The phone call was completely unexpected and was made to my partner and it came from an unexpected source: Ealing Hospital.

I had been referred by someone at Hammersmith, I don't know who but thanks, and the caller wanted to know why I hadn't responded to her letter.

I hadn't received that letter because it had been sent, presumably with a copy to a long since retired GP, to an address I hadn't lived in since 1998.

Thank you for picking up the phone and calling. Suddenly, I felt that someone cared, not only that but another person cared enough to phone us so two people cared! This was a major step forward.

After that first angiogram, the one where the equipment broke down so I had two angiograms, almost, I decided to to visit my local GP. He was the guy who had suggested the treadmill test and he's a nice man.

I wanted to know more about survival and doing my best to get well.

The possibility of joining an organised cardiac fitness group was discussed. Hey, it wasn't possible because I hadn't had surgery. I thought it ludicrous.

There are many thousands of us being dosed up with statins and all sorts of other stuff at great expense but we are excluded from attending Cardiac Rehab Fitness sessions.