The Future Of Heart Disease

[RebeccasHeart]

‘Heart Disease’.  With these two words, the lives of millions of women are changed in an instant.

While there is a sense of relief in knowing why your heart hurts, it is impossible to predict how this knowledge will affect your life.

Beyond the questions lies the reality that your life has taken a dramatic turn.  Although chronic by nature, your viewpoint of your condition doesn’t have to be.  It would seem, though, that this is a lesson best learned in retrospect.

20/20
As in ‘hindsight is’.  I’ve always thought this to be a strange saying.  It suggests that looking back is the only way to see if your chosen path was correct.  It makes sense, I guess.  Looking behind is the best vantage point from where to view the road ahead.  Only from this perspective can we know if we’ve made the best use of our knowledge and time.  This is the place where changes can be made and attitudes can be adjusted.  

Panoramic View
If you’ve seen ‘Pride and Prejudice’, you’ll recognize this scene:  She stands on a precipice, wind blowing in her face, clouds float by intermittently shading her closed eyes.  When she opens them, she has made a decision; one that she sees only now; now that she’s found time to stop and see where life has taken her.  Though probably not the best time to mediate as she is standing on a cliff.  

Stepping Back From The Edge
Taking a moment to meditate on the past year has brought me to some astounding conclusions.  First and most importantly, I’m not alone.  While the numbers already suggest that, it’s the stories we share with one another that count most.  Secondly, the decisions we now make matter absolutely.  Will be chose to learn and share and live our lives or will we waste the time we’ve been given.  

While heart disease may be in your future, how you get there is your choice.

Rebecca Fortunato

[ChatterAlly]

As I am always saying.................if I knew then what I know now............But we can't go back and make the changes.  What we can do is educate the future.  Ally

[Flycaster305]

Well said, Ken.  Rebecca, you have never shared what your heart problems are or what caused them.  Most of us with heart issues have engaged in behaviors that have injured our hearts, including obesity, drugs, smoking, alcohol, poor diet, lack of exercise.  Our bodies are very resilient, and can recover.  I'm a volunteer in a Cardiac Trauma hospital, and my history made me the poster boy for heart trouble, but I'm still standing because I corrected those behaviors.  My mantra when talking with patients and their families is that the heart is unique, it is almost alone as as an organ that can be fixed after being damaged.  
What fork of the road have you taken to get past what heart issue you have?  
Best wishes, keep us informed of your progress.

[kenkeith]

"Looking behind is the best vantage point from where to view the road ahead".  And as Yoki Barra would say, " when you come to a fork in the road take it!" :)