Three years ago, something very MAJOR happened in my life. On Super Bowl Sunday, I suffered a stroke and didn't know it. I showed none of the classic signs. My speech was fine. I had no headaches. I felt fine except for the fact that I had to go to the bathroom and couldn't get out of bed to do so.
Over the next several months, I learned my family had a history of stroke. The women in our family who suffered a stroke usually died. I was the first female that didn't. My doctors attributed my condition ironically to too much stress in my life, a job I hated, a bad marriage, and a high cholestrol. I was warned I'd have to make changes to my life.
So I did. I changed my diet and gave up things like soda, some candy and processed foods, consumed more salad, fish, and chicken products, stopped eating white rice and white bread, started counting calories and taking fish oil, eliminated friends who brought me too much drama and ended my 14-year marriage.
My doctors didn't think I would ever walk again: I fooled them all. I was determined to reclaim my old life. As a mother of two children, I decided that none of my daughters would or should go through something like this: EVER. So, I changed the way they ate as well.
As a single parent, I wear many hats and decided that my life changes wouldn't just stop at food. When my friend, Amit found out I was a stroke survivor, he suggested that I try out the Heart Association's Better U Program. It's a free, 12-week program that offers suggestions, strategies, and skills to lessen my chance of getting heart disease. Many don't know heart disease is the number one killer of women. Breast cancer ranks second.
Wanna take this journey with me? You can log in at the American Heart Association's Go Red For Women site. Hit the Better U tab on the page.
I volunteered to write about my experiences with it because anything that is going to help me live long enough to hear the words "Nana" and "Mom" is well worth the effort. I LOVE myself and hope to be here for a long time. I figured if I survived my stroke, rehab, and two weeks of hospital food; I can survive these 12 weeks. I'm giving this a try. Stay tuned for more Queen's Chair blogs.
Posted By: Marsha Jones
Wednesday, February 16th 2011 at 9:50PM
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