A Healthy Heart: Secrets to Live By
I was diagnosed with coronary artery disease in 2000, three years after my wedding, when my eldest daughter was three years old and my second child, a son, was just 5 months old. It came as a surprise, but knowing I smoked for the last five years or so and being overweight, I knew it was inevitable that I’d get afflicted with a disease involving my heart. To further complicate my health, I was also diagnosed with diabetes, a known contributing factor to heart failure problems.
Being informed of what I have didn’t necessarily mean I knew what I had to do. I kept guessing about ways to improve my condition yet, it seemed to me then that nothing was working. I lost a little weight but gained more when I stopped dieting. I exercised by getting on a bike almost everyday, yet I was more tired at the end of the ride rather than have a really good sweat and supposed to be more energy.
Eventually, I lost the battle to lose weight and keep a healthy heart, and in August of 2004, it happened: I had a heart attack. I survived that and after spending almost two weeks at the hospital, I emerged a changed man. I knew how seriously I had to lose weight and for a time, I did lose some, going down to 85 kilograms from 98. I spent more time biking and took careful steps to diet.
After two years though, my heart was failing me again. My cardiologist recommended that I undergo angioplasty as soon as possible. So in January of 2006 I had my first angiogram, right on the day of my son’s birthday. A day after this procedure, I felt immediate relief from chest pains and labored breathing. I was able to climb the hospital stairs up to the fifth floor where the Chapel was located. I went there to thank God for giving me a second chance at life.
Fast forward to three years after: February 4, 2009 I entered the hospital to have another angiogram. I have been having more chest pains for the last three months that my cardiologist said I should have another angiogram and that if the results warrant it, I should have another angioplasty. It turned out I have two more blockages: the first stent from the first angioplasty was beginning to get blocked again. In fact it was already 70 to 80 percent blocked; and another blocked artery further down. With my consent the doctor proceeded to put two stents on my heart.
Today, I realize that I am alive because of technology.
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