TEN years ago this week, Graeme Tulloch was doing what he did as part of his normal day-to-day personal fitness routine, and that was to go for a bike ride.
Little did he know then that it was going to be a life-changing ride that would result in Mr Tulloch not getting back on a bike for another decade, and that his life would change forever.
Mr Tulloch, 71, the son of Neil and Shirley and older brother of sisters Susan and Karen, had lived what could only be described as a healthy lifestyle.
For those of us who know Mr Tulloch, to find out he had suffered a cardiac arrest came as a total shock and disbelief.
Mr Tulloch is well known for his sporting abilities. Football led to a run at Richmond and on his return to Mildura, he was captain-coach at the Merbein Football Club.
He has also been a keen cricketer and tennis player, and in recent years has taken up golf.
His formative years were spent in Red Cliffs, attending Red Cliffs Primary School, followed by Red Cliffs High, where again apart from his academic studies Mr Tulloch proved to be a good sportsman.
On leaving school, he worked in an accounting firm and a bank, before deciding to become a teacher.
“As a PE teacher, I’ve always been aware of what is required to have a healthy body,” he said.
“I made sure that I consumed the right food, as much as was possible, and of course I always exercised. I thought I was in pretty good shape.
“My father had suffered a heart attack, so I did know that it was something that I should be aware of, but of course, like a lot of people I thought that having done all the right things, then I would, of course, be OK.
“That all changed 10 years ago to the week when I was riding along Walnut Avenue, as I did routinely.”
Mr Tulloch said he was feeling a little unwell when he dismounted from his bike and walked to the other side of road to the footpath.
He left his helmet on, thinking that if he fell at least his head would be protected. He didn’t realise just how lucky his actions would turn out to be.
“Sometimes in life it is said that luck is worth a fortune,” Mr Tulloch said.
“On this particular day, luck was on my side, and I know that to be true due to the fact that I’m here to tell the story.
“Lucky to be where I was when I had my cardiac arrest.
“Lucky that almost immediately a social worker who saw what had happened, called 000 for an ambulance.
“Lucky her husband who was in the car began CPR.
“A procession of people driving along Walnut Avenue saw what was happening and stopped and rendered assistance, a health-care nurse, an airconditioning mechanic, a police officer.
“They all worked hard on saving my life, until the ambulance arrived. I was lucky.”
Later that day Mr Tulloch was flown to Melbourne and admitted to St Vincent’s Hospital, where he was put in an induced coma for three days.
They were anxious days for his family, not knowing if he had suffered any brain damage.
“St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne emergency department doctors, specialist nurses and cardiologists in the coronary care ward labelled me the miracle man.
“They said what was done in Mildura by the bystanders had saved my life. From when I collapsed, to arriving at SVH, was about nine hours. I was lucky.”
Tests that followed would determine there was no brain damage for Mr Tulloch.
Next came the long road to recovery.
“I was focused, setting goals each day to get better,” he said.
“My children, Sarah and Simon, who both lived in Melbourne, were at my bedside each and every day I was in hospital.
“Sarah put a poster in my hospital room for me to read, it represented exactly the way I needed to think. Every time I read the poster (‘In every way I’m getting Better and Better’), I became more determined.”
After spending 33 days in St Vincent’s Coronary Care Unit and a further 14 days in the burns ward, it was time for Mr Tulloch to return home.
Armed with the required medication and resolute determination, he was ready to start the process of getting his life back to what it was before his cardiac arrest.
“I knew I was lucky, I had been given a second chance, something a lot of people who had been through what I had, never had,” he said.
“It was with the love of my family and friends that got me through.
“I’ll never forget the words of the paramedics when I went to thank them some six months later … ‘You kept on fighting, so we kept on trying’.
“I think in refection, getting physically healthy is paramount to your recovery, but the hardest thing to do is the mental side of recovery.
“Believing that you are OK and get on with life, doing what you need to do to enjoy life you are blessed to have.
“I am now, and forever will be, thankful to all those who were part of giving me a second chance at life.”
Mr Tulloch knew exercise was a key component of his recovery, but the mental aspect of his recovery would be a much bigger mountain to conquer.
“I decided early in my recovery period that I’d walk to the Mildura Plaza, not that far from home,” he said.
“Getting halfway there and being consumed by thoughts of what might happen if I have another turn (and) will there be someone there to help me this time, I turned around and went home.
“I wanted to start playing golf again. I went out, played one hole, and again was consumed by thought of having another turn and telling myself I needed to go home.
“It took me three years to stop thinking like that.
“Six years later I was discussing with a friend about what had happened to me.
“He had something similar happen to his brother, who was on his own at time and wasn’t as lucky as me.
“I told my friend that I wanted to do something as a way of saying thank you.
“We decided then that we would. It was agreed that the more people that knew how to do CPR then there was a chance that lives could be saved, as was the case with me.
“We approached the Mildura Lions Club, who agreed to become the face of a program we have called Hands on Hearts Australia.”
Mr Tulloch said he was amazed beyond belief at the response when HOHA was eventually launched, with many businesses and the public willing to donate and get involved.
“Angela Izard of First Aid Services Mildura conducts both accredited and non-accredited CPR training, which is totally administered by the Mildura Lions Club,” he said.
“Over 600 students, plus other community groups, have now done the course.
“The website is now launched, which has attracted the interest of Lions Clubs around Australia who are also interested in running the same program.”
While Mr Tulloch is obviously proud of what has been achieved, equally as proud are those that know and love him for what he has achieved.
If he’s not working on his pet project Hands on Heart Australia, Mr Tulloch can most days be found working on his son’s citrus property or playing golf.
For me, I’m extremely proud to be able to call Graeme a friend.
It’s all about the heart, something Mr Tulloch has in abundance.
For more information, go to www.handsonheartaustralia.com.
