How Did I Get Here: Traveling The Road To Rresilience

By Andrew Fitzgerald

HOW DID I GET HERE?

As he woke up after dying for the second time, Andrew Fitzgerald asked himself, "How did I get here?"

As he and his wife left Ireland and stepped foot on American soil to begin their lives in the US, he asked himself

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fitzy
• Release date: Feb 14, 2023
• ISBN: 9798987508251

Book preview

Copyright © 2023 Andrew Fitzgerald

All rights reserved. This book or any portion of it may not be reproduced or used in any way without the written permission of the author/publisher, except for a brief quote in a review or article.

Printed in the United States of America.

Published by Fitzy’s Branded Books

ISBN: 979-8-9875082-5-1 (eBook)

ISBN: 979-8-9875082-2-0 (Paperback)

Contact: [e-mail]

www.AndrewFitzgeraldAuthor.com

Copy editor: Andrea Susan Glass, www.WritersWay.com

Cover design: www.100Covers.com

Formatting: www.formattedbooks.com

Images: www.Shutterstock.com

Disclaimer

The consumer and beverage brands that appear here within are used for informational purposes only, and their trademarks are owned by their respective companies.

DEDICATION

My book is dedicated to

Those who have failed but gotten back up and succeeded.

Those who choose to stand tall rather than cower.

Those who have chased their dreams or have yet to.

Those who suffered a loss but stayed resilient, confident, and trusted themselves.

To my son, Alfie; when you came into the world my world changed for the better. You are an inspiration to me. You are my hero, and the world is your oyster.

To my wife, Jane: you are my champion.

To my four other children who I never got to meet, hold, and care for. You are never forgotten, and I know you are at peace.

And to myself and the resilience that allowed me to get here.

CONTENTS

Introduction

PART 1: HEALTH CRISES

Chapter 1: Last Rites

Chapter 2: WPW Syndrome (Wolff-Parkinson-Whyte Syndrome)

Chapter 3: Flatline Take 1

Chapter 4: Flatline Take 2

Chapter 5: Aftereffects

PART 2: MOVE TO AMERICA

Chapter 6: Life in Ireland

Chapter 7: Holidays to the States

Chapter 8: The Lottery

Chapter 9: The Move, Part 1

Chapter 10: Return to Ireland

Chapter 11: Welcome to America, Part 2

Chapter 12: Life in Ireland vs. America

Chapter 13: Visits to Ireland

PART 3: MY CORPORATE LIFE

Chapter 14: The Dark Side

Chapter 15: It Began in Ireland

Chapter 16: To Be Continued…in America

Chapter 17: Business in Ireland vs America

PART 4: PREGNANCIES & MISCARRIAGES

Chapter 18: Delivery Day

Chapter 19: Pregnancy & Miscarriage #1

Chapter 20: Pregnancy & Miscarriage #2

Chapter 21: Pregnancy & Miscarriage #3

Chapter 22: Pregnancy & Miscarriage #4

Chapter 23: The Five Stages of Grief

Where Do I Go From Here?

About the Author

INTRODUCTION

Hi, I’m Andrew Fitzgerald, and I died twice. Everyone dies, although not everyone truly lives. I flatlined twice and was brought back to life to follow my ambitions and embark on a journey of resilience. Yes, I died twice, yet I’ve lived a fu ll life.

How Did I Get Here? Traveling the Road to Resilience follows my life from growing up in Ireland to immigrating to the United States and the trials and triumphs along the way—the failures and successes in business, the fear and excitement of a new country, the grief and loss through miscarriage, and the eventual birth of my son. I’ve divided this book into four parts which focus on the most significant events in my life, and as such are not necessarily in chronological order. However, as the story unfolds, you’ll notice how it all fits together.

The book you’re about to read recounts how I overcame fears and obstacles to realize my goals. I believe anyone who has tried, failed, and tried again and succeeded or has overcome loss and sorrow, will gain useful insights. My story shows how you can prevail over adversity using key lessons—both personal and professional—that have both helped and hindered me, yet ultimately served me well.

If you’ve had tough times, you’ll get value out of this book. If you’re in the middle of some challenge, you’ll get insights. If you feel stuck or need to make a change, this book will inspire you.

I’ve heard that the journey is as important as the destination. I used to think the destination was all that mattered, yet it wasn’t until I realized that the journey—filled with highs and lows—is often more fulfilling than the destination. So travel with me to learn how I overcame the various obstacles in my life, how I thrived, and how I traveled the road to resilience.

I’ve achieved so much in my corporate life and my sporting life, and yes, the journey has been more important than the destination. If you have dreams, yet have had to overcome obstacles, or you’re looking for a view into the workings of the corporate world, this book will accompany you as your story unfolds.

My aim is for you to be inspired and encouraged, so you’ll be better prepared for what life has in store for you. Ultimately, this book will help you learn to trust yourself and develop the key trait of resilience. Resilience is for everyone. Are you ready?

PART I

HEALTH CRISES

Time and health are two precious assets that we don’t recognize and appreciate until they have been depleted.

—Denis Waitley, Author and Speaker

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CHAPTER ONE

Last Rites

My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion,some compassion, some humor and some style.

—Maya Angelou, Poet

The odors of antiseptic and disinfectant linger in the air, that omnipresent smell that can only be associated with hospitals. As I lie there on a hospital trolley staring at the ceiling, I ask myself, How did I g et here?

The orderly pushing me swerves the trolley as we make our way down the corridor. The bright fluorescent lights flash in and out of my eyesight like the on/off of a light switch. A doctor and nurse are with me, and I can feel someone holding my hand but can’t make out who it is. The trolley stops as we wait for the lift to open. I can’t really process what’s about to happen.

The hospital is eerily quiet this evening. The lift pings and the doors open. Once inside, I catch sight of the person holding my hand. I recognize the black and white clothing. It’s an elderly nun with rosary beads in one hand and my hand in her other, held tightly. She flashes an approving smile at me and says, Everything will be okay. The lift doors close and we begin to ascend. The next words she utters will forever stay with me:

Through this holy anointing, may the Lord in his love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit. May the Lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up.

Wow! Am I being given last rites? I can’t believe this. I’m only nineteen years old and have so much more life to live. I don’t want to die, please God, don’t let me die.

The trolley moves out of the lift, and now there are six or maybe seven people around me. I’m here because my heart was beating way too rapidly. The doctor explains that to bring my heartbeat down, he’s going to stop my heart and start it again. He says this is the only course of action, the right course of action.

I trust the medical advice, yet I don’t comprehend the severity of it. I hear what he’s saying and try to hold onto positive thoughts. However, at nineteen my overriding emotions are fear, worry, and confusion. I have a difficult time processing what’s about to happen.

My eyes are moving rapidly around the room, my senses amplified to the various sounds and conversations. The anesthesiologist places a mask on my face to administer gas to put me to sleep. As I close my eyes and take a deep breath, I lose consciousness. The medical team administers the defibrillation that sends an electric pulse to my heart to shock it into not beating.

I have now flatlined. I am dead. The next electric pulse is to shock my heart into restarting, which thankfully it does. I am alive again. I wake up in the intensive care unit and cry tears of happiness that I survived. What just happened?

CHAPTER TWO

WPW Syndrome (Wolff-Parkinson-Whyte Syndrome)

To ensure good health: eat lightly, breathe deeply, live moderately, cultivate cheerfulness, and maintain an interest in life.

—William Londen, British Publisher

Three hours earlier, I had been playing golf with my friend Brian when it happened again: the light headiness, the labored breathing, the shortness of breath, and the unmistakable accelerated heartbeat like a pounding in my chest—similar symptoms I had experienced the previous year. Eight months before while on a soccer field, I felt a similar sensation, that rapid heartbeat. This second time though, it felt di fferent.

I quickly left the golf course after playing only two holes and went to the locker room to change my shoes. A club member started to speak to me; however, I was so out of it, I was barely able to reply. He must have thought I’d had a few beers, starting the weekend early.

Brian had to drive me to the hospital as I knew something was wrong, so wrong. He kept asking, Andrew, are you doing okay? Hang in there. He drove as fast as he could through the suburbs and into city traffic. I was checked into the A&E (Accident & Emergency) at the Mercy Hospital and explained that I had been there before, with the same symptoms.

Although usually a waiting game that lasts for hours, this time I was immediately taken into a room and hooked up to the heart monitor. And there it was for all to see: my heart beating at two hundred fifteen beats per minute (bpm). The normal heart range is sixty to one hundred bpm, and during exercise one hundred thirty to one hundred fifty (www.healthline.com). At two hundred fifteen it felt like my heart wanted to jump out of my chest. The doctors and nurses first wanted to make sure it wasn’t a panic attack—even though this was the second occurrence and the previous time that wasn’t the case.

After some time, it became clear it was not a panic attack—even though I felt pretty panicked—as my rate remained at two hundred fifteen. The doctor said they were waiting for a drug to be delivered from the Regional Hospital (now Cork University Hospital) that would assist in lowering my heart rate. However, they found out it would take too long to get there—even though it was only ten minutes away—so that was no longer an option. Therefore, another course of action had to be taken.

My parents were out doing grocery shopping as they did every Thursday night, and back in 1997, a mobile phone was like gold dust. Eventually, one of the golf club members was able to contact them and let them know where I was, which led to a frantic scramble to get out of the grocery store, into their car, and once again hope their youngest child wouldn’t die.

At the time of this second occurrence of experiencing a rapid heartbeat as well as the other symptoms, I eventually received a diagnosis known as Wolff-Parkinson-Whyte (WPW) Syndrome. In WPW, an extra electrical pathway between the heart’s upper and lower chambers causes a rapid heartbeat. The condition, which is present at birth, is rare and estimated to affect between one and three people per thousand. It’s more common in men than women (source: bhf.og.uk). It’s also one of the six contributing conditions for Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndrome (SADS) according to the American Heart Association. But this wasn’t the first time I experienced this phenomenon.

CHAPTER THREE

Flatline Take 1

He who has health, has hope; and he who has hope, has everything.

—Thomas Carlyle, Scottish Author

Eight months before the previous situation, I had