Seasons are changing

Have you ever been in Missouri during the fall? I truly love fall in Missouri. Some years it seems to last a few days, some years we get a full season, weeks of fall. Beautiful colors with blue skies over rolling hills of the Ozarks. I was excited to see one of our maple trees finally give us full color. Of course, if you want a picture, get it when you see the vibrancy or it can be gone the next day. Here is our maple below, I did not get the picture when I should have, but still the colors are there.

As we "fell back" with our time change this week, I want to take some time to step back from the fun recipes and talk reality of life after a HA. I decided to write STH because I wanted to help even one person from having a HA. Seasoning is not only for food, but for your soul, your heart, if I want to be able to help someone, I want to show you what it is to live after a HA. Being open about struggles or successes after my HA, helps me feel better. Sharing is encouraging me to be better, do better.

Watching my dad have the opportunity to live a longer life than expected with the wonders of heart technology, was an inspiration. We jumped in with all feet to live the rest of his life to the fullest (i.e. hitting his bucket list). Now, I have been given that same opportunity -- we've been given life, we can choose to just live, or we can choose to live it to our fullest and best. I once heard Kathy Lee Gifford say, "If you have a pulse you have a purpose." Wow! That's true Kathy Lee. Right now, I see my purpose as helping others live their best life after a HA and educate others on the easy changes that can be made to help you not worry about life after a HA.

So, I will be sharing the great, the good, the bad, and the ugly -- no one can live that perfect Instagram life. I plan to lay it all out there for you. I’ve written before about exhaustion that comes with a HA, but there is more.

I take pills now. Not just my vitamins and a supplement, I have added 7 more to my daily regimen. Now, I need not one, but two pill boxes! Morning and night. I have to stay on some for a minimum of a year because of the stent. That’s not bad, right? Right, until you get the side effects. I pretty much didn't sleep for about 3 weeks due to coughing, yes, I did tell my doctor, but sometimes the reaction can stay with your body for a week or more when they switch to another drug.

Did you know some drugs you just have to live with the side effects? You really don’t want to be moved from this drug, it’s results are helping you and you’re not losing sleep. But, I’m still a woman and I do not like the way my legs look. I’m not talking about the cellulite. Call it vanity or whatever, I don’t want to play connect the dots on my legs. These spots can be caused by a couple different prescriptions.

Let’s not forget the famous results of blood thinner. Getting cold is new to me, thank goodness for electric blankets, I have had mine on my bed since August. You will also get some color, not like a beautiful fall day in Missouri color, but more like blue, greys and green. Yes, that's a bruise on my hand where an IV blew a vein.

I haven't really been the girl to take care of my nails and getting pampered, I still like digging in the dirt. Having a HA will stop the growth of your fingernails, I did not know this until I noticed horizontal lines going across my nails. Not noticeable to just anyone, but it’s a reminder to me, they have almost grown out, I pray not to ever see these in my fingernails again.

You may think that’s not bad, it’s not, but I know they’re there, you can feel them more than see them. There are a lot of things in life after a HA that changes - exhaustion, drug side effects, and there is dehydration. I haven’t been one that has retained fluid before or after my HA, but I do have to be on a medicine to keep me from retaining fluids which then, turns into dehydration. It's important for everyone to get proper fluids. When you get dehydrated it can affect your heart. So, consciously staying hydrated is a new learning curve, I always thought I was getting enough, I wasn't and learned the hard way in the ER when they had to give me two nitro pills and a nitro patch because I over did it. It just takes time!

With all of the post HA side effects I think this might be the last one that I can remember, at least what I can think of. Memory, it’s why I have a morning and night pill boxes, have alerts set on my phone, I swear I walk in one room and have no idea why I did it. I can run into someone I have known for my entire life and run every name through my head until I can figure out what the right name is, instead of it rolling off my tongue as soon as I see them. This has probably been my biggest struggle. I set the most simple reminders on my phone just so I know what’s going on.

If having a heart attack alone isn’t worth me sharing to help one other person to choose your health, the side effects from the medicine alone is cause enough. As the seasons change, check your health, not just your smoke detectors. At the very least, go in for an annual physical exam. Talk to your doctor then about any and ALL symptoms or changes you have noticed.

If I can reach one person to prevent a HA for them, then I am a living my best life. What are you doing for your preventative health this Fall?