5 Steps Back but 10 Steps to Push Forward.

It’s been a while since I've blogged about my journey on becoming heart healthy and I felt like today was a good day to start blogging again. Many may wonder why I’m so open about my medical history with regards to my heart, well, I've got two reasons why I do it. First, I want to make awareness of the importance of taking care of your health and heart. I was 24 when I had my heart attack – young, healthy, and no family history of heart issues. By making my story known, maybe others will be aware of the importance of taking care of your health also that no one should EVER ignore the signs of a heart attack. The second reason that I blog is it helps me “deal” with the issue but also it brings a sense of “healing” to me. I don’t know why it brings “healing” to me but for some reason it does.

The last time that I blogged was back in November of 2012. So, let me catch everyone up to speed on how I've been doing and where I am today. Well, over the past 2 plus years I've been feeling absolutely wonderful! I've had a couple of stress & echo tests and have passed with flying colors. I've been able to get into good workout routines and achieve new goals. Oh, some of the biggest news, I also met the love of my life and got engaged too – the big wedding date will be October 17, 2015!

Since I had been doing extremely well over the past 2.5 years, I was completely horrified & upset when I had a heart episode a little over two weeks ago. Thursday, March 5 will be a day that I never forget – a day of absolute fear. I was in Wakefield, VA attending a week long course for work. We had just returned from lunch and I was sitting in my chair paying attention to the class. I think it was right around 1:15- 1:30 PM when I noticed my chest starting to hurt. My first initial thought was I think I’m having some acid reflex, this should go away soon. Well, the pain was starting to get worse and I could feel my heart starting to race. I knew at this point that it wasn't acid reflex -- acid reflex has never made my heart race and nor did I eat anything to cause the reflex.  I grabbed my purse because I knew I needed a nitro tablet.  I started digging through my purse and couldn't find the pill bottle and I was becoming frustrated because I knew it was in there. I didn't want to cause a big scene in class, so I decided to go into another room where I could empty my purse. The minute I stood up to leave the room, my heart rate was going even faster and I felt like my heart was going to explode from my chest. At this point, I knew this was something serious and I needed some assistance. I told one of my friends from class to come with me to the back room.

As we got to the other room, I calmly told her that that I was having some chest pain and I needed my nitro but I couldn’t find it. I sat down on the floor and we started going through my purse and that is when the pain really started to intensify and the tears really started to flow.  We finally found the nitro pill bottle and I took my first pill. I was really starting to cry and I was in a lot of pain. My friend went into the classroom to get some more help. Let me just say, being in the EM field, does have its perks as the class roster consisted of plenty paramedics. One of the paramedics came back and I explained what was going on – chest pain, neck pain, heart racing, nausea, and a history of a heart attack. I had told him that I took 1 nitro pill and he said to take another. It was decided that 911 needed to be called. After another 5 minutes, I took another nitro because I wasn't feeling any better and my chest was continuing to hurt. I was continuing to cry hard and scream in pain. At this point, a few others had come back into where I was at to offer help.

The class I was attending was in Wakefield – it’s a very rural area, so it took the ambulance over 20 minutes to get there. Once they arrived, it was noted that my heart rate was 170! (Normal heart rate is between 60-100). They loaded me up and we were on our way to the nearest hospital -- which by the way, was over 50 minutes away. Needless to say that was the longest ride ever. Also, I have horrible veins so the paramedic couldn't get the IV started.

After getting to the hospital, it was determined that I was NOT having a heart attack at that time; however, sometimes blood work is the only thing that shows a heart attack.  I was also still having chest pain and my heart rate will still well above 100. This all reminded me of what had happened in Indianapolis, the EKG didn’t show a heart attack but the blood work is what showed it. It was decided that I needed to be admitted for observations and for the blood work to be done 3 more times over the next 24 hours.  I was concerned that I wasn’t at the hospital where my cardiologist was.  I wanted her to know what was going on and she knew all of my history. However, I found out that the cardiologist that I was seeing at the hospital I was at knew my cardiologist and would call her right away.

For the next 24 hours, I had numerous blood work tests, a stress test, and an echo test. All of my results for any indication of a heart attack came back negative. Thank the lord! I was so happy to hear that. However, the doctors knew that something was going on yet because the episode that I had the day before just doesn't happen. While I was doing my stress test, it was noted that I do have an irregular heartbeat. That was news to me. I had never heard of that before.

After my doctors had talked with each other, it was decided that the episode that I did have the day before was caused by a skipped heartbeat. They believe that my heart skipped a beat and it caused my heart to play “catch-up”, which ultimately made my heart rate get extremely high and caused the pain. So what does this mean? Honestly, I don’t know and the doctors are not certain yet. It’s unclear why it happened it just did.  Kind of like my heart attack – it just happened.

With not knowing all the answers, my heart doctor ordered a heart monitor to be worn for 30 days to see if they can track down why I’m having some issues.  I am still having some irregular heartbeats but they are not constant – that’s another piece of the puzzle to figure out.

I got my heart monitor this past Wednesday and have been wearing it ever since.  To tell you the truth, I absolutely hate it. It’s a constant reminder that something’s going on. The monitor isn’t easy to hide so I don’t like that. The patches (even though they are skin sensitive) are still leaving a rash. I am counting down the days until I can take it off for good – April 16 cannot come soon enough! Luckily, I’ll get it off the day before I head back to OH! Even though I absolutely hate wearing it, if it helps my cardiologist figure out what’s going on and solve the issue, then it’s well worth it.  

There has been some discussion that I may have Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) or some kind of heart arrhythmia's. Or, it could have simply been just a one-time episode.  It honestly freaks me out but with good doctors, support from family and friends, positive outlook, and a continued push of becoming healthier, things will be just fine.

I've got to give a shout-out to my amazing fiancé, Allen, who has been INCREDIBLE through all of this. He’s been by my side through all of this and provides me with the strength I need.

This may have been 5 steps back but I know I’ll push 10 steps forward. 

Full of Determination & Ready to Fight!

Good evening all. I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend. I had a phenomenal weekend; I was able to make the trip back to OH for a few days. It was refreshing being able to hang out with the family and see some friends of mine.

I wanted to give an update from my last post. As I mentioned in my last post, I met with my new cardiologist and the tests for finding out why I had the heart attack has started.  I met with my hematologist a few weeks ago and did a series of blood tests; I haven’t received the results yet, I have an appointment with him in the next few weeks to discuss the results.

I had an echocardiogram done past Wednesday and that test was a little overwhelming. I had this test done the day I had my heart attack, so I knew kind of what to expect; however, it was more than what I thought it was going to be.  To those of you who do not know what an echocardiogram is it’s simply a test that uses sound waves to create a moving picture of the heart; it allows the doctor to see the heart beating, heart valves, and other structures of the heart. It’s a painless test but can provide some very detailed important information.

I spent 90 minutes with the two technicians who performed the test. I became a little concerned after awhile because they spent at least 60 minutes performing the test on the left side of my heart. Panic finally set in and I remember asking what was going on. The technician, who I actually found out was the lead technician and wrote my report, said that they were just being thorough because of my past history and also said that the LAD (left anterior descending artery) showed signs of damage and they were certain that is where I had my heart attack. One of the technicians said this was common and where most of the heart attacks occur. I was instantly in a state of confusion. I was told by my doctors in Indianapolis that my heart attack occurred in a small artery; I was never told it was in the LAD.  Finally the test was over and I was told my doctor would call me with the results in a few days.

Next was the waiting game. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday were pretty rough for me.  I was incredibly anxious and to make it worse, I was playing phone tag with my doctor on Friday. Finally, at around 5:30 on Friday, I received the call from the doctor. I wasn’t expecting what she was about to tell me. As I sit here trying to write this blog, I can’t fight back the tears. I’ve been strong through this entire process, yes I’ve had my meltdowns, but I think this is one of the toughest times I’ve had since the day of my heart attack.

The doctor informed me that my heart function levels on the left side (tip) of the heart had decreased. She said she compared the results from my last test (day of heart attack) and the one that was just performed and it had dropped. So what does this mean? To be honest, I’m not really sure. The doctor has ordered a stress test, heart MRI, and more blood work. She isn’t sure why my levels are dropping but said that it isn’t normal and with only being 26 years old, she’s determined to find out why. She said this could be related to some inflammation surrounding the heart, but couldn’t say that that for sure. I’ve been put on more medication as well. She could sense the panic in my voice and told me to not freak out just yet. She said she would do everything and anything to help the situation. She said she would order the tests and would be performed in two-to-three weeks.

After I got off the phone with her, I was in complete shock. When she called, I had just got to Kroger and when I got off the phone, I went into the store and just walked around. I had actually forgotten what I had gone to the store for. As I was walking around the store, one question kept coming to mind: why? Ever since I was told the results, I still keep asking that question.  But will I ever know the answer to why? I don’t think I will.

Over the past 24 hours, I’ve found myself, several times, pacing back and forth around my apartment.  I’m a mixed bag of emotions: fear, anxious, anger, and sadness. However, my friend, Liz, (who had the heart transplant and is doing well BTW!) comes to mind when this happens. I think of what she has gone through and what she continues to go through and a feeling of strength comes to me. Liz has put a whole lot of trust and faith into God and doesn’t ask the question of why it has happened to her. This reminds me of what I need to do; I need to put trust into the man upstairs. Even though Liz is younger than me, she has become my role model.

To be honest, I’m so incredibly scared of what the next couple of weeks will bring, but I know everything will be alright.  Two of my biggest strengths that I have are the following: determination to face every fear and also fight through it. You can bet that I’ll be using these traits the next couple of weeks. This journey has been a rollercoaster, and even though I’m on the downside and may have a hill to climb, I’ll get to the top.



This picture was just taken today of my niece, Chloe (In the front).  When I look at this picture, I think of her telling me to not give up and and keep on fighting. It brings a smile to my face. Being an aunt is everything!



Thorough but frustrating

Good Wednesday evening to y’all. I just settled in from a long day of work and an intense Zumba workout. I haven’t been to a Zumba class since I moved to Virginia and it sure did feel good to get back into it. I may not be all that coordinated and look a bit on the silly side but it’s a workout that I enjoy. Taking out the frustrations of my day with some dancing and jumping is one of my favorite ways to release that bundled up energy. I highly recommend the class to anyone and everyone.

In my last post I had mentioned that I had a cardiologist appointment on Tuesday of this week, well I’d like to discuss that appointment and the cascading events in this post. Again, my overall goal of my blog is to bring awareness regarding heart issues and reasons why it’s so incredibly important to keep your heart healthy. I’ve got a bit off track with keeping my heart healthy and I’m ashamed of myself. I hope through this post about this week’s events will stress to everyone how important it is to stay healthy. I know I cannot stop a heart attack from happening, but I do know that I can do everything in my power to make my body as healthy as I can; everyone can.

I met with my cardiologist on Tuesday morning and I was extremely nervous. I was not only meeting a new doctor but it was also my 18 month checkup. Wow. I cannot believe it’s been 18 months since that day, the day that my life changed. Prior to the appointment, I was fighting with my anxiety.  I always get extremely anxious before my appointments. As I was sitting in the waiting room, I felt a sense of calmness overcome me. I can’t explain why or how this happened, it just did. It was the weirdest but most amazing feeling ever. I’m just going to say it was the man upstairs.

So, I finally was called back by the nurse and went into the exam room. The nurse was extremely friendly and that also calmed the nerves. We briefly discussed my history and an EKG was performed. The cardiologist finally came in and I also discussed the history with her. She was in utter shock with the fact that a 24 year old had a heart attack. She questioned why I had the heart attack but I told her the doctors in Indianapolis chalked it up to “bad luck”.  She didn’t like this answer.

After a quick exam (listening to lungs & heart), she said that everything sounded good. She also said my EKG looked good as well. My pulse was a little on the high side, but she agreed with me that it was most likely from the nerves. If she wasn’t concerned about it, there was no need for me to be.  The game plan for what she wanted to do was discussed next. Her biggest question was why I had the heart attack and since no one could figure it out, she said she was determined to. I cannot tell you how good that was to hear. I must say that I’m beyond frustrated with my previous doctor in Indy for just saying it was “bad luck”. I want an answer and I’m now hopeful that she may figure it out.

With wanting to know the answer comes more tests. Not only is she trying to find out the answers but also wants a thorough check.  I understand why she wants this but this is where my frustration comes into play. Maybe I’m just being my stubborn self, which is most likely true, but having to have more tests done just reminds me that I did have a heart attack. I think there is some fear with this as well.  I’m afraid something will be found. I must remind myself that everything will be just fine and that I’d much rather know if something is wrong now then to find out when it’s too late.

She referred me to a hematologist and I have that appointment tomorrow morning. She would like to rule out blood clotting disorders. I will have an echocardiogram done in two weeks, which is a pretty normal test to have done. Before I left the office, I had to have a series of blood tests done; the basic blood work (red/white blood cell counts, liver & kidney functions, diabetes, and cholesterol). She called me this morning and told me my results: everything was normal except the liver and cholesterol. She stated that my liver test results were a little on the high side. She didn’t understand why it was high but said she would wait a little bit and retest it again in a month and a half.  

I had a feeling my bad cholesterol would be high and I was right. I’m ashamed of myself because of it. I’ve had high cholesterol before and was on medication for it. However, due to horrible side effects (muscle aches) I was taken off of it. My cardiologist felt that it was important to get back on medication to get it under control. I’m going to be trying a different medication and hoping that I don’t have the severe side effects from it. I’m ashamed of myself because I know that I can be eating better and helping myself with the cholesterol problem. I mentioned before in this post that I’ve got a bit off track with keeping my heart healthy and this is why. I know that I need to improve my eating habits and this was an eye-opener. I’m trying my hardest to be able to get off the medications and to have to be prescribed another one, which I could potentially have prevented, is shameful and frustrating. I’m going to get myself back to eating healthy and hopefully be able to get off, and remain off, the medication.

I know that eating healthy is hard. But I do not want to have more problems because of eating poorly. I’ll be damned to let plaque buildup and cause another heart attack. I know I do not have control over everything but I do have control on my health. I hope through my frustrations and anger with myself, someone will realize how important it is eat healthy and exercise. Do NOT let yourself have a heart attack because of poor eating habits; your heart doesn’t deserve that and you don’t deserve to go through it.

My cardiologist explained that after she gets all the results from all of the tests, she will decide how to proceed forward. I feel completely comfortable with my new doctor and hopeful she will find the answers to the unknown questions. For the first time, I can honestly say that I have sincere trust with my doctor and know that I’m back on the right track with the journey of making my heart healthy again.

Inspiration

It sure has been awhile since I’ve blogged and there have been a lot of incredible changes over the past couple of months, so let me fill you in on what’s been going on in my life, not only with my heart, but also with my career.

I left IDHS back in February and took a job with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, as an Exercise Project Coordinator. I was sad to leave my friends and family in Indiana and Ohio, but I couldn’t let this opportunity slip by. I’ve been here now for almost 3 months and I couldn’t be happier. I was afraid embarking on this journey by myself, being 9 hours away from family and not knowing a single person in VA was scary; however, it was the best decision I could have made. My job is absolutely wonderful and I’m blessed everyday with having such an incredible opportunity. Also,  I’m living my dream by being in hurricane country and I’m so anxious for hurricane season to start.

Now, let’s talk about my health. Overall, I’m pretty healthy.  I haven’t had any heart episodes since December, so that in itself is a blessing. I’m feeling wonderful. I’ve got to admit, I’ve fallen off the workout wagon; however, I’ve joined the local YMCA and determined to get back on regular workout schedule.  I worked so hard on getting my heart back to where it needs to be and I will not let laziness take over.  My heart doesn’t deserve that.

Since I moved to VA I had to find a new cardiologist and for some reason this was hard for me to do. It wasn’t hard finding a cardiologist it was hard forcing myself to find one.  I kept putting it off but I finally found one and I actually have a checkup on Tuesday. This will be an 18 month checkup since the heart attack, but I’m sure it’ll involve more than just a normal checkup because it’s with a new doctor.  I’m not going to lie, I’m already nervous about it.  I remember when I was looking for a cardiologist and I had the conversation with my dad as to why I kept putting it off.  He told me that I was just scared and he was right. Seeing the cardiologist is just a reminder to me that I did have a heart attack. I know I’m a pretty tough and hard-headed woman but I do have my weakness; constant fear of that it could happen again.  Although, I’m determined to do everything in my power, may it be medication, diet, or exercise to make sure my health is as good as it can be.  I guess I need to realize a cardiologist is just another tool in making sure everything is on the right track to achieve the goal of making my heart the healthiest it can be.  I’m sure that I’ll have some anxiety on Tuesday before my appointment but I know everything will be okay. I’ll put the faith in the man upstairs and he’ll guide me through it.

I find it tough trying to write the next part of tonight’s blog. I want to share with you all story about a girl named, Liz, who has became my inspiration over the past month.  Liz is from my hometown (St. Marys, OH) and is 20 years old. Exactly one month ago, Liz underwent heart transplant surgery.  She has had many ups and downs since the surgery but continues to fight each and every day with her new heart. You can find her story at the following website: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/elizabethsampson/journal

When I found out about Liz, I was in complete shock. I knew she had a heart condition but didn’t know she needed a transplant. I felt so much sadness and fear for her.  I know what I went through with having a heart attack and I couldn’t even wrap my mind around what she was going through. To be honest, I also had a whole lot of anger. Why in the world was a 20 year old having to go through a heart transplant surgery?  She should be out enjoying her sophomore year in college not undergoing a major surgery. 

I remember thinking, praying, and constantly checking facebook for updates the day of her surgery. Her sister, Amanda, actually created a page on the caringbridge website, which she posts updates on Liz on a regular basis.  I remember reading the post titled, “Elizabeth’s Story”, and tears constantly streamed down my face. The strength that Liz has in this journey is incredible.  Not only is she NOT questioning why this has happened to her, she believes it was part of God’s plan for her. WOW! As I’m writing this right now I cannot hold back the tears.  I’m in awe of her and the strength that she has. Having to go through such a huge event at such a young age and having that much courage is inspiring.

When I think of what I’ve been through with having a heart attack it’s nothing compared to what Liz has been through. Liz, you are such an inspiration to me more than you will ever know. Through your strength, courage, and determination, I find myself gaining the strength and courage. I cannot thank you enough for that.  Not only are you an inspiration to me but you has become my role model.  I hope one day I can have as much faith, courage, strength, and determination as you do. Keep fighting girl! 

Through you, I’ll find that courage and strength to get me through my cardiologist appointment on Tuesday.

We all know that prayer is such a powerful thing, so I ask you all to say an extra prayer tonight for Liz and her family.

Unexpected Episode

It was an interesting past week to say the least.  As I already talked about in my previous post, my appointment with my cardiologist went great on Monday. However, on Thursday night, I had an unexpected trip to the Methodist ER. Was this one step forward and two steps back?

I was working Thursday night and was dealing with some dull chest pains, they were pretty constant and it was the point where it was annoying me. I’ve had chest pains in the past; it’s just a typical thing to have. As usual, nitro would most likely solve the problem. That is where problem #1 came into play, I had switched purses that day, and I had accidentally left my nitro in my other purse. I instantly regretted not double checking to make sure I had it; lesson learned!  I had a little over an hour to go in my shift, so I told myself I would get through my shift and see how I felt. I really wasn’t too concerned because I didn’t have any other symptoms.

It was finally 11:00pm and it was time to go. As I was walking out to the parking garage, I starting to feel extremely nauseated and the next thing I knew, I was getting sick. Luckily, I had some Gatorade in my car, so I drank some of that and started to drive home. When I was driving home, I started to have some intense pain in the middle of my back and going up into my neck. At this moment, I started to freak out. All the memories of the heart attack came rushing back. I had to calm myself down and put a plan into action. I’m not going to lie, I drove past the hospital and kept telling myself that these symptoms would go away soon. However, I thought to myself how I’m such an advocate of not ignoring the warning signs and to get checked out, so why was I not listening to my own advice? I turned my car around and headed back to the hospital. I called my parents to let them know what was going on. Hearing my dad on the phone really helped calm me down.

I got to the ER and as soon as I told them my symptoms and my past history, I was rushed back into the room. Prior on getting back into the room, a male nurse brought me a wheelchair, I told him that I could walk, but he insisted that I sit. My stubbornness was kicking in. When I got back to the room, it was filled with 4 nurses and two doctors. Before I knew it, I was hooked up to an EKG and had an IV.  I swear it was within just seconds of getting into the room, and my nurse was an all-star for getting the IV in so quick, it normally takes tries after tries!  As they were doing my vitals and EKG, one of the nurses had commented that I was sweating pretty badly and my blood pressure and heart rate were elevated. This freaked me out even more. Was I really having another heart attack? I had instant tears. Luckily, the EKG showed that everything was fine. This was a huge relief and I was able to calm down. The nurses were extremely comforting and that helped the anxiety levels decrease. They thought that my levels were just elevated because I was nervous and had some anxiety.

The doctor ordered a chest x-ray and some blood work. While I was waiting for the x-ray, another doctor came in and talked to me. She had said she just went over my records and felt that it wasn’t heart related. This was the best news I’d heard all night. However, she wanted to wait for the blood results to come back and talk with my cardiologist. The chest x-ray and blood work were completed, it was just time to wait for the results.  After about 20 minutes after my x-ray, the doctor came back in and said everything came back good, she could completely rule out another heart attack! I was so relieved.

The diagnosis was that I had some inflammation in my chest wall. Back in March, I was diagnosed with acid reflex and the coronary heart disease (CHD). The combination of that and the inflammation was causing the discomfort.  The doctor prescribed me some medication and sent me home. I finally got back to my apartment around 3:00 am and took the medicine and went to bed. I was exhausted, both physically and mentally.

I received a call from my cardiologist’s head nurse the next morning. She was just calling to check up on me and to discuss what had happened. Since I do have CHD, it’s typical that I could have episodes of severe angina (chest pains). I didn’t really realize that I could have episodes, so it was certainly news to me. She told me that the nitro should take care of it. Again, that’s why it’s important to always carry the nitro! It’s a whole new learning experience of how to deal living with CHD. I’m sure it’s going to take some time to learn more information but I’m ready. Hell, if I can fight through a heart attack, I can certainly get through this.

After some sleep and medicine, I felt completely fine. I had to fight the urge of going to the YCMA to work out. I really wanted to do Zumba Friday morning; however, I didn’t think my body would appreciate it. I didn’t need another trip to the ER.

I’d like to give a shout out to the wonderful staff at Methodist, they were awesome. Not only did they help me relax, but they also dismissed one of my biggest fears that I have. I struggled with being the patient who would “cry wolf” every time that I had chest pains. Again, it’s the battle of when to seek help or waiting for it to pass. The nurses and doctors at Methodist praised me for going in and getting checked out. They said that with my previous history, it’s nothing to mess around with. I knew that, but it was refreshing to hear from the medical staff. They had mentioned that they have seen people come in when it’s too late, when the heart is damaged, and it could have simply been avoided if they came in.

It was a pretty stressful and scary time going through that on Thursday. I’m grateful that I did get it checked out and even more grateful that nothing was wrong. I cannot say enough how important it is to not ignore the signs, even if nothing is wrong in the end, it truthfully could be the difference between life and death. If I can put my stubbornness aside and get checked out, everyone else can as well.

Keep on pushing on

Well, I had my appointment with my cardiologist yesterday, and it couldn’t have gone any better. Prior to my appointment, I was pretty nervous. I was confident that everything would be just fine, but then again, why would a healthy 24 year old have a heart attack in the first place. I know that I’ve said that before, but I don’t think that question will ever leave my mind.

Anyways, as I was sitting in the waiting room, I couldn’t help but notice that people were staring at me. At first, I didn’t understand why; however, as I sat there and thought why, it all came to me. Everyone else in that room were well into their 50s or older, and then there was me, a young, 25 year old. I can almost guarantee that they were all wondering what I was doing there. I couldn’t help but smile and chuckle to myself. It brought back memories of cardio rehab program, where every session I had to explain to at least 1 person on what happened.  Yes, I was the youngest cardio rehab patient Methodist hospital had seen.

Finally, after waiting for what seemed like forever, the doctor was able to see me. The first words that he said to me were, “you look healthier, your skin color looks better.” I thought to myself, dang, I must have looked like crap the past year! He sat down and we talked about how I was feeling, what I’ve been doing, and went over the list of medications.

I had explained to him that overall, I was feeling pretty good. I talked about my exercise schedule and my experiences so far, and he was ecstatic! He was so glad and proud that I’d really changed my exercise routine in just one year. He was actually impressed that I was doing the HIIT class (see last posting about that).

He listened to my heart, looked at my readings, and said everything looked good. I did have a higher heart rate then what he wanted, but it didn’t seem to bother him. He said he would see me in another 6 months and to just keep on pushing on. I couldn’t believe it! I was bracing for the worst, but I didn’t even need to have any tests done. I was beyond thrilled, but yet shocked. I was hoping he would start to reduce some of my medications, but I need to remind myself, one step at a time.

As I was driving home from my appointment, I finally realized something. Even though I had been through something very traumatic and one of the worst experiences in my life, I was able to change such a negative situation into something positive. I know that I mentioned this in my last post, but I can officially say, thanks to the doctor, that through hard work and determination, my heart is now stronger!

I can honestly say that this not only has made my heart stronger, but it’s also made me a stronger individual as well.  It opened my eyes to a whole new world, “brighter eyes” as my mom would say. I have learned that ANYONE can turn ANYTHING bad into something good! I’ve also learned that life can change in a blink of an eye, so instead of sitting back and waiting for opportunities to happen, you need to create them yourself. Don’t be afraid to be yourself and go after what you want. Follow your dreams; there is no one that can stop you, but yourself. Even if you’re up against all odds, if you put your mind to overcome it, you can get through anything.

I‘d like to say thank-you to all my friends and family for all of your words of encouragement through this entire process. Thank-you for listening to me when I would go on a rant, giving me hugs when I needed it, a shoulder to cry on, and just being there for me all the time. I really do think that without your text messages, calls, emails, and facebook messages of words of encouragement, I wouldn’t be where I am today. You wouldn’t believe what a simple message of hope would do; it allowed me to find my inner strength to keep on moving forward.

A Long Battle Won

Happy December, everyone! I cannot believe how fast this year has flown by; it just seems to go by faster with each year that I get older. I had a breakthrough moment last week and I want to share the experience with you all. I’m hoping it can provide you with a little inspiration because it certainly has changed my outlook! Happy reading! J

As you all know, I joined the YMCA back during the summer months. I can officially say that it was by far the best decision that I could have made for myself. I’ve been doing the Zumba class regularly, but last Monday, I wanted to try something new, something more intense, I wanted to see if I could handle something more. I forced myself out of bed on Monday morning, put on my workout clothes, grabbed my powerade and headed out the door. The class that I was about to attend was called high intensity interval training (HIIT). Honestly, I didn’t know what I was about to get myself into but I was determined to try something new.

HIIT is an hour long class that is all about speed. It is said that an HIIT workout will lose up to 9 times more fat than a similar cardio workout. The class concentrates on getting faster by triggering muscles in different patterns and speeds. It consists of weights, step aerobics, push-ups, sit-ups, and jumping jacks. I know that some other HIIT workouts will also include sprints, but there isn’t enough room at the YMCA for this particular class.

As the class was getting ready to start, I remember looking around and seeing extremely fit and athletic individuals, and I started to think to myself, umm was I ready for this? I decided to at least try it. The class started and I was doing well and before I knew it, the class was over! I, the girl who had a heart attack a year ago, was FINALLY able to keep up with other people! I had just kicked ass in an HIIT workout! I couldn’t believe it and I was in complete shock! I’m not going to lie, it was intense and there were times that I started to struggle, but I kept at it. It was an awesome experience. Now, a few hours later, I could hardly move, but it was totally worth it. I wasn’t going to let the aches and pains of muscles and joints discourage me.

As I sit here and type this, I can’t help but smile. Yes, I’m bragging about myself. However, I think I’ve earned this ‘moment’. I NEVER in my wildest dreams would have thought I would EVER be able to do such an intense workout and feel so great after it. Just months ago, I couldn’t even keep up with my cardio rehab program. I remember having numerous meltdowns and full of frustrations because I couldn’t do what I wanted to do. But now, that was all in the past. I realized that after months and months of complaining and hating everything about having a heart issue, that my heart was finally strong. I’ve been on several medications since my heart attack, and will likely be on some for the rest of my life, but it just wasn’t the pills that were making my heart stronger, it was also my determination to push myself to become healthier that aided the winning results.

One very important thing that I’ve realized through this entire journey is that if I have the will and determination to overcome something, I certainly can. It may not be easy and at times I will want to throw in the towel, but if I keep fighting through it, I will overcome it.

In one of my most recent posts, I talked about that I have a doctor’s appointment with my cardiologist, which is actually today. I mentioned that I was scared to death because I was afraid that the doctor may find something. But after having my breakthrough moment last week, I no longer have fear about the appointment. Actually, I’m excited to tell my doctor how far that I’ve come.  As I’ve said before, there very well could be tests that need to be done, just to check on things. However, I’m confident that my heart is stronger and everything is fine. Even if there would be something wrong, I’ve already been through a fight, and you better believe I’ll be ready for another!

Even though I’m being extremely positive about my appointment right now, I’m sure I’ll be a little nervous at the appointment, so I ask you all to say a prayer for me today.  

P.S. Below is a most recent picture of my family, they have been my biggest supporters and the ones that I turn to. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I cannot thank you enough, Mom, Dad, Kelly, Angie, and Red. Also a big thanks to Chloe and Cain (Niece & Nephew) for making me smile when I need it the most.