On the 9th April 2004 the discomfort in the thoracic area of my body had worsened. These pains were not evident all the time and were dependent on activity levels. They had been an extreme cause of concern to me through to their debilitating nature and the medical fraternities' inability to accurately diagnose and treat.
In 1994 one of the medical/legal doctors I have previously mentioned, states my description of the effects from this pain "very severe pains in his chest like a 'bear hugging him and crushing him'. Heavy breathing will do the same and any exertion also will bring on this 'chest crushing feeling', 'crushing the breath out of him'". This doctor described these and other symptoms in relation to my accident in 1992 in this way: "I consider his present symptoms are due to illness behaviour".
I had been forced to live with this short sighted medical advice and that I may never know the cause for some of my discomfort as medical testing had been inconclusive. A medical report from a treating specialist dated 20th July 1993 states:
'I believe that dangerous and malignant causes have been excluded and that most reversible causes of pain have been looked for and excluded as well'.
Some years ago when I questioned my GP in relation to these chest and back pains and whether they could be heart damage he advised, "heart, no not with your physique, you don't carry any fat". I was unable to relate any family coronary problems so any idea of a heart condition was ruled out although he did advise "you will know, if they get any worse don't wait to find out just get yourself to hospital".
Having been awake and uncomfortable for most of the night, early on the morning of 9th April 2004 I asked my wife to convey me to Gosford Hospital, as the pains had become more severe.
The moment I described the chest pain in hospital, they took my concerns to heart. Apparently I had enough symptoms of heart problems including the associated back pain to be admitted for coronary care. I was under hospital care some hours later when I suffered a heart attack.
Luckily I didn't have any of the medical/legal doctors there or I may have been discharged with indigestion, psychio-symmatic illness or exaggeration of symptoms.
I was stabilised in hospital and prioritised for surgery. The week in hospital prior to the operation was the most comfortable week I have had in a long time as the heart medication had a two-fold purpose and allowed me to be comfortable in bed without pain.
It was only when coming out of the anaesthetic after this surgery that the pain levels relating to my injuries from the motor vehicle accident were seen to be out of control, I had neither the physical or mental ability to control pain under these circumstances. For recovery purposes I had to remain still and on my back for the next 24 hours. To overcome my subconscious need to move or get off my back, the hospital staff had to further sedate me for this extra period.
Pain levels that have plagued my life since 1992 were fairly well controlled by the pain medication whilst in hospital after my cardiac surgery which assisted my motivation to get up and get moving.
Whilst attending Cardiac Rehabilitation pain levels reached an all time high. I was pushing my body wanting to get myself well again. As I was no longer in control of the pain levels I had to seek help and was referred for pain management (first denied in 1993) with increased medication until I could be fitted into the Pain Management Clinic.
Once again the pains became confusing, trying to determine whether they were angina or from the previous injuries, or whether the two were actually one. The back injury and the injury in the back of the heart are adjacent and the blockages in the heart on the front and back are located consistent with bruising or injury from a high-speed accident. A doctor described how an injury in a severe accident might pinch or distort veins on the heart increasing the risk of plaque building up inside, progressively restricting the blood flow and in time causing a heart attack.
I was only 50 years of age, never weighed more than 70kgs, no family history of heart problems, no history of high blood pressure, no history of high cholesterol. I had always maintained a high fitness level through exercise and work. Up until the day before I went into hospital had the bad habit of the occasional cigarette. I advised of this in hospital and was also able to advise I had over a period of time broken this habit and that I could find no reason and had no wish to light up another cigarette.
The doctors believe the clinical depression of over 12 years of seeing my life being destroyed and not being able to move forward had taken its toll. At the same time my wife was diagnosed with diabetes. The help we received from the public hospital system during this period came in many forms as a large number of the people working in the system are tired of seeing the public hospital resources drained unnecessarily by denied liability situations caused through no fault of their patients.
I was advised in answer to my questions to go back through the medical/legals reports I had in my possession and to look for the link that they knew I would find. Abnormal pulse on the night of the accident, medical/legal doctors denying heart, renal, neurological and degenerative disease.
Heart and renal problems have needed hospitalisation and medical intervention. Neurological problems being the cause of my employment termination and medication. Degenerative disease showing on scans and visual observation in multiple areas of the body, along with the telltale joint pain. A number of medical/legal reports blaming the situation on psycho symmatic illness rather than the injuries assisting to cause a reactive depression, with depression being a proven cause of heart attack.
I had never given a second thought to what is deemed as depression. All I knew was, life had to go on I had responsibilities. If the depression was adding to a medical condition caused through the accident the link was never made known as it appears to be cheaper on insurance companies to deny what they don't want to see even when the results can be life threatening.
On 22nd October 2004 whilst undergoing cardiac rehabilitation came the last response to my document dated July 2003 from the Police Minister by way of my Local Member through his representation on my behalf. (Click to view responses)
Only now that the NSW Police believe that they have got rid of the problem (me) are they prepared to admit the injuries that occurred to me in the accident in 1992 were back and neck injuries. These injuries they say were accepted by the workers compensation insurer as being work related, although what they don't say is only up until 7th December 1992 four months after the accident.
However, they say this determination was subject to review by the court and it is not open to the NSW Police to query this finding. When the judge in the workers compensation court advised no injury; the police didn't accept it, they didn't query the decision, they had medical evidence proving that the judge had got it wrong and yet they, the respondent, would do nothing to assure justice, which is part of their responsibility.
I had been employed by the police service into a particular specialist skill area. PDT was about to be downgraded in 1997. To remove me medically unfit became an ideal situation for them if they could get away with it, as they had one less employee to consider for relocation, retraining and/or rehabilitation when the downgrading occurred.