Frank Rodrigues
Frank Rodrigues
Group: Stories
FRANK RODRIGUES
I’ve always being a sporty person played soccer all my life, made Western Province and played for top clubs in Cape Town, was chosen to represent the Western Province senior soccer side.
While playing soccer, I also enjoyed gym and running. I did this for about 20 years, till in my forty’s, when friends my age were having heart attacks, and stints put in. (I HAVE JUST LOST A FRIEND this Saturday, he had a heart attack on the soccer field and died)
To reassure myself that this will not happen to me, I went to a GP for E C G, all showed good but I insisted on going to a cardiologist for a proper check up. That was almost two years ago, when my life changed. I was told that I needed a pacemaker for SSS (sick sinus syndrome). I had no systems at all, reason for that is that my heart stops between 4 and 10 seconds at night when I’m asleep. I wore a halter monitor for a month, while seeing 3 other cardiologist.
Not knowing much about Pacemakers, I went into depression, lost 10 kilograms and stopped all sport, and thought this is the end for me.
I started to search the internet for answers about PM (Medtronic.com) and my condition, that is when I came across the PACE organization, I attended their meetings of which one was hosted by Medtronic office at canal walk, Cape Town.
This is where I started to take my life back and living life to the full with my pacemaker.
Attending seminars, talking to cardiologist and people with PM/ICD’s, made it easy for me to accept my PM and that it was no big deal. I also came across a site called Pacemakersclub.com which share experiences of people with PM and ICD’s.
Three months after my implant I started to run again, 6 months later I ran my first 5km followed by 10km and 15km, I now average 30 km a week.
Yours in great health and shape
Frank Rodrigues.
Frank Rodrigues has been selected to be a 2010 Medtronic Global Hero which celebrates runners like him who, with the help of medical technology, have continued to lead a full, active life. He will be running the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon on October 3, 2010 in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. CLICK HERE to read more.