Run for your life (again).

Great news recently as a pensioner defies doctors by running half marathons with only 25% of his heart muscle working.

David Lawrie of Ontario Canada had not one, but three heart attacks in a row when he was only 42 years of age.  This left 75% of his heart muscle destroyed.  Doctors were so worried about his condition that they didn't really give him much chance of survival, worrying that even a sneeze might cause him to suffer another heart attack (myocardial infarction), possibly his last and final one.  Doctors don't normally give patients with so little working heart much chance of survival.

After hearing his doctors in the hallway saying there wasn't much more they could do for him, David asked them, "Do I have a future?".  The medical professionals were so unsure of his making it through, their reply was "Take it one day at a time."

David Lawrie refused to give up hope though.  He went back to his work and had 2 more children and exercised gently.  Then, by the time he reached his sixties he decided to run a marathon.  He still recalls with great enthusiasm his words to his doctor "Wouldn't it be something for a guy with a little bit of heart pumping to run a marathon?" he asked. "Who would ever think that a guy with a little bit of heart pumping could finish a half marathon?"

Picture from www.ctv.ca

His doctor, Dr. Manish Maingi, completely disagreed with him and has stated how with most patients he tries to motivate them, but with David he was doing his best to de-motivate him because he was worried about the outcome.

Now, David has run 3 partial half-marathons. Dr. Maingi has said that his patient's good health shows that the right attitude can trump a devastating prognosis, "There is something, willpower, motivation, perseverance that we don't measure with numbers, and that makes a difference," he said.

Original report.

Video Clip here