My husband had a major heart attack!

GetFitKTB

There is actually not any good evidence that weight loss reduces the chance of heart attacks or longevity as per the most recent research.

This is why one should never ever, under any circumstance what-so-ever, take medical advice from a person on a message board.

rodeothedog

I haven't read this post in awhile and I don't take people's opinions personally, if you think I am back stabbing my husband that is perfectly fine.
I do nothing without research so I know that being within a healthy weight in beneficiAl in many aspects of your life. As a Hospice nurse I see people of all ages regret not taking care of there health.
In my previous post I congratulated my husband in his success and was thankful he was here.
I was only being honest with how I felt and my struggles. My husband knows exactly how feel and he knows himself that losing weight will help him stay with his family longer. A heart attack affects every part of your life so please bear in mind we are all human and can be more understanding.

dejavuohlala

rodeothedog wrote: »

He is alive and well......not really well but alive. A quick 411. Was over weight, family history, poor eater, high blood pressure and big time smoker...hence window maker heart attack. He survived and quit smoking.

Now what I need.

Is there anybody out there that has a husband, boyfriend, partner who doesn't want to get healthy while you do?

Is there anybody out there that is with someone who has a chronic disease or is sick?

Is there anyone out there that is married to someone much older than you? ( hubby is 9 years older)

I feel the last 9 months have been about his health. His heart attack has caused so many other medical issues such as depression, tired, decreased closeness etc I feel consumed with worry over his health that mine takes a back burner. I am exhausted and scared all the time. I am proud he doesn't smoke but dieting is super hard. Also I feel extremely guilty that I think he is getting , "old" and I still feel young and active. ( I feel like a horrible person just typing that)

I just need support from people that are trying to better themselves while going through some life issues.

My husband has multiple chronic condition suffered a major heart attack at age 59 had triple bypass 4 years ago, is 5 years older and he is now 74

PhilHarrison1

The other half, who was 23 years older than I was, had a very bad heart. It was a war to get him to stop smoking. Finally when a doctor who he respected told him that if he was going to smoke, he might as well eat what he wanted because the smoking was undoing everything, he stopped. Thew every cigarette out of the house and said I'm done. He never looked back.

Diet, I couldn't ask him to do it and me keep on eating the way I had. So I joined him. At this point, our last ditch effort was Dean Ornish's Heart Disease Reversal. I credit that diet and the excellent doctors we had at the teaching hospital I chose for the extra 12 years I had it. When we had his cholesterol checked, it read the same as the traditional Chinese diet. His heart was very damaged from years of abuse. The diet also made his blood much thinner. There were complications with using traditional medications; he couldn't use traditional blood thinners because of a vein formation in his brain that would bleed if they were given. However the diet adjustment did the same job with an aspirin thrown in every day. Me? I was cooking one day and the shorts fell off me. I didn't even realize I was losing weight. And eat? Oh did we eat. He said one day "I think I'm sick of eating." I said "My cooking?" Answer: "No, it's just we always seem to be eating."

We found an exercise he loved, swimming and three days a week off we would go. Me to the weight room, him to the pool and aquatics exercise class. He built up supportive friendships in that class and we would do their lunches with them.

The one thing I can tell you is that until he was ready, nothing could change his path. I do think the fact that I said I am in this with you helped. How could I ask him to do what I wouldn't? It also helped the day after he agreed, I cleaned out all the food in the house that he couldn't have and either tossed it or donated it to the pantry. And I learned how to cook differently. I'm a good cook but this was a challenge and I found I had to learn new methods of cooking and understand what ingredients do to sub for them. For example fat carries flavor and the texture is what we crave. I upped the seasoning [not a little, a LOT] and found what I could use for the texture. I also didn't use any of our favorite recipes. Why? Because they wouldn't taste right and we would miss them. I cooked dishes we never tried before. After the first year, if we took a taste of our favorites, they were too salty, too greasy, too heavy... all sort of reactions. None of them pleasurable. But it took that long to adjust.

We fought the good fight. We lost on Jan 1st 2012 at 3 a.m. but he died at home, looking forward to New Years Dinner and being excited about going swimming on the first day the Y was open after the holiday. And I still miss him. And I thank Dean Ornish for every moment we had.

goldthistime

rodeothedog wrote: »

I haven't read this post in awhile and I don't take people's opinions personally, if you think I am back stabbing my husband that is perfectly fine.
I do nothing without research so I know that being within a healthy weight in beneficiAl in many aspects of your life. As a Hospice nurse I see people of all ages regret not taking care of there health.
In my previous post I congratulated my husband in his success and was thankful he was here.
I was only being honest with how I felt and my struggles. My husband knows exactly how feel and he knows himself that losing weight will help him stay with his family longer. A heart attack affects every part of your life so please bear in mind we are all human and can be more understanding.

How's it going now, for you and your husband?

rodeothedog

I don't believe that bad food and over eating causes heart attacks. But it is true that people that have bad habits have other comorbities. There are so many factors.
Genetics, weight, age, sex, etc. I am 40 lost 35 pounds and they put me on water pill for elevated BP.

Update: my husband lost 11 pounds in 5 months and has gained it and more back by just sneaking food at night. Positives he is walking and doing so with his own decision making. He eats more salads. It is very hard for him. He went back to a job were he is on call all winter. He is going to counseling. So he is making steps towards being a healthier happier person.