. ‘‘I’ve had pain between my shoulders for years, it’s terrible, I used to stand up against the wall to relieve it,’’ Kenneth said. ‘‘I never associated it with cardiac issues, I didn’t recognise . . . ’’ Charmaine would massage her husbands shoulders, it brought little relief. Kenneth’s older sister went in for cardiac surgery.
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Pot luck — page 4 LVN110214fwheart2
CARDIAC CONCERN: Surgery gave heart patient Kenneth Stuart Senior a second chance at life, but not the life he had hoped for. He is supported by right, wife Charmaine who is now developing health issues of her own, and centre, disease state management mobile nurse Te Runanga O Raukawa Mitch Jennings-Wanoa. PICTURE: FRANKIE WEBB
‘‘She didn’t tell me about the condition being in the family, she didn’t want to freak me out,’’ Kenneth said. His own condition worsened. Eventually bypass surgery was his only option. ‘‘I was told after the operation I could return to work in a matter of months, but there were complications from the surgery,’’ Kenneth said. ‘‘I feel I have been
given a second chance, I’m lucky to be alive but I also know I have to flag some dreams and aspirations. I make short-term goals, ultimately I want to go back to work, I don’t know if that will happen.’’ Kenneth urges families to talk about any familial conditions, to think about their future health when they are young and don’t leave it too late.
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