I too want to express my deepest condolences to you on the loss of your father. We never want to lose a loved one, and when it is unexpected it's even more difficult to bear.
You stated that you "have had heart problems all my life." Are you currently under the care of a cardiologist?
If not, it might not be a bad idea to have a baseline workup with a cardiologist. I come from a family with heart disease (on my mother's side) and even though most of them lived into their 70's and some into their 80's, the risk is still there. I had two brothers who had heart attacks in their 50's (one almost fatal) so he has me tested by the Berkeley Heart Lab
http://www.bhlinc.com/ on a regular basis. This is a test which measures the genetic make-up of your cholesterol, going far beyond the general cholesterol panel most people are familiar with. It has shown that I am at a higher risk of heart attack and I am taking medications which reduce that risk.
Weight loss is ALWAYS a good thing, but critical to anyone who may be at risk for developing heart disease.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the U.S. It absolutely DWARFS breast cancer, yet you don't hear nearly as much about how important it is for women to be screened, particularly those with a family history of heart problems.
Okay, I'll get off my soapbox now.
Welcome to 3FC!
Back after a hard time
