Heart Failure: What I Wish I'd Known

By Kim Lewis, arsenic told to Stephanie Watson

As a azygous mom, I did a batch of juggling. I had an progressive boy and a occupation astatine a wellness and sports facility. I was busy. Making clip for expert appointments and taking attraction of myself weren't precocious connected my list. I learned nan difficult measurement really important it is to beryllium proactive astir my ain health.

Just complete 20 years ago, erstwhile I was 32, I sewage a cough that wouldn't spell away. I was having truthful overmuch problem breathing that I had to slumber upright successful a recliner to get capable aerial into my lungs.

I kept going backmost to my expert and telling him nan cough wasn't improving and I couldn't breathe. He diagnosed maine pinch each kinds of things -- pneumonia, stepping pneumonia, bronchitis. Finally, aft nan 3rd aliases 4th visit, I told my doctor, "I deliberation I request to spot a lung specialist."

The lung master instantly sent maine to a hospital, wherever I fell into a coma. When I came retired of it 3 days later, my doctors told maine that I had inflammation of my bosom musculus called myocarditis, which was caused by a virus. I was successful bosom failure.

A Scary Prognosis

The doctors told maine I had 5 years to live. My boy was 12 years aged astatine nan time. That meant I wouldn't get to spot him postgraduate from precocious school. It was horrifying to deliberation about. He's my full world.

My boy was my babe boy, but he had to turn up quickly. I was truthful sick that I needed him to return attraction of me. By nan clip he was 15, he had to thrust maine to nan infirmary if I sewage sick successful nan mediate of nan night. If my larboard came out, he would telephone nan expert and say, "Tell maine what to do." My bosom nonaccomplishment put a batch of unit connected him.

Turning My Health Around

I knew I had to make drastic changes if I was going to get much clip pinch my son. I started eating healthy. There was nary much going to accelerated nutrient windows for breakfast, lunch, aliases dinner. I was sitting down to heart-healthy meals. Instead of keeping snack cakes and candy bars connected my countertop, I person bananas, apples, and oranges. I banal my fridge pinch bottles of water, not soda.

Exercise besides became a priority. Rather than watching TV successful nan evening, I spell for a walk. I thatch a h2o fittingness people 3 days a week and I play pinch my grandchildren to enactment active. I make judge that I workout and spot my doctors. And I return a guideline-recommended bosom nonaccomplishment curen to thief my bosom pump humor much effectively.

I person these really astonishing doctors who show maine intimately and return bully attraction of me. They opportunity I'm thing short of a miracle. They don't person an mentation for really overmuch I'm capable to do, but they deliberation it's a operation of patient living, bully medication, and weight loss.

What I Would Have Done Differently

If I could talk to my erstwhile self, I would show her that she needs to return amended attraction of her body. I tin look backmost now and opportunity I astir apt should person gone to nan expert much often. I should person been much physically active. And I should person had a crockery pinch my portion of pizza alternatively of eating 3 slices of pizza.

I besides should person asked for a 2nd sentiment erstwhile my expert wrote disconnected my symptoms. Had nan doctors caught my bosom nonaccomplishment sooner, I mightiness not person had imperishable damage. There's a good statement betwixt trusting your expert and trusting your gut. If you're not comfortable pinch what your expert tells you, it's OK to get a 2nd opinion.

If I had it do complete again, I decidedly would person prioritized my health. I've met a batch of different bosom nonaccomplishment survivors who besides put their wellness connected nan backmost burner while they took attraction of everything else. I should person put my wellness connected nan beforehand burner and taken attraction of me.

A New Outlook connected Life

Coming truthful adjacent to decease made maine admit life more. I admit nan holidays, meal pinch friends, sunrises and sunsets, and nan sound of rain. I admit family gatherings. I person a very ample family present successful Tennessee. We get together astir 4 times a year. I'm tickled each clip I get to spot them.

I consciousness for illustration life is much precious now. I cognize that I was fixed a 2nd chance. After being told that I had 5 years to live, I've made it much than 20 years. Every time is simply a gift.