Heart Disease

Posted by socalrunnergirl on October 21, 2010

8 Years ago tomorrow - on October 22, 2002 I had mitral value repair surgery. An open heart surgery procedure to repair a leaky mitral valvue.

Heart disease is a BIG issue in this country and an even bigger issue among women.

Did you know that more women than men die of heart disease?
Did you know women are 4-6 times more likely to die of heart disease than breast cancer?
Did you know the survival rate after heart attacks is significailly higher in men than women?
Did you know that heart attack symptoms are different in women?

Heart disease is an umbrella term for a lot of different things, of which mitral valve prolapse (what I had) is included. Tomorrow is the day I celebrate a new lease on life. Without the surgery I had and without the help of modern medicine, I may not be here today – and best case would be in very bad health with a very weak heart.

Awareness is key for many types of heart disease. Healthy habits are also very important. Most of the later are pretty obvious – don’t smoke, exercise, eat healthy, etc.

I’m thinking about doing something BIG for 2012 around the 10 year anniversarty of my surgery. I’ll work something out some time next year and you blog readers will probably hear about it first