Life After Cardiac Arrest

Paul Swindell
  • 4.7 (6)
  • PERSONAL JOURNALS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The Life After Cardiac Arrest podcast is hosted by survivor Paul Swindell and is conversations with people who's lives have been affected by a cardiac arrest, whether that be as a patient, partner, life saver or health professional. The podcast aims to give insight, information and hope to any others going through this life changing event. A cardiac arrest is when someone's heart stops beating due to an electrical malfunction, it's different to a heart attack, which is a "plumbing" problem, although many cardiac arrests are caused by a heart attack. Someone in cardiac arrest could be said to be clinically dead, and if no intervention is made they will unfortunately stay that way and die. In the UK only 8% survive this event, and with an estimated 250 taking place each day there is a growing number of survivors. A thriving peer support community - Sudden Cardiac Arrest UK - has grown out of the need for more information and help for survivors and their families post discharge. The NHS and chain of survival are doing remarkable things in helping people survive but unfortunately the system hasn't yet caught up with the problems that survivors and their families are experiencing after this life changing event. If you have been affected by a Sudden Cardiac Arrest, come and join over a thousand others at: facebook.com/groups/SuddenCardiacArrestUK Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 12/22/2025

    #061 Co-Survivor advocacy with Kristin Flanary

    This episode shines a spotlight on the vital role of co-survivors—those whose lives are deeply impacted when a loved one experiences a medical crisis. Host Paul Swindell is joined by Kristin Flanary, also known as Lady Glaucomflecken, a leading advocate and communicator who has turned her personal journey as a three-time co-survivor into a powerful movement. Together, they discuss the challenges co-survivors face, the importance of naming and validating their experiences, and how Kristin and her husband, Dr Glaucomflecken, have built a supportive community through humour and advocacy. Whether you’re a survivor, a co-survivor, or interested in the human side of healthcare, this episode offers inspiration and practical wisdom. Presented and edited by Paul Swindell. Recorded September 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    55 min

  2. 12/11/2025

    #060 Understanding communication challenges post cardiac arrest with Jeanne Reilly

    This episode is the second of two parts with cardiac arrest survivor Jeanne Reilly. Jeanne is also a speech and language therapist with many years of experience addressing communication issues and is the ideal person to offer insights and solutions to the common communication issues survivors experience. In this second part, Jeanne shares her professional experience and how it can help other survivors and their key supporters. The first part explored Jeanne's cardiac arrest experience and how her professional experience has eased the recovery. Presented and edited by Paul Swindell. Recorded August 2025.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    36 min

  3. 12/11/2025

    #059 When words won't come. A speech therapist's experience of a sudden cardiac arrest with Jeanne Reilly

    This episode is the first of two parts with cardiac arrest survivor Jeanne Reilly. Jeanne is also a speech and language therapist with many years of experience dealing with communication issues and is the ideal person to offer insights and solutions to the common issues survivors experience. This first part explores Jeanne's cardiac arrest experience and how her professional experience has eased the recovery. In the second part, Jeanne shares her professional experience and how it can help other survivors and their key supporters. Presented and edited by Paul Swindell. Recorded August 2025.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    35 min

  4. 11/21/2025

    #058 CARESSf survivorship care with Dr Nathan Pearson

    This episode explores the CARESSf Project, an innovative initiative designed to improve survivorship care for people affected by cardiac arrest. Host Paul Swindell is joined by Dr. Nathan Pearson, a psychologist and lead researcher, to discuss how the project aims to bridge the gap between hospital discharge and long-term recovery. Together, they unpack the challenges survivors and their families face, the importance of holistic support, and what makes the CARESSf approach unique. Whether you’re a survivor, a loved one, or interested in advances in cardiac care, this episode offers valuable insights and hope for the future. Presented and edited by Paul Swindell. Recorded August 2025.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    36 min

  5. 11/10/2025

    #057 RESCQ Support for the forgotten patients with Dr Uzma Sajjad

    In this episode, host Paul Swindell speaks with Dr Uzma Sajjad about the innovative RESCQ Project. This pioneering initiative supports those present at a resuscitation event—often called the "forgotten patients"—who witness out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Dr Sajjad explains how the project, currently piloting in Essex, provides vital resources, emotional support, and personalised guidance to those affected by these traumatic events. Listeners will learn about the project's origins, its collaborative approach, and the importance of addressing the psychological impact on bystanders. Tune in to discover how RESCQ is bridging a crucial gap in post-resuscitation care and changing lives Presented and edited by Paul Swindell. Recorded July 2025.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    53 min

  6. 10/07/2025

    #056 Never the Same Man part 2 with David Moore

    Never the same man, Part 2, with Paul chatting with co-survivor David Moore on his son's cardiac arrest, recovery and journey to healing though the creation of a book - "Never the same man." This volume captures the words and images that enabled Richard to communicate with his family how he was feeling. Finding creative writing, first through scrambled thoughts on scraps of paper and then into fully formed poems, Richard has captured many of the thoughts and fears, trials and tribulations of being a cardiac arrest survivor. The book is co-authored with his father, David Moore, who is interviewed in this episode and conducted many of the dialogues that went into forming the core of the book. This episode contains several of Richards read by the author, and they can also be seen in video form on Richard's YouTube channel. Heart Breaks Shit, here we go again, digging heels in to resist, dragged to the edge, hoping people don’t see the cliff. My voice starts to waiver, eyes fill with dread, hairs on my back, like needles in my head. Stop stop please stop, take another breath, swallow down the sad, compose back to myself. It was a simple question, tell me how are things, nails dug in my palms. Sirens start to ring. Things get easier with time, and oh you’ll be fine. Clearly all just lies, aiding the disguise. But this time there’s no masking, tears down my face, in the head teachers office, let me out this place. It’s just a conversation, with a million people listening, uncomfortably sitting, changing my position. Record button rolling, the stampede has begun, the horse left with out the carriage. Should I just up & run? The breaks of my heart, shudder to a stop, my heartbreak tale, wish I could swap. Here comes the wave, that knocks me off my feet, tumbling in the undertow, palms the hottest heat. I’m falling apart, for everyone to see, a fully grown adult, it’s not how I should be. Would you like to take a break, a sympathetic voice, the sad doesn’t really stop, I don’t get that choice. Can I take a break from it all, go back to the time before, before all the mess, before the closing of the door. I should have know better than to think I’m ok, the overwhelming dark it never goes away. Feeling quite embarrassed, a pausing of the show, handing me a tissue, not how it’s supposed to go. Stop button pressed, this is as far as I can take. The end of the line, my story of heartbreak. See Richard's YouTube Channel for more of his poems and videos Purchase the book at neverthesameman.co.uk – Never The Same Man Recorded and edited by Paul Swindell, 2025 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    43 min

  7. 10/07/2025

    #055 Never the Same Man part 1 with Richard Moore

    Never the same man, part 1, with Paul chatting with cardiac arrest survivor Richard Moore on his event, recovery and journey to healing though the creation of a book - "Never the same man." This volume captures the words and images that enabled him to communicate with his family how he was feeling. Finding creative writing, first through scrambled thoughts on scraps of paper and then into fully formed poems, Richard has captured many of the thoughts and fears, trials and tribulations of being a cardiac arrest survivor. The book is co-authored with his father, David Moore, who is interviewed in the second part and conducted many of the dialogues that went into forming the core of the book. This episode contains several of Richards read by the author, and they can also be seen in video form on Richard's YouTube channel. Building a man Where once, a stone of a man had stood, left now is a broken body, a heart no good A fall from a place so safe and warm, into the depths where only the buzzards swarm. Into a dark that no one knows, a journey to where, not even sea foam blows. Where the wind and trees don’t get to dance. The seeds that are planted don’t stand a chance. Absent of stars, moon or sky, where odds are stacked and the wager, high. A hollow void where this man shouldn’t be, laid out so bare, for all to see. Alone and helpless sinking inside, reaching, gasping, no more alive. Calm and peace allowing to rest, the sand of time no longer compressed. A weight now lifted, drifting away, this is my place and here I must lay. But within that depth lies a sound that speaks. A drum that beats and refuses defeat. A pulse with no rhythm that started to dance, a song with no words played completely by chance. A hand on my chest, whispers come now, don’t rest. The people I love all put to the test. Life being forced, driven and pressed, do what you can and what ever is best. Next a bolt, thrown at might, thunder charges, angels they fight. Laying claim to a body where they posses no right. The devil he hounds for his pound of flesh, must pay the toll man to get out of this mess. Eyes start to flutter showing signs of a spark, lost in the woods, enough of the dark. Now here lies a man made of stents and stone, glass legs and twisted chest bone. A memory so broken that plays on repeat, a muscle repaired that struggles to beat. Palms held out and feeling for life, the calm of a voice, the warmth of a wife. The storm, now settled and rumbles no more, leaving a man washed up on the shore. A puppet propped up unable to stand, stumbling, falling and needing your hand. A child again, the world has turned, back to the start, this life must be earned. Now the game starts of building a man. The board is set and the dice have ran. All the same pieces, but never the same man. See Richard's YouTube Channel for more of his poems and videos Purchase the book at neverthesameman.co.uk – Never The Same Man Recorded and edited by Paul Swindell, 2025 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    45 min

  8. 09/21/2025

    #054 The idiopathic cardiac arrest with Professor Elijah Behr

    Paul talks with Professor Elijah Behr on something that is a subject of great personal interest, having experienced one in 2014 – idiopathic cardiac arrests – events where the cause is unknown. Professor Behr is a world-renowned expert on the subject and has been conducting a BHF-funded study to investigate the cases where people drop down “dead” for no apparent reason. Presented and edited by Paul Swindell. Recorded June 2025.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    38 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.7
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

The Life After Cardiac Arrest podcast is hosted by survivor Paul Swindell and is conversations with people who's lives have been affected by a cardiac arrest, whether that be as a patient, partner, life saver or health professional. The podcast aims to give insight, information and hope to any others going through this life changing event. A cardiac arrest is when someone's heart stops beating due to an electrical malfunction, it's different to a heart attack, which is a "plumbing" problem, although many cardiac arrests are caused by a heart attack. Someone in cardiac arrest could be said to be clinically dead, and if no intervention is made they will unfortunately stay that way and die. In the UK only 8% survive this event, and with an estimated 250 taking place each day there is a growing number of survivors. A thriving peer support community - Sudden Cardiac Arrest UK - has grown out of the need for more information and help for survivors and their families post discharge. The NHS and chain of survival are doing remarkable things in helping people survive but unfortunately the system hasn't yet caught up with the problems that survivors and their families are experiencing after this life changing event. If you have been affected by a Sudden Cardiac Arrest, come and join over a thousand others at: facebook.com/groups/SuddenCardiacArrestUK Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Paul Swindell
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2025
  • Episodes
    62
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Paul Swindell
  • Show Website
    Life After Cardiac Arrest