Living with heart

Up until a few years ago I lived a pretty ordinary life,” says Wikus Esterhuyzen (43). “I didn’t often get sick and I was in good shape. I have two young children and I had my own property evaluation business. One Friday afternoon I was playing golf and I felt very tired. I had no strength. I felt flat throughout the weekend and by Sunday I decided to go to the Mediclinic in Table View, Cape Town, to check it out.

“The doctor gave me an anti-inflammatory Voltaren injection for joint pain and muscle stiffness. But by Monday I could not get out of bed. Back at the hospital, I did an electrocardiogram (or ECG), to check the electrical activity of my heart, with my GP, and he told me my heart’s rhythm was out. He referred me to a cardiologist that afternoon.

“I could hardly walk to the cardiologist’s rooms. I shuffled along, doing 50-metre stretches at a time. He did more tests and confirmed I had a fibrillation problem, when the heartbeat is irregular and causes poor blood flow to the body. During atrial fibrillation, the heart’s two upper chambers beat chaotically, and out of rhythm with the two lower chambers. The cause of the sudden attack was not clear at this stage. The cardiologist said I needed a pacemaker right away; he scheduled me for surgery two days later.

“It was such as shock, having been perfectly fit and healthy on the Friday morning – to the Wednesday, when I was having a pacemaker fitted, at the age of 35.

“I used to race my seven-month-old son, Ruben from one room of our house to the next. I couldn’t pick him up, so he would crawl and I would shuffle,” Wikus laughs.

“That was in May, by August my heart function had deteriorated further, to about 40%, and it was determined that a flu virus had attacked the heart muscle, even though I had not been ill before the symptoms started,” says Wikus.

Myocarditis causes inflammation and disruption of the electrical pathways that signal the heart to beat properly. Most of the time, the body will heal itself and you may never know you had a problem. However, in rare cases, the infection itself and the resulting inflammation can damage and weaken the heart, which can lead to heart rhythm irregularities and heart failure.

“The chances of this happening are one in a million. I guess I was the one. By November of that year, my heart function had dropped to 28%.”  (The marker used to assess eligibility for a heart transplant is 40% of function.)

“I realised that my heart was failing fast and nothing but a transplant would save me. At this point I was on a Discovery Health Medical Scheme hospital plan only. Discovery paid for all the in-hospital treatment I had, including the pacemaker. Because I had my own business I took out a Discovery Life Income Continuation Benefit plan. This meant that although I was too sick to earn an income, my family’s needs were still taken care of because Discovery Life paid me an agreed amount every month.

“When the news came that I needed a transplant, Discovery agreed to take care of all the costs as long as I upgraded to the Classic Comprehensive plan, starting the following January. Discovery has been a loyal support to me and my family, and they continue to fund the R10 000 worth of medication I need monthly. I also owe a debt of gratitude to my broker, Jaco Mostert, who advised me, and there is no doubt that I am better off today because of him.

“I was in hospital having treatment for blood clots in April 2006 when I was told there was a suitable donor for me. I was scared and happy, but also worried. Doctors can only say for sure that the transplant will go ahead once they have assessed the donor heart.

“All I know about my donor is that he was a 16-year-old boy who got a motorcycle for his birthday. I will always be grateful to his family, and to any donor family. The decision for a family to donate their loved one’s organs is never easy, but it is very generous. They saved my life and every donor has the opportunity to give life to another son, daughter, father or mother.”

The surgery was a success, but Wikus didn’t have an easy time afterwards. “It is trial and error with medication in the beginning. I am lucky to have a support network of transplant recipients and we talk to each other regularly, and discuss our side effects and pains.”

The main issues Wikus faces these days are immunity and rejection control. He is susceptible to all sorts of infections now, since part of his regime is taking immunosuppresants to lower the risk of his body rejecting the donated heart.

“In South Africa a lot of education needs to be done about organ donation. We need to tell our loved ones what our wishes are, should something unforeseen happen to us. Each donor can save seven lives.”

Wikus loves to ride his motorbike and he probably plays more golf now than he did before the transplant. He has represented South Africa four times in golf at the World Transplant Games, in which 1 200 athletes from all over the world who have received lifesaving organs compete. In 2009 in Australia, and in 2013 in Durban, he won silver medals.

“I am still active in the property evaluation game, although I take things much slower. And I spend much more time with my children, Karla (12) and Ruben (now 9), which is such a blessing.”

Wikus also regularly speaks to new transplant recipients to offer his support and knowledge. “At the time of my own transplant, I was very much against reaching out to others, my attitude was: ‘Just leave me alone so I can do my own thing’. But, you’ve got to remember; it’s a whole new world. To talk to other people helps you to understand the procedure, the side effects of medication, and that you’re not alone.

“Having a transplant has changed my perspective on life. Now I focus on what really matters. I don’t worry about who gets the parking closest to the door of the shopping centre (it’s great to walk and I don’t get tired anymore!). What you can’t change in life, don’t break your back trying to, but change what you can and live life to the full.”