Heart of my heart

It’s February. Actually, it’s almost half-past February. I barely got used to saying 2015 and now we’re sliding— quite literally—into spring. If you know me, and a couple of you might, February is the month I mention hearts. I have been known to talk about heart health and the love of my life. Sometimes I throw one or two of the kids under the heart healthy and St. Valentine’s Day bus. This year won’t be much different, but there is a twist. This year I won’t be participating in the annual Ride for Heart. From the bottom of my heart, I do thank everyone who has supported the Heart and Stroke Foundation through my Ride for Heart. With your help LOML, COM and I have raised over $20,000 for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. In particular, we have directed those funds to heart health education programs. As a family, we continue to be deeply touched by your good thoughts, kind words and generosity. Heart health is very near and dear to us.

So here’s my heart story, for all the new readers. In 2004, my father underwent open heart surgery in Toronto. I stayed with my parents for several weeks while Dad recuperated. Let me tell you, it was one of the most difficult things I have ever had to do—take care of my normally healthy parent (my dad) and oversee the day-to-day care of my other parent (my mom), who was experiencing some technical difficulties. Until that time, heart disease occurred in other people’s families. My family was hale and hearty. We didn’t get sick, let alone need surgery. Our encounters with the medical profession were usually as a result of some sporting mishap. We were not prepared to deal with a sick person. And as it turns out, we were pretty clueless about heart health. Oh, we’d heard the news stories and the statistics. We’d even read the pamphlets in our doctors’ waiting rooms and could talk the talk. Let me tell you, there’s nothing like a little bit of bypass surgery, along with endless hours in a cardiac surgery waiting room, tears, crappy coffee and nail-biting to bring a person around to the real world.

And then? And then in 2006, LOML underwent similar open-heart surgery in Kingston. Everything I thought I had learned about heart health when my dad was a patient flew out the window. As a family, we were gobsmacked. “Genetics,” the surgeon said. Not once had anyone mentioned genetics when my father was a heart patient. We only heard about lifestyle. Dad was a fried everything kind of guy. He had been a smoker. He was a WWII veteran, with all of the stress a veteran endures. He was the hard working father of seven kids. And then he became a heart patient. LOML, a distance runner and a cyclist, led a pretty healthy lifestyle by comparison. Genetics? WTF?

This year, our family ride team (we jokingly refer to ourselves as the Bikers of the Apocalypse) will not be taking part in the 50 kilometre ride. I have pledged my financial support to the Heart and Stroke Foundation. I know LOML and COM will, too. Instead of being one of the 20,000 cyclists riding on Sunday June 7 in Toronto, I have made a contribution to one of Ontario’s 50,000 volunteers who canvass for the cause in their neighbourhoods, at their office, at their social gatherings and while enjoying the company of friends and family.

This year, I am asking that each of you make a donation to the Heart and Stroke Foundation volunteer who solicits by phone, drops by your home, contacts you on Facebook or tweets you on your Twitter account. Any amount is the right amount. Five dollars isn’t too little, and $500 isn’t too much. Heart disease and stroke touch everyone’s family. Believe me, I know from personal experience. You can control some of the risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, stress, excessive alcohol consumption, physical inactivity and being overweight. Become educated about the facts and ask your doctor or nurse practitioner lots of questions about lifestyle and genetic factors.

Open your heart to the volunteer in your neighbourhood and make a hearty donation to the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Your heart will thank you.

theresa@wellingtontimes.ca