A Visit with the Cardiologist

While I was checking in and paying my co-pay at the cardiologist’s this morning, his nurse arrived for work. She stopped to talk me – and tell me that she had been thinking about me. That made me feel good. She has been a huge cheerleader, and can’t wait until I get on the scale at every visit, just so she can see how much weight I’ve lost.

Everything went well at the doctor’s office – with the exception that they are concerned about my low blood pressure. This morning it was 80/60 – and didn’t get any higher than that while I was there. I survive fine at that pressure, but if it goes lower, I do get really dizzy. The doctor told me to keep an eye on it, and if necessary, we will back off on one of the heart medicines.

My Mom also went to the doctor today – they took her out of the brace, and removed the staples. She still has to keep her arm in a sling – but the sling is much more comfortable than the brace, so she is pretty excited about that. She will start physical therapy next week. All in all, she is in much better spirits today than she was yesterday.

Someone made a comment to me yesterday, and it has stuck in my brain all day. She said, “If I had cancer, or needed an operation, I would be doing that so quickly – and I would push until the issue is resolved.” (OK – I paraphrased, but that is the gist of what she said.) She went on to add, “But even though they have told me I need to lose weight for my heart, I just don’t make myself do it.” I wonder how many people are in that exact same place – I know that I was there for years. And it’s not just for the heart – diabetes – female troubles – various forms of arthritis – kidney problems – breathing problems…the list goes on and on with things that are aggravated, at the very least, by excess weight, and many of these things are directly linked to the excess weight. We tend to put off making the necessary changes that will ultimately make us feel better. I wish I had an answer.