Dave is happy to be back on course

Dave Newman recovering from a life-threatening attack of sepsis. Pic with his wife Linda Newman.

DAVE Newman is looking forward to the new golf season more than most.

For the popular Saddleworth Golf Club president is only just regaining his fitness after a traumatic end to the 2016 season that saw him spend three-and-a-half weeks in an induced coma in intensive care.

It was a situation that developed rapidly from a sore throat to major surgery and a cardiac arrest within a few days in October.

"It came on so suddenly that I wasn't able to swallow my own saliva and when I went to the Royal Oldham Hospital I was very quickly transferred to Fairfield and they operated on an abscess on my voice box," said the 67-year-old retired Osborne's auto electrician.

Dave knew very little about the next few weeks as his condition deteriorated.

His wife of 47 years, Linda, said: "I remember a doctor saying things like bacteria, sepsis and that Dave was not out of the woods, and then I got a call in the middle of the night to say get to the hospital immediately.

"Dave had had a cardiac arrest. He was fitted with a temporary tracheotomy and there were tubes and wires everywhere."

Praise

Thankfully, Dave pulled through and six weeks later and two stone lighter he was back home in Wild Street, Lees.

"I have had to take it slowly. There was a lot of muscle wastage after being motionless for so long, but I am back walking and hope to build up my strength to play a few holes once the weather improves and be ready for the new season," he said with his voice now fully restored.

Dave and Linda were full of praise for the ICU nurses at Fairfield and thanked the hundreds of well-wishers for their support.

There was a "Come on Dave!" campaign running on social media when his condition worsened.

"One of my great friends - Oldham Golf League chairman John Walsh - came to see me and was asked if he was family, to which he replied 'No, I'm his golf partner'. The nurses knew just how important that was and let him in!"