Take heart from Graeme’s story

GRAEME SIMPSON’S whole world fell in when he was told he required open-heart surgery. He was only 41.

Nearly a year on, he is back scoring runs for Delph in the Drakes Huddersfield League.

He returned to action at the start of the season and in only his fourth game back, he hit a century in front of family and friends at home to Elland.

That moment, as one could imagine, was full of emotion.

Looking back on a traumatic period of his life, Graeme is just glad to be here to tell the tale.

The former Oldham and Shaw batsman said: “The season started quite well, but from mid to late May I felt knackered without really doing much.

“I’d be shattered after running a single. There was no pain, but my legs were like jelly and I was sweating like a pig.

“I would get back to the changing room and do nothing for about 15 minutes. I would then go and sulk because I was out, before getting on with rest of the game.”

Graeme originally thought he had a chest infection, but the symptoms continued.

It eventually got to the stage where he was even tired out just throwing balls in the warm-up before matches.

He went for an ECG, but still wasn’t overly concerned. He was then told he had angina.

Graeme was booked in for an angiogram, a procedure where dye is pumped into the arteries around the heart.

He said: “I was told I needed a by-pass. It was as blunt as that.

“I didn’t think there was much wrong with me on Monday morning, but by Wednesday I found out I required open heart surgery.

“That’s when the emotion took over. I was wheeled back on to the ward and ended up contemplating the rest of my life.”

Graeme was allowed home for a couple of days and even watched Delph’s triumph in the Twenty20 Cup final.

The operation took place on a Tuesday morning and he was out by the following Sunday.
Simpson added: “Initially I thought I was having a three-way bypass, but the surgeon said while he was in there he did all five.

“Thankfully my heart wasn’t diseased, but I was told it was a wonder I didn’t keel over on the field.

“I don’t smoke, I don’t drink and I’ve played sport all my life. I don’t eat rubbish, but my genes, for some reason, produced so much cholesterol that it clogged up my arteries.

“I was sat on the ward watching other people waiting for heart surgery.

“They would pop outside for a cigarette and then come back with packets of crisps and chocolate. You think to yourself why do they do it?

“Then you start to think what have I done wrong, but you’ve got to get rid of all those thoughts and just move on.”

Simpson built up his fitness levels through gym work and walking the dog a couple of hours each day.

By the turn of the year, he was ready to resume playing cricket in winter nets.

He said: “I was told if I played by the rules — eat healthily and do exercise — there was no reason why I couldn’t do what I wanted, as along as I avoided contact sports.”

Just getting back on the field was a huge hurdle to negotiate, but there was even better to come from Simpson — a ton so soon after his return.

He said: “Normally I’m a very unemotional person. Whether it’s anger, sadness or happiness, I tend to keep things bottled up.

“My first shot was a four and then I hit a straight six. From then on, everything just seemed to fall into place.

“Carl Jump came in when we needed six to win. He took three almighty swings and missed each time and was eventually out.

“I moved on to 99 with a couple of singles and then I hit a four to level the scores.

“It was emotional. I’d come back for my family, for the team and for myself.

“The opposition try to dislodge your concentration any way they can through banter or barracking, nothing aggressive though.

“This bowler said I would be out soon. I replied ‘it doesn’t really matter, because I’m still alive’. That shut him up, because he wasn’t expecting that answer.”

Simpson received messages of support during his recovery from club-mates and umpires alike, as well rivals, including Honley captain Rob Moore, who took time out to talk to him at last season’s Romida Sykes Cup final.

Now 42, Simpson has an ambition he would like to fulfil before finally hanging up his whites.

He said: “Bruce Cruse, my brother-in-law, and I have a plan.

“We want to play with our sons, Bradley and Richard. It will probably be in the second team in a few years time, but that would be fantastic.”