“This is so far from a medical emergency, believe me” were the words that stuck with me from that night.

Almost 5 years to the day, I had gone to bed (thankfully at home in Edinburgh) with no symptoms or warnings. I woke at midnight with uncomfortable indigestion, so uncomfortable, for someone used to such things, that I sat up, belched and that seemed to relieve the discomfort. Two hours later, I awoke with the feeling that a rat was gnawing through my innards, I was clammy and panicked. Despite the fact that the pain was nowhere near my heart, nor any of the symptoms “classic”, I immediately woke Pippa and told her that I was having a heart attack.

Ambulance called, I writhed in agony for what I’m told was 8 minutes before the medics arrived and began to do their tests. There was indeed something irregular but they weren’t going to increase my anxiety by actually telling me what was happening at that point – as I established later on, they played down my condition for my own benefit.

I was able to walk to the ambulance, my wife left to sort out who could look after the kids before she could follow me in to the hospital. Some time later, when she arrived at the hospital, she was no doubt shocked by my deterioration. My brief journey to the ERI had not been a comfortable one, with a massive loss of blood pressure and an increase in the heart attack symptoms. When Pippa arrived I was not in great form, to put it mildly.

But I do recall that the care I got was excellent. They were quick to mitigate the immediate risk and get on top of the pain. I was in safe hands.

Later that morning I was given angioplasty which established where the blockages were and stenting to widen the arteries. My first question afterwards to the rather bemused consultant was “Will i be able to drink wine again?”

5 years on, I am still here and have enjoyed the odd glass of wine since. At a time when the true value of the NHS is being recognised by everyone (except our govt) I am so greatful to live in a country where healthcare is free at the point of use. Long may that continue.

Some of us are used to working from home and in many cases, this has been a personal choice. But even for those used to it, this enforced isolation is tough to deal with.

Throw in home schooling kids and increased financial stresses and you have a potentially damaging position for your mental wellbeing.

For those who are working from home for the first time, the stresses are exaggerated. Add in a lack of time structure, regular breaks, inactivity, distraction, anxiety and lack of interaction and you are closer to their reality. For some, this won’t feel like working from home, but working alone.

Our friends at SAMH have put together some useful tips for those struggling to adapt to home working and I’m happy to share those here.

In essence, working from home successfully is all about creating structure. Physically distancing the working space may not always be practical but some degree of separation is needed.

Work to set time periods, give yourself breaks and try and get some much needed exercise. This is going to be a marathon rather than a sprint but it’s not one that you have to run alone

http://ow.ly/bLOi50zHKB6

I’ll not have been alone in finding the last week hard. We’re still in lockdown, the kids really need to go back to school ( but we know that it’s not safe to do so) and my life this week has been entirely lived on Zoom.

My sleep is suffering, though it’s fair to say that it really hasn’t been very good since mum died. That memory, so easily distracted during the hubbub of the day reveals itself , etched at 2 o clock on my eyelids, has made restorative sleep elusive.

But it doesn’t take much. I awoke to a review of the shortly to be released 2018 Our Fathers Shiraz. Gary Walsh of http://www.winefront.com.au penned a wonderfully personal description of the wine that began with a poignant reflection on his own father. He also seemed to love our 2018, which helps.

Our Fathers is all about giving back, it is wine for good as I like to say. When I know that others not only like the wine but are touched by the emotion behind it, it is nourishing. And in these troubled times we all need some fortitude.