BONUS: Something extra - not expected
Who doesn't like a bonus? You usually think of bonus as a monetary item. Something extra given.
So why did I title this post as BONUS YEARS? That's because I think I am in my bonus years and I am grateful for every one of them I have been given so far.
Let me tell you why. My parents died young of heart disease. My mom was 48 and my dad was 51. I gave myself a goal of living to age 65. This would allow me to see all my grandchildren graduate from high school. This may not seem like a big goal to you but my mother never even go to meet her grandchildren so it was a big goal for me.
We moved to Tulsa and I found a new doctor who solidified my goal for me. My very first visit with him he said, "let's tweak your medicine and I think we can get you to 65". He wasn't joking. He had my family history and it wasn't good. Let me add, he did not know that was the goal I had myself. I was 47 years old at that time. I was happy with his goal.
Forward 17 years later and I am now 64. My husband and I had the opportunity to take advantage of a heart and lung scan. This is expensive and not typically covered by insurance. We had a very special rate and took advantage of it. I truly believe this saved by life.
This scan revealed my calcium levels to be in the high 300's. This meant I had plague buildup - a lot of plague buildup. Concerning enough that the doctor who read the scan immediately called me advising me of my risk and telling me I needed to see a doctor ASAP and using the words "widow maker". This would not be the first time I heard these words over the next few months.
My primary doctor referred me to a cardiologist and again I'm hearing the words "widow maker". Stress tests and heart caths followed. This showed three blockages. One in my main artery was 75% blocked. A stent was put in and here I am more that 4 years later living my BONUS YEARS.
I believe if I had not had that scan that I would have had a heart attack - the "widow maker" within the next year. So because of the scan and stent placement I survived past my 65th birthday. I have set a new goal age-wise for myself. I now have a goal to live to age 75.
This is why I promote heart health passionately. This is why I will be wearing red the first Friday of February this year and every year.
Heart health
