I'm at Risk of Heart Disease

Sorry, my dear friends, if I let you down for the last 2 weeks without a new post. My nephrologist  suspected that I suffered from  transient ischematic attack, a kind of  mild stroke.  I didn't realize that my heart was already complaining until I finally had my check up last January 20.

I landed at  the hospital last December 20 for what I believed  was caused by over-fatigue. My new doctor, a cardiologist, who performed my ECG,  found a non-specific result- which she explained further as- my heart condition was in the border line- not very bad but neither was very good. And she suggested that I took  a 2D Echo test.

Unsuspecting that I have a heart risk, I dilly-dallied over my cardiologist's suggestion for me to have a 2D Echo test for a better view of my heart condition. I was hospitalized because of some spiky feeling that started from my left hand. I massaged the area caring less, believing that it was just one of those recurring muscle  cramps I usually feel in my lower limbs because of my peripheral neuropathy. The electrifying spikes crawled up my shoulder and made 2 tugs where my heart is. I felt so weak that my friends who were with me when it happened in church brought me to the nearest hospital.

Since the eerie feeling was short-lived  and didn't make a return the days after, I decided to postpone the 2D Echo thing until my January checkup with my nephrologist. While waiting for the visit to my doctor, my daughter and I regularly went to the beach for our early morning brisk walks or jogged the good stretch of the beach.  I did some outdoor exercises, too. At least, to have  my heart pumping away my seeming physical  inactivity due to longer period of time sitting in front of my netbook.

It was last January 20 when I visited my  nephrologist. I told him what happened and why I was confined to a hospital. He told me I might have had a mild transient ischematic attack. My high blood glucose and cholesterol level results can be the factors that have caused it, he said.. And he urged me to go see my cardiologist the soonest possible time. He also said that there were clear factors in me that make me at risk of heart attack and stroke.  True enough I read an ad in the Reader's Digest, March 2009 issue about this.

Check and if you have two or more or all of these, see your doctor today.

• Are you a woman over 50 and have passed over your menopause? (Yes)
  
• Do you have a family member who had a heart attack before the age of 55? (Yes)
  
• Do you smoke or live or work with people who do? (No)
  
• Are you overweight by 20 pounds or more? (No)
  
• Is your blood pressure 140/90 mm Hg or higher? (No)
  
• Is your total cholesterol 200 mg/dL or higher? (Yes)
  
• Is your HDL (good  cholesterol) less than 40 mg/dL? (No)
  
• Is you fasting blood sugar reading 120 mg/dL or  higher? (Yes)
  

I have 4 to qualify for a heart risk. So the next day, I submitted myself for the 2D Echo test. I rejoiced to know that my heart is in good condition. However, my cardiologist  told me that whatever happened recently was a symptom of heart risk common among diabetics with high blood glucose and cholesterol levels combined that  I must not ignore.

I thought I needed a little rest and review of what I did the past weeks.  I knew I had mismanaged my diet during the Christmas holidays. I realized I ran out of strips for checking my blood sugar and missed my monitoring. I also wondered if my medication was strictly followed on the dot as I would forget once in a while especially when I was busy in my computer room.

My elder daughter suggested that we took our vacation in Manila  which I readily approved. I knew it was her subtle way of saying, no internet for a while. Well,  I also wanted to be with my younger daughter who works in Manila although this meant I would be temporarily cut off from my blogging. (I lack sleep due to blogging). There's no internet connection over there. I'm impatient  with  the prepaid as alternate.But she meant well so we left for the big city.

While in Manila, I felt relaxed. It was good to be doing nothing but sleep, eat, and go to the malls. My 2 daughters were very caring. They brought me  to the mall. Oh, I loved to be pampered once in a while. I would pose here and there and my daughters gladly took my pictures.

I was craving for a pizza (I love pizza inspite of the cholesterol, oops!) so we went to Sbarro. It was my first time to eat at Sbarro's. The pizzas are very thick, very big, and heavenly delicious. My daughters ordered only half meals of their favorite pasta but each plate was really full,  more than I expected for a half meal. They were careful that I get just enough calories. We don't usually serve cola  drinks at home so they chose the no sugar added drinks.

My vacation was enjoyable! It was something I missed since my days of nursing my seemingly unending ailments at home.  Now I'm back to a careful diet regimen. I'm careful in choosing the food I eat to lower my "bad" cholesterol as well as my blood sugar level. I monitor my blood sugar with my glucometer. I take my prescribed vitamins and my Lipitor for  my cholesterol check. My blood glucose reading today is trimmed down from 162 mg/dl to 140 mg/dl in not less than a week. So I'm doing fine!

                        

I'm giving my body a lot more care because I don't want to complicate my sensitive health condition as a diabetic. I vow to keep my cholesterol and sugar levels in control. What is important is, I have finally returned home- with  my new Asus Notebook PC which I bought at the mall.