Today kicks off American Heart Month. We were all supposed to wear red today to draw attention to cardiovascular disease. That’s didn’t happen... at least not for me. I am not a joiner that way.  Besides, I spent most of the day flying to N.C. to spend tomorrow with my dad for his birthday and when I left for the airport very early this morning, I was barely awake enough to dress myself, much less figure out if I was color coordinated with Wear Red Day. 

Nearly 23 years ago, my father had quintuple-bypass surgery following a stroke. The surgery saved his life. He’s had a few small heart attacks since and a major stroke, but he’s still here; a feat we’ll celebrate with tremendous gratitude tomorrow. There have been so many medical advances since his bypass that the doctors would probably just put in stents now instead of having to do a bypass.

Because of my father’s medical history, I’ve always tried to take care of my heart, though I haven’t done nearly as good a job as I should with exercise and eating right, but as I get closer closer to the age he was when he had his bypass, I try to do better. And every time I hear about a woman having a heart attack at what seems like an impossibly early age, I’m reminded that it’s not just a disease that strikes middle age and old men. 

So today’s $10 goes to The American Heart Assn.  I’m still not going to wear red today, but in my head I am singing “You Gotta Have Heart” from “Damn Yankees.”  Miles and miles and miles of heart... 

Feb. 2: American Heart Assn.: https://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/

Why I started this blog.

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