Day 13: Healthy Heart

In honor of American Heart Month, I’ve been reflecting on my personal risks and the reasons I take heart health seriously. While many of my relatives, including my parents, had high cholesterol, I believed it was solely due to obesity and not something I needed to worry about. My grandfather had lifelong heart issues caused by a measles infection when he was a child. He underwent a heart transplant but passed away from a heart attack later on. However, there was nothing I could have inherited from him. It wasn’t until my late 20s that I became aware of my increased risks for developing cardiovascular disease.

When my son was born, I developed postpartum preeclampsia. Later genetic testing revealed that my prolonged hospital stay was due to genetic drug resistance to blood pressure medication. Since preeclampsia is a significant and acute cardiovascular event, it serves as a predictor for developing premature cardiovascular disease.

I underwent full sequencing of my DNA to identify genetic disorders that could explain my preeclampsia and symptoms such as fainting spells, frequent nosebleeds, and chronic inflammation. Additionally, I’ve been trying to unravel the mystery of my father’s early death from a cerebral aneurysm. This deep dive has made me increasingly aware of the importance of staying proactive about my heart health.

Fortunately, the challenge of staying healthy is also enjoyable, and the side effects include making new friends. Regardless of whether it feels good to be fit, for me, heart health is a matter of more life or an early death (too dramatic or effectively compelling).

After we went home from the birth, I had to return to the hospital for another week. I spent my first night away from my baby only six days after he was born.

Back in the hospital, but this time it was for stitches on my nose after fainting from low blood pressure (POTS-related).