Sometimes it takes a punch in the face.....

Hi Folks.  Remember me?  I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't.  It has been nearly a year since I last posted on this blog.  I have spent most of that last year just living life, not paying attention to taking care of me or those I love.  Just going through each day with my head in the clouds trying to make myself believe that we can get by in life eating whatever we want, drinking to excess and exercising very little if at all.

Life keeps sending you little reminders. 

• Your clothes don't fit right
• You suffer from heart burn every time you bend over
• You can't reach behind you to wash your own back
• You have no energy
• You have aches and pains you never used to have.

Life nudges you and nudges you and you keep batting it away like a fly that is buzzing around your head and won't leave. 

Then, one day, life gets tired of being subtle and punches you in the face.  Wake up Idiot!!  Your husband has heart disease and you are probably not far behind him!!

My husband and I talk all the time about how we need to exercise more, drink less and eat healthier. Usually while sitting on the couch, eating pizza and drinking wine.  Then, last month, we went on vacation and that is when I noticed how out of breath he would get with very little exertion. 

We climbed to the top of a lighthouse and it took him several minutes to catch his breath.  We took a walk to see some waterfalls and he had to stop between the parking lot and the falls to rest.  Even accepting that we were out of shape did not warrant the breathlessness and difficulty breathing that he was suffering.  He also started having a cough that hadn't been there before.

As soon as we got home, he went to his primary care doc, who took some chest films and started treating him for a bronchial infection.  He also encouraged him to see his cardiologist. The first appointment available was 3 weeks later.  He went to the cardiologist who sent him the following week for a stress test.  The day following the stress test the cardiologist was phoning and setting up the appointment for Frank to go in for a heart catheterization.  This procedure was done yesterday morning and resulted in him needing 2 stents in the main artery going to the back of his heart.  This main artery was 90% blocked.  No wonder he was breathless!!

So now I am not only back to blogging here on A Day in the Life on My Quest to Fitness, but I am bringing my husband with me.  We will be sharing with you our life changes as we start to incorporate more exercise, less alcohol and heart healthier foods into our days.  This is step one for me, writing about this so I am kept accountable.  Frank is resting right now as he did not get much sleep last night in the hospital.  While he rests I am preparing dinner.  I am using whole wheat flour in the bread I am making, substituted coconut oil for the butter in it and added a can of heart healthy pumpkin.  The chili is now being made with ground turkey and extra veggies including 3 different types of beans.  

After dinner, we will go for a walk.  He is limited to 15 minutes of walking at a time today so we will walk our property, checking on our animals and gardens.  Tomorrow morning we will be able to go for a little longer walk and hope to make a habit of walking each morning instead of sitting in bed with our computers for the first hour of the day as we are in the habit of doing.

Wish us luck.....See you tomorrow!!