Norman Tuimaseve diagnosed with end stage disease, loses 90kg on his own

REJECTED from the heart donor list because of his weight, Norman Tuimaseve turned his life around and went from pushing 180kg on the scales to a svelte 89kg today. Find out how he did it.

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NORMAN Tuimaseve has turned his life around. He went from pushing 180kg on the scales to a svelte 89kg today.

How did he do it? He had a rude wake up call. He was diagnosed with end stage dilated cardiomyopathy in 2012 at the age of 37.

He was put on the heart donor list, only to be rejected because of his weight.

Bariatric surgery wasn’t an option because of his weak heart. He was stuck.

Left with no other option but to change his life on his own accord, he rose to the challenge.

It started with small steps, and only a few of them. At first the Chipping Norton man’s weight and heart struggled to take the 10 steps from his couch to the front door, but that’s what Norman did.

“I still remember the day I could walk to the letter box — it was at that point I knew I could do it,” he said.

Norman wants to inspire others at Liverpool Hospital.

He wants to show people that end stage heart disease isn’t the end.

Mr Tuimaseve said it was “mind over matter”.

In seven months he went from 180kg to 115. He reduced his 8000 calorie a day intake to less than a quarter, cut out salt and junk food.

He has reached his goal weight of 89kg but says he was happy at 105kg.

The last time he weighed 89kg, Mr Tuimaseve said he was an eight or nine-year-old child.

These days he goes for much longer walks with his wife and says he owes it all to the staff at Liverpool Hospital.

Liverpool Hospital treating cardiologist Christian Mussap said Mr Tuimaseve was in a bad way when he first met him.

Since those early days, he has been blown away at his transformation.

Norman Tuimaseve tipped the scales at 180kg.

Norman after his decision to lose weight.

“I’ve never seen a patient do this before, through their own efforts,” Dr Mussap said.

“Through diet and exercise and cardiac intervention with a rehabilitation program, his heart is under much less stress.

“The sheer weight on his chest has alleviated a lot of the pressure.”

Dr Mussap said his case stands out when he reflects on his cardiac patients.

He said it was a ‘heroic transformation’.

“Through his own volition and insight, he made a change that has affected his entire clinical outcome,” he said.

“I don’t see that as often as I’d like. He is proof it can be done.

“I have no doubt that if Norman had continued down his path, he would have collapsed and died.”

Mr Tuimaseve said it all began when he was struggling to sleep and went to the doctor. It was then he found out he had a “heart of a 99-year-old”.

“Then, when they told me I had to weigh less than 100kg to be accepted on the heart donor list, I knew I was never going to get a heart,” he said.

From left, Amenah Tuimaseve, Norman, Dr Christian Mussap and cardiac ambulatory nurse Stephanie Irwin. Picture: Melvyn Knipe

“I was on my last legs. If I didn’t do anything, I wouldn’t be here right now for my wife and kids.”

He turned to the internet to learn about calorie intake and out-take.

“I made some small changes and got some quick results. I had to do it,” he said.

It was a whole change of lifestyle. And it all started with a home visit from cardiac ambulatory nurse Stephanie Irwin.

She said his approach to life had prolonged his chances of short-term survival and reduced his chances of immediate morbidity.

“He is very keen to show people of all ages that just because you have end stage heart disease, it doesn’t mean you can’t improve your quality of life,” she said.

Now he is inspiring other cardiac patients at Liverpool Hospital.

“It’s my way of repaying the doctors and staff,” he said.