On the front, getting the condition right: Peter O'Gorman trained 20 hours a week and thought he was in the condition of his life only to be struck down by a stroke due to a heart valve infection.
Deep in the middle of the Rás bubble last May, former international rider turned manager of the Aquablue cycling team, Tim Barry came crashing down to earth.
A trip to hospital for some rib X-Rays brought him into the moment a fellow clubman’s future, even his life, hung in the balance.
In his latest column, Barry outlines how 36-year-old triathlete Peter O’Gorman lay stricken in a hospital bed having been cut down by an undiagnosed heart infection that caused a no-warning stroke.
And he outlines the lessons that he and O’Gorman have taken from what was a devastating turn of events.
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Day three of this year’s An Post Rás started well for our Aquablue team.
After 30km, coming into Ennis, Damien Shaw had bridged across to the first significant break of the day made up of ten riders from various teams.
Gradually the gap crept up to nearly four minutes as the breakaway settled in for a hard day’s graft.
We spoke to Damian, giving him the standard advice; don’t work too hard, remember to eat and drink and save as much as possible in case the move stayed away.
All was quiet until roughly 20km to go when the break began to devour itself.
Peter O'Gorman in triathlon action before he hit major problems that were to change the course of his life (Photo: Martin Jancek - Triathlon Ireland)
Around this time we also got news on race radio that another Aquablue rider had been involved in a crash back in the bunch and wasn’t getting up.
Bryan Mc Crystal had smashed into a bridge passing through Kilmallock, using his ribs as a battering ram.
Thankfully after a few nervous minutes we heard on race radio he was back on his bike and pedalling to the finish, albeit slowly.
At the front of the race the break stayed clear and in a frantic finish Damo finished a fantastic 4th on the stage. Not bad for a guy with a full time job.
While delighted for Damien, I waited anxiously by the finish line for Bryan to come in. After 20 long minutes the big man dragged himself home.
We took him to the race doctor Conor Mc Crane to be examined.
The diagnosis was some very badly bruised ribs but nothing broken. Conor said if his condition changed in any way he was to be informed immediately.
After dinner and right on cue, just as I was about to enjoy a pint in the bar of the Hibernian Hotel, Bryan came in and said the pain in his ribs was worse and that he didn’t feel very well.
If a guy as tough as this says he is pain you know it’s serious.
After a quick consultation with the race doctor we were off to the A&E department in Cork University Hospital for X rays.
On the way it seemed like a disaster.
Bryan’s race was probably over. And even if he could continue, how long could he last?
Even then, how would the injury affect his performance?
But life has a habit of throwing the odd reality check at you from time to time. And today was the day we were about to get a really big one.
At reception of A&E, while Bryan was filling out the necessary paperwork, I heard a familiar voice.
“Hi Tim, thanks for coming in to see him.”
In the colours of Aquablue, Peter had been riding road races as Ironman preparation and had joined the Cork-based team at its January training camp.
It was Cliodhna Spain. Her boyfriend Peter O’Gorman is a friend of mine.
Peter is a triathlete but is also a member of the AquaBlue club team.
All the lads on the racing team would know him, as he came along to our training camp in January.
His big aim for the year was an Ironman in Germany during the summer. And in preparation for this he had taken part in a lot of bike races during the spring.
I was more than a little confused by what Cliodhna had said.
I pointed at Bryan and said: “Sure I couldn’t let him drive up himself”.
Then realising that our wires were totally crossed I asked: “What are you on about?”
With tears in her eyes, she dropped the bombshell.
Peter had headed out training on his bike that day but had to return home after just a few kilometres feeling very unwell.
He went to bed disorientated but was too afraid to sleep.
He rang Cliodhna and after an incoherent conversation she rushed home from work.
By the time she reached him, his balance, speech and general coordination had deteriorated greatly.
She managed to get him into her car and drove to hospital.
The very second he arrived in the door he was rushed to an intensive care unit. He displayed all the symptoms of a stroke victim.
So there we stood; all in total shock.
And after hearing her story, Bryan came out with a classic in his dulcet Dundalk tone: “Fuck, I don’t feel so bad now after hearing that!”
Putting the power down in Irish triathlon action as he worked towards his main goal for the year in Germany.
While Bryan was being X-rayed, Cliodhna brought me in to see Peter.
He was lying on his side semi conscious and was hooked up to a myriad of devices. He had a distinct droop on one side of his face.
The results confirmed he had suffered a stroke that day while out training.
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At 36 years of age, Peter had left his house that morning in the best physical condition of his life - training twice a day most days and averaging 20 hours a week between swimming, cycling and running.
But now, just hours later, it was uncertain if he would pull through. And even if he did, how much of him would be left?
At three in the morning Bryan and I left the hospital to head back into the Rás bubble.
We were feeling less concerned about his ribs or the other race related, now trivial, issues that had occupied us on our way to the hospital.
We were more than a little bit shaken from the reality check we had just experienced.
The Rás went on and after battling bravely for two more days the big man from Dundalk had to drop out.
The pain of the injury had made cycling and breathing at the same time impossible.
He came along to the finish in Skerries three days later to stand on the podium of the Rás with his teammates; winners of the county team prize.
And Damien won the county rider jersey.
On the drive back to Cork on that Sunday night, I received the best news I had heard in days; Peter was sitting up in bed having improved greatly in the previous 24 hours.
He was now able to receive visitors.
The next evening I stopped by the stroke unit at the hospital with a little present for our club mate; the county rider winner’s jersey signed by the entire team.
Like many elite riders and triathletes, Peter has focussed on every part of his game to get strong and faster; seen here relaxing with his recovery boots.
So what had caused a perfectly fit 36-year-old triathlete and cyclist to suffer a stroke?
The cause was eventually traced back to a dormant infection on the bicuspid valve of his heart.
A piece of debris from this infection had broken free and travelled to Peter’s brain causing the stroke.
More tests revealed Peter also had a secondary issue; an aortic root dilation.
Peter spent the next seven weeks in hospital.
During that period he was treated with extensive physiotherapy to regain his full physical capacity.
He also received neurological treatment for his speech, memory and cognitive skills.
Thankfully Peter is making an excellent recovery.
Outside of his normal ongoing physio and neuro work, he is taking on additional sessions; even recently getting back on his bike and doing a few spins every week.
He hopes to be back to work shortly so things are looking good compared to that fateful day in May.
But the question remains; could his underlying heart conditions have been detected and thus his stroke prevented?
In a word, ‘Yes’.
With full heart screening, both these conditions could have been detected and steps taken to prevent what happened.
On a recent spin, I spoke to Peter suggesting it might be good for others wrapped up in elite sport to hear his story.
We can become so consumed with doing things that make us stronger, faster and help us recover quicker that we forget were are not immune to the health problems that can cut anyone down.
The woman whose quick thinking and decisive action probably saved the day, and maybe saved a life; Peter with girlfriend Cliodhna.
Understandably, Peter was a bit reluctant at first.
But having thought about it, he gave me permission to write about what had happened to him, once a couple of elements were included.
He especially wanted to thank everybody from the cycling and triathlon world who have showed him such support.
He is also very grateful to his friends outside of sport, in Ballincollig and Cork.
He says he feels a huge debt to his family who have helped him so much and stayed by his bedside.
And of course, he is hugely grateful to the woman who got him to hospital and has been there through thick and thin always supporting him; Cliodhna.
Peter was also keen that everybody who read about him should contact their doctor for full heart screening.
No matter how young or how fit you are, as Peter O’Gorman’s case demonstrates, strokes and/or heart problems can affect you.
Peter didn’t want people to read about him and think he was unfortunate. Or to think he was a great guy for battling back, and then to promise themselves they would get checked.
He wanted them to actually go to their doctor or get on the internet and find out where they could get checked locally and actually go and do it.
Not to think about it like people do. But to actually go and do it.
Peter got no warning, and although there is no definitive warning for what he went through, being screened is the best possible precaution anyone can take.
In the event of you or somebody you know suffering a stroke, recognise the symptoms.
Peter was lucky, especially considering Cliodhna acted quickly.
He will make a full recovery, but others don’t.
The sooner the victim of a stroke or those around them recognises the symptoms; the chances of serious damage are reduced.
The following is the Irish Heart Foundation’s F.A.S.T guide to recognising when somebody has suffered a stroke.
- F Face – Has their face fallen on one side, can they smile?
- A Arms – Can they raise both their arms and keep them raised?
- S Speech – Is their speech slurred?
- T Time – Call for medical help if you notice any one of these symptoms
Hopefully Peter’s story will raise awareness around this terrible illness; one that very often leaves those who suffer from it in a much incapacitated condition.
Victims regularly need rehab and care from both professionals, family and friends for a very long time, if not for life
Get screened and spot the warning signs!
Thanks for reading
Tim
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