Life Throws Curves — But We Adapt.

Hello everyone,

You may have noticed I’ve been quiet over the last couple of weeks. It’s not because I’ve been idle — far from it. I’ve been navigating something that, to most people, is almost unimaginable.

From October 15th to October 22nd, 2025, I experienced a series of medical crises that pushed my body to its limits. What started as what I thought might be a familiar abdominal issue quickly escalated into multi-organ failure.

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Life Before the Crisis

The best part is, even before this recent ordeal, I was fully engaged in life. From 2nd December 2024, I had been the big issue vendor for Immingham Town — running operations, managing responsibilities, and staying active in my community. That role reminded me that life isn’t just about surviving medical crises; it’s about staying involved, contributing, and maintaining independence, no matter what challenges come your way.

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Hospital Timeline

Here’s a timeline of my hospital stay:

• 15th October 2025, 8:22 PM – Admitted to A&E.

• 16th October 2025, 6:00 AM – Transferred to SDEC (Same Day Emergency Care) for urgent assessment while awaiting a ward bed.

• 16th October 2025, 8:00 PM – Transferred to Ashleigh Ward for ongoing treatment.

• 18th October 2025, 2:30 AM – Transferred to C1 (Glover) Coronary Care Unit for intensive cardiac monitoring.

• 22nd October 2025 – Discharged home with an Emergency Care Plan, banned from driving and working.

• 23rd October 2025, 9:00 AM – North East Lincolnshire Council issued a Disabled Bus Pass, based solely on the discharge summary.

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What I Was Facing

• Heart: LVSD 20%, meaning my heart was barely pumping efficiently.

• Lungs: Fluid buildup, making breathing difficult.

• Kidneys: Stage 2 acute injury requiring monitoring.

• Liver & Gallbladder: Acute failure demanding urgent attention.

• Spleen: Blood clot.

• Eyes: Complications from recent cataract surgery and optic nerve changes.

I walked out of the hospital after seven days — still independent, still aware, still thinking clearly. But the journey doesn’t end with leaving the hospital. I have follow-ups: blood tests one week after discharge and repeated three weeks later, along with heart MRI and continuous monitoring to ensure my organs continue to recover safely.

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Life-Saving Medications

One thing that has become very real to me is that I now have to take life-saving medication for the rest of my life, just to keep my heart ticking and functioning regularly.

These medications — for my heart, kidneys, lungs, and to prevent blood clots — are not optional; they are literally what keeps me alive day to day. Managing them carefully, monitoring my organs, and staying alert to changes in my body are now part of life.

It’s sobering, but it also reinforces a vital lesson: recovery isn’t just leaving the hospital. It’s an ongoing process of careful management, awareness, and resilience.

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Resilience

This has been hard. Truly hard. But one thing has carried me through — resilience. Not just the resilience I’ve built as an adult, with years of military service and medical training, but a lifetime of survival:

• Born six weeks premature with a tracheoesophageal anomaly, surviving when doctors predicted I wouldn’t make it overnight.

• Growing up in a household steeped in first aid training, becoming a St John Ambulance cadet at age 7.

• Serving in the Army and Royal Air Force, trained to operate under extreme stress and do the impossible.

All of these experiences shaped my ability to stay alert, aware, and independent — even while my body was fighting for life.

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A Reality Check

This is not a social media experiment or exaggeration. This is real life — a week of life-saving, life-changing care across multiple organs, requiring emergency interventions, monitoring, and careful follow-up.

Times are hard. Crises happen. But we adapt. We survive. And we recover.

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Big Issue Update

If you’ve been following my work as the Big Issue vendor for Immingham Town, I want to thank you for your support. Due to my ongoing life-saving medical follow-ups, I will no longer be able to come on pitch.

However, if you would still like to support my work and continue enjoying the Big Issue, you can take out a digital subscription via the link below. Your support means a great deal during this challenging time and allows me to focus on recovery while staying connected with the community.

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Thank you for your understanding, your patience, and for being part of the journey. Life continues, and so do we.

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Raymond Duggan

Support Raymond During Cataract Recovery

Raymond is a local Big Issue vendor recovering from cataract surgery with complications. While he heals he cannot sell on the streets and needs help to cover rent and appointments.

Every bit helps — donations keep Raymond housed and able to attend vital follow-up appointments. Thank you for your support. 🙏