22 Jun Samantha Jobe “My Story”
10th May 2015 marks 1 year since Sam had her cardiac arrest, we are pleased to share her story!
I was super keen to get my pre-pregnancy fitness back. I started training 6 weeks postpartum. Everything was going well until one Saturday morning, I collapsed…before the WOD.
I was in cardiac arrest. Lips blue. Maria & Chris Hogan and Tara Smith saved my life my administering CPR immediately and by getting a defibrillator to me soon after that. One shock and I had a more stable heart rhythm. But what the hell just happened?
I have always been an exercise feind. I loved to push myself to that sick feeling and beyond. I trained almost everyday up until I was 39 weeks pregnant. I trained nearly twice a day before that. I was a fit and healthy 32 year old.
Countless echos and MRIs showed only a normal heart. It was after I had recovered and completed a stress test that it revealed I probably have a genetic heart condition called Long QT Syndrome.
After 4 months I was prescribed beta-blockers and given the all clear to do light training. I went to the gym that night. It was rowing. Rowing is not my friend. But, it was awesome! Just what I needed. Although, I’m sure everyone else was a bit uneasy.
Keeping their own and everyone elses mind at ease, Chris, Maria and Tara had me training as if I was pregnant. I didn’t really mind it was just good to be back.
Running late one morning, I rushed into the gym and started with dubs and pull ups. After the second round I felt a little off so I moved to sit down. That’s when I got the shock, literally, of my life. It was too much for my heart. My heart rate had spiked from 140 to 220. My ICD (implanted defib) administered a shock. I’d been saved, again.
It hurt like hell. My mind was chaos. I had always believed that the first time was a once off. Sometimes, I even believed it didn’t happen. I can’t remember it, so it wasn’t real. But this, this scared the crap out of me. It put everything into perspective. I’m not the same person anymore.
It took me a month to get the courage to train again. And, to be brutally honest, I need to build that courage up everytime I train now. It’s a constant struggle between, “will it go off again” or “I used to be able to do this, I WANT to do this” or “should I even be doing this?”.
The fact that I can do any of it is amazing. I’m truly blessed I am training at all. We had no idea what kind of recovery I was going to make; what kind of damage was done to my brain.
Chris, Maria, Tara and Jess are the most encouraging coaches I could ask for. Allowing me to train at all, is a credit to them all. I can only imagine what goes through their head when I stop to rest mid-wod. (I’m sorry guys!)
They give me the opportunity to do almost everything, within reason. They trust me when I say, I’m ok and I will stop when I need to and most importantly they tell me, when they think it’s too much.
I feel stronger and confident every day. And that’s all I need. My PRs are now just making it through a wod and that’s ok.
I don’t have the right words to say to Maria, Chris and Tara. Thank you is not enough. You have given me the chance to watch my daughter grow and for her to have a Mumma. A chance to grow old with my husband. The gratitude that fills my heart is immeasurable. I can only hope I make you proud by living each day to it’s fullest potential. ♡
Herald Sun article:
Photos from the Herald Sun
This week Sam was invited to Cardiac Science in USA to share her story, here are some photos with the people she met.
