My dad passed away 38 years ago next month at the age of 60. Heart disease was the most serious of his many ailments. He spent his last two years deteriorating from congestive heart failure. Cardiac catheterization was relatively new in our area at the time. Having tried all the other options, his doctors opted to perform a cath to better visualize Dad's rapidly failing heart. Unfortunately, no answers or healing came from the procedure and Dad passed away the next day.
Fast forward to 2023 when my doctor recommend a routine heart scan as part of my annual physical. Though I exhibited no sypmtoms, test after test revealed a heart in crisis. The cardioligist said my heart showed damage from a heart attack. Immediately, my husband and I recalled a previous fall evening I spent curled in a ball on the couch. I had none of the classic symptoms you see on tv, so we never imagined I was having a heart attack. I had the first cardiac cath that summer and had two stents placed. Less than a year later, I experienced another mild heart attack brought on by an interaction between two medications. Another cardiac cath followed and another stent was placed. This summer I had my third cardiac cath and my fourth stent placed.
Treatment of heart disease has leaped exponetially forward since my dad struggled with it decades ago thanks to organizations like the American Heart Association. Cardiac caths seem almost as routine as blood work. I have medications, treatments, and diagnostics available to help me live with and hopefully overcome my heart disease. I am walking so research and innovations continue to leap forward in case I have passed this officially diagnosed "weird heart" to my children.
The first step of my personal goal is to outlive my dad. 61 is my focus. I have been training for a 5K since March, making good choices for healthy eating, and thanking God for every new day. Will you sponsor my steps in this Heart Walk with a donation of $61? Please use the link to donate what you can for heart health progress.