In October 2021, I was suddenly hospitalized with a life-threatening infection in my heart valve. My body was shutting down as tiny clots broke off, causing damage throughout my heart, kidneys, liver, spleen and brain. What seemed like the flu was in fact multiple organ failure.

I spent two difficult months sedated and on a ventilator in the RVI's ICU, with intermittent dialysis as my kidneys failed. I contracted COVID while in hospital, and my condition continued to decline to the point where, in December, my husband Geof had to sit our two daughters down and explain that them that I might die as the ICU doctors feared my situation to be inoperable.

The stroke team and surgeon were more optimistic and carried out a successful four hour-long emergency open heart surgery to replace my infected valve. This allowed my damaged organs to recover, but the clots had already caused multiple strokes and I have been left severely sight-impaired, though very grateful to be alive.

After being discharged in March 2022, I spent the rest of that year rebuilding my strength with rehab and continued support from the stroke team and the Council's sensory support service. By the start of 2023 I was in good enough health to be able to begin fully to serve as your Labour councillor once again with the help of my wonderful support workers. I am walking with a cane for now and on the waiting list for a guide dog.

I have really enjoyed getting out and about in our ward in recent months as I work down my backlog of constituent issues, and I’m grateful to have had the chance to talk to many of you. I look forward to connecting with more of you in person in the months ahead. I hope to be a candidate once again in the upcoming May elections—as having Labour representation for our ward is so important.

Please get in touch if I can assist with any local issues or just to share your thoughts on community needs. Despite of everything I’ve been through in the past few years, and perhaps to some extent because of that, I’m feeling optimistic about what we can achieve together.

Best

Alistair Chisholm
Labour Councillor for Ouseburn Ward