About Heather Camlot
A freelance writer, crafts junkie and mom of two, Heather Camlot is constantly on the lookout for that elusive work-life balance she hears so much about. Read about Heather's never ending search for five minutes to herself while trying to meet deadlines, make the school bus and raise two fantastic children.
My friend had a heart attack on Sunday. She’s 41 years old. I received a group email from her husband, a very old family friend, Monday night explaining what happened and, most importantly, that she’s going to be okay.
But I can’t stop thinking about it. I just saw T over the holidays while visiting my parents at the cottage (she was at her in-laws’ cottage, right next door). She was her usual happy self, always smiling, always keeping the conversation going, making me feel like I have the most interesting things in the world to say. (I don’t know how she does that, but I always feel so good after speaking with her.)
T is tall, slim, active – everything I’m not. How does someone like that have a heart attack and need three stents (tubes) put in to open her arteries? When my father underwent the same procedure (he never had a heart attack, knock on wood), I took it more as just something that happens when you get older, years of poor food choices and inactivity saddled on an older generation. Although my family has a history of heart-related problems on both sides, I never felt vulnerable. Now, only four years younger than T, I do.
And I should. My BMI is higher than it should be from not losing the pregnancy weight, I exercise sporadically (though I did finally jump on the stationary bike in my basement), and I’m stressed out all the time, crunched with work, kids and life in general. And those three things -- overweight, physical inactivity and stress -- are all risk factors for heart disease, according to the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada.
While I can’t do anything about my family history, I can do something about the other risk factors. Starting Tuesday, I upped my water consumption (from nil), got off the subway two stops early, watched my food portions and kept calm(er) when dealing with the kids. I don’t know how long these changes will last, but I hope I can stick with them. Because I don’t want to be the next person who knocks some sense into “invincible” friends.
Thought that was sweet? You'll enjoy:
Danilo Rizzuti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
