Why Not Me ?

  •   #1  
    Sweetcaroline's AvatarSweetcaroline , 01-01-2009 07:30 PM
    I'm back for the 4th time in 10 months. Had a good first run. Drifted away for awhile. Came back after being diagnosed with a scary chronic disease; lasted just a few weeks.
    In November I had a heart attack... yup ! at 49. I had/have a lot of risk factors; weight, family history, high cholesterol, diabetes, ex-smoker, a wee bit of stress and sadness and too little exercise. Apparently, a ticking time bomb in denial.

    I'd been having what I thought was 'indigestion' for several months. One night in late November, I was having one of my bouts of 'indigestion' and my 'toothache' was acting up; I had worked all day and done routine stuff, had just carried in a bunch of heavy bags and immed had to sit down.. the pain wasn't going away... After a half bottle of Maalox didn't ease the pain, I went to ER and sure enough, I was in the middle of a full blown heart attack. After a cardiac catherization to stent 2 arteries that were 100% blocked. I was feeling better, feeling very weak and very angry, but grateful...
    I was sent home on some really scary medicines and told to change my lifestyle; low and no everything and exercise... Talk about a brick falling on your head...WAKE UP !!

    So here I am yet again re-committing to a healthier lifestyle... I'm sticking to my old mantra of 'baby steps' because I know if I try to make all of the changes all at once, I'll be setting myself up for failure.. I need support and I knew I could find it here...

    I titled this post.. Why Not Me? You can take that two ways...
    Why Not Me ? to have a heart attack given all the risks I've taken with my health ...
    OR
    Why Not Me ? Why shouldn't I give myself the gift of health and happiness?
    I'm going the health and happiness route...

    So many of you have made tremendous progress, I hope you continue your success...
    It's nice to be back !!!!!!!
    Reply
  •   #2  
    tryingitagain's Avatartryingitagain , 01-01-2009 07:34 PM


    Welcome home...I'm fairly new here but am really enjoying it!!! Best of luck to you on your life style change!!!
    Reply
  •   #3  
    mandalinn82's Avatarmandalinn82 , 01-01-2009 07:48 PM
    Caroline - welcome back, and I'm really, really glad you're OK.

    You can choose to look at this as a bad thing, a horrible setback. But maybe the heart attack was your wakeup call...your moment to really change, for the better, to become what you were working toward before.

    You know your way around so jump on in and keep going. You can do this.
    Reply
  •   #4  
    rockinrobin's Avatarrockinrobin , 01-01-2009 08:22 PM
    Oh Caroline. How scary. Thank goodness you okay.

    Ya wanna know what I thought when I saw your title? Something that I actually said to myself prior to my journey, kind of a light bulb moment - Lose the weight I needed to? All that weight? Well, why not ME? Others had done it, it is DOABLE, so yeah, WHY NOT ME?!?!?!?

    I'm glad you're back. You CAN make the changes needed to succeed.
    Reply
  •   #5  
    JulieJ08's AvatarJulieJ08 , 01-01-2009 09:03 PM
    I'm so glad you're OK, and thank you for posting your story. Your experience is so common with women. My mom had a heart attack with only "indigestion" too, at age 59 (she's now 71 . She had a triple bypass. Women need to know!
    Reply
  •   #6  
    EZMONEY's AvatarEZMONEY , 01-01-2009 09:53 PM
    WHY NOT stick around for a bit this time SWEET-C and we'll get this motor going in the right direction!
    Reply
  •   #7  
    Lori Bell's AvatarLori Bell , 01-01-2009 10:21 PM
    I think you need to concentrate on the ME part, (you that is!). Wow, you have been through a lot. I don't want to cross any boundaries, but in my oppenion, I think you have been given a second chance. I think you owe it to yourself to honor that. Don't go away this time. I got though a few days of total cravings/urges/self pity by spending time here instead of the kitchen! I would have never made it over the hump if I would have just "logged out".

    I'm no expert on weight loss, but I do have a few tricks up my sleeve so please post (or pm me) any time you need a big kick in the shorts!
    Reply
  •   #8  
    Sweetcaroline's AvatarSweetcaroline , 01-01-2009 11:05 PM
    Thank you for the warm welcome back... This is going to be tough for awhile but I want and need to do this because the minute they said "You were lucky to come to the hospital when you did"... I freaked !

    So a new year, a new plan, new rules... and here we go... why not, I've got nothing else to do this year...


    GARY... Wow red caps..OK... I'll stay... I'll stay... LOL (good to hear from ya) and yes... I'm going to stick around this time...Consider this 'opening day'....
    Reply
  •   #9  
    Ookpik's AvatarOokpik , 01-01-2009 11:57 PM
    Welcome back, glad to hear you are okay.
    Reply
  •   #10  
    TheMrs's AvatarTheMrs , 01-02-2009 12:01 AM
    I'm very glad you are OK now and I hope you find much success in your life changes. I'm looking forward to reading more about you.
    Reply
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