One moment I was at home in Thornbury, dropping my laptop bag on the couch like any normal evening…  

The next thing I knew, I was waking up in a hospital bed at St Vincent’s, completely confused. Two days had passed, and I had no memory of what happened. 

My partner filled in the blanks for me… I’d gone into cardiac arrest in the middle of the night.  

My heart had just stopped. No warning. No symptoms. Nothing. 

My partner woke up around 1:30am to strange noises I was making. He thought I was having a nightmare and tried to wake me, but I didn’t respond.  

He tried again. No response.  

When he turned on the light, he saw I’d turned a frightening shade of grey. Panic set in. He called 000 and started CPR, guided by the operator. Thankfully, his first aid training kicked in. It saved my life. 

The fire brigade arrived first with a defibrillator and shocked my heart back into beating.  

My teenage son slept through most of this, and my 12-year-old was thankfully at a friend’s house that night. I don’t even want to imagine what it would’ve been like for them to see their mum go through all that…  

The paramedics decided to take me to St Vincent’s Hospital because of their expertise in cardiology. It’s a decision I’ll forever be grateful for. 

After two days in the Intensive Care Unit, I was moved to the Cardiology ward, still struggling with memory and confusion.  

The tests revealed an electrical fault in my heart. 

I didn’t even know I had a heart condition. I was 49. I was fit. I ate well. I went to the gym. I walked every day. I thought I was doing all the right things. 

But my heart had been keeping a secret… 

My cardiologist, Dr Maria Brosnan, explained everything to me gently and clearly. I was so grateful to have a female cardiologist, and Maria was amazing. Even after I left the hospital, she called a few times to check in. I know that’s not unusual, but it meant a lot. 

Before I could go home, I had a defibrillator implanted at St Vincent’s Private Hospital, Fitzroy. I was among the first patients in Australia to receive this new Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator device, which is less invasive than the traditional models. Associate Professor Uwais Mohamed, who specialises in this procedure, was part of the surgical team. I was in great hands. 

The care I received at St Vincent’s was extraordinary. The nurses worked like a finely tuned team, and every person I encountered treated me with such kindness and professionalism. 

It’s now been seven months since that night, and I’m slowly rebuilding my life. Returning to work was harder than I expected. My memory, especially short-term, was unreliable, and even basic tasks could be mentally draining. I was honest with my colleagues – if I asked the same question twice, it wasn’t because I wasn’t listening. It was because I was healing. 

There are still moments where I lose my words or get confused, but I’ve learned to go easier on myself. 

I see everything from a new perspective. I don’t sweat the small stuff anymore. 

I was recently cleared to drive again, and I’m enjoying simple pleasures like going to the cinema, getting my nails done, spending time with people I love. Life feels precious in a way I never fully understood before. 

Getting to this point took a whole community… My family, my friends, and the incredible team of cardiologists and nurses at St Vincent’s. I’m so grateful.  

Through my experience, I also learned it’s okay to ask for help. 

I’d now like to ask for your help. 

If you can, please consider supporting St Vincent’s. Your kind gift could fund equipment that helps detect heart problems early, so people like me aren’t left in the dark until it’s too late.  

Your generosity could save someone’s life, just like mine.  

With gratitude, 

Sarah