In the end, it’s the genetics that get you
- Melissa Herrera: Not Waiting for Friday
- July 21, 2024
- 943
Today marks six weeks since George had open heart surgery. He’s been drifting through healing, infection where they removed veins, insomnia, long walks on local trails, frustration and relief. He started cardiac rehab last week, and I’m hoping the steady, guided workout will keep him moving toward recovery.
I’ve been out sweating on the trails too, and this can only be a good thing for me. You cannot imagine the amount of folks whose faces fall open in surprise when he tells them he had five bypasses, and they can’t believe he’s a heart patient. Mostly, they think me and my body shape fit the bill a bit better. Their eyes flit nervously from him to me. It’s a terrible misconception we’ve been fed over the years.
In our time in the hospital chatting with nurses, surgeons and others, I’ve come to understand heart disease is mostly genetic. Our American way of eating doesn’t help. We look at someone and decide they’re overweight and think: diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure. We pound on them too, telling them to shape up or disease will overtake you.
This can be the case too because eating and living well are better overall for a lengthy life. My dad had congestive heart failure, so the genetics are in my blood as well. George’s we are pretty sure came from his dad’s side, but he died when George was young and we aren’t in contact with anyone on that side of his family.
But the stereotypes need to be put to rest.
My husband is a fit, thin person who is ravaged by heart disease. I am a fluffy, strong person who has been active my whole life. Am I as healthy as I could be? Do I wish arthritis hadn’t settled in my wrists and fingers? No, but I’m out here doing my very best at 55 years old, sometimes eating a piece of cake along the way.
Someone in the hospital system recently told us the story of a very fit woman who walked 2 miles every day. She ate right and followed healthy living practices. But she found her way onto an operating table after having a massive heart attack.
She asked the doctor, “Why in the world am I here? I walk and eat healthy every single day?”
The doctor replied, “That’s probably why you’re still here.”
Her lifestyle helped stave off the genetics that caused her heart disease. She was strong and survived the heart attack. I think that’s why George is still here.
So many of us have health issues that we want to share. We’ve found that some are not helpful to others’ recovery.
When George had his heart attack two years ago, he struggled to understand why he didn’t feel better. Many good people told him they’d had a stent or two and felt wonderful afterward. He never felt wonderful, and two years later, it’s because we discovered how far advanced his coronary artery disease was.
The mental load of believing he was doing something wrong in his recovery played a heavy toll. We would do well to think about each word we say to someone working to recover their health. We’re all so different in 100 ways.
Melissa Herrera is a published author and opinion columnist. She is a curator of vintage mugs and all things spooky, and her book, “TOÑO LIVES,” can be found at www.tinyurl.com/Tonolives. For inquiries, to purchase her book or anything else on your mind, email her at junkbabe68@gmail.com or find her in the thrift aisles.