When the worse case scenario happens, Electrical Industries Charity can help you
Posted by: electime 24th August 2020
The Electrical Industries Charity are here to help you no matter where you find yourself. Shane, an electrical distributor, contacted the charity after a turn for the worse on holiday. Like many families, Shane and Emma booked a trip to Great Yarmouth for the half-term. In the weeks leading up to the holiday, Shane had begun to feel unwell, feeling very tired and breathless, but he had just taken a new job which saw him working long hours and travelling a lot. However, when the breathlessness and tiredness worsened, and he was referred for a chest x-ray. To make things even worse, his employment was terminated just before the end of his probationary period.
Shane was starting to become very unwell and went to the local hospital’s Urgent Care Centre where he was referred for an ECG and blood tests. Emma suggested cancelling the holiday, but as the girls were so excited about it, he said that they’d still go. While in Great Yarmouth, Shane became bedridden. On day 5 of the holiday, Shane’s doctor informed him he had fluid on his lungs. Shane’s breathlessness has gotten much worse and he’d swollen up so badly that he could barely get his trousers on. Shane was told to go steady and return to urgent care upon arrival home.
Just 24 hours later, Shane was rushed to hospital. Shane was diagnosed with a Dilated Cardiomyopathy and was just minutes from having a heart attack. Shane was in severe heart failure and had developed two blood clots in his heart. He spent the first 48 hours in a critical condition and a further five days on an Acute Cardiac Unit. The heart failure was unexplainable. Shane doesn’t drink or smoke and leads a healthy lifestyle. Shane was due to start a new job but given his heart condition and ever-changing medication at the time, he was unfit for work for the foreseeable future.
Shane needed to attend hospital appointments most weeks, some of which could be up to 70 miles away. The family were able to cover the costs of their priority bills, such as rent and utility bills but without Shane working full time plus additional outgoings such as travel costs, hospital parking costs, school trips, school uniforms and shoes, the family struggled to find money for their weekly food shop.
The family sold clothing, toys, electrical items in order to afford their weekly bills. Financially they were sinking, and even though Shane has been advised he was unfit to return to work, the stress of their financial situation had tempted him back into the workplace. Shane and Emma then turned to the Electrical Industries Charity.
The charity were able to support the family by providing a food voucher, paying for Eva and Mya’s school uniforms and shoes for the next academic year and topping up the girls’ school dinner cards. The family were about to replace their old and worn out carpets prior to Shane’s ill health. Shane’s charity case worker applied to another charity, League of the Helping Hand, who granted the funds to pay for a new carpet. When Shane’s health started to improve and he felt well enough, the
Electrical Industries Charity organised a day out for the family to Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham, booked their train tickets and sent some fun activities for the girls to do on the journey.
Shane’s health has now improved, and the family are in a better financial position. They have now relocated and both Shane and Emma have new jobs. The Electrical Industries Charity are so pleased to have been able to help this lovely family continue after a life-changing incident. If you are struggling with a heart condition or need help, please contact the welfare team on 0800 652 1618 or support@electricalcharity.org