WATTS HAPPENING
Recently, I had the opportunity to spend a week in Arizona. I was lucky enough to travel from Tucson to the Grand Canyon. stopping in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Sedona and Flagstaff along the way. Although there were many distinctive sites, there was a commonality across the state pertaining to the Arizona vibe and the Arizona flavor. Check out some of my favorite recipes “On the Arizona Trail.”
Although the site of the Grand Canyon was spectacular, and spending time in Tuscan, Phoenix and Scottsdale was full of the activity that I crave, Sedona won a place in my heart. I was extremely skeptical when I read literature regarding Sedona, touting new age energy vortices, Native American superstitions and many alien sitings. However, after hiking through the beautiful red rock trails, I felt a weird sense that was a combination of peacefulness but yet rejuvenation at the same time.
I understand why so many health seekers are attracted to the area. One of my favorite trails was Cathedral Rock. If you ever have a chance to travel to Sedona, I highly suggest it.
7 Day Challenge
Working on my Beach Bod!
This month, I’ve decided to challenge my teacher’s and my fellow students to a 1 week challenge pre-Spring Break. The goal is to pick a healthy activity that you can add to your daily routine and stick with it for seven days. Different people have different incentives. Some truly want to become healthier. Some are just being a good friend and helping me out with my senior project. Some want to be more accountable and work on that spring break beach body. And some just want to win the raffle of the 50.00 gift card that I’ve offered as an incentive to join the challenge.
Their reason for joining the challenge doesn’t matter. My hopes are that there will be some who will extend their newfound health habit beyond the seven days. It’s baby steps, toward a lifetime goal. Check back in April when I repost the individual goals that were listed on the student Instagram account.
No Mckennon, eating candy corn every day doesn’t count. No SF, curling with empty chip bags while in couch potato mode, doesn’t count. No “Anonymous”, eating at the same fast food restaurant every day doesn’t count either.
Stay tuned for the results at the end of the week. Knowing the committed teachers and students at my school, there is going to be a lot of successful completed challenges.
late February 2019
Deja Vu!
I’m sitting in the cardiac emergency waiting room, once again while my grandmother is being poked and prodded behind the two double swing doors. I can hear my loud breathing, and wonder if it is evident to the other people sitting so close to me. I feel anxious, as I wait to hear my elderly grandmother’s fate. Why isn’t she watching her diet more closely, I ponder in irritation. My hands shake as I close my eyes in prayer, while attempting to control my breathing. My grandmother is such a huge part of my life, and I don’t want to think of life without her. She has got to pull through this. I am visualizing a strong heart. A strong beat. Why is this happening again?
A few hours earlier.
It was Friday afternoon and I arrived at my grandmother’s condo as part of my weekly routine. I try to stop by after school several times a week to check on her. I make sure that she is taking her medicine, getting in her daily steps, and take her to run errands. On this Friday, as I exited the elevator, the smell of fried greasy food filled the hallway. As I got closer to the door, I realized that it was coming from her condo. As I started to scold her for frying foods, I realized that she was probably cooking for me. My first thought, was she fried chicken fried steak again, although I’ve asked her not to because I’m trying to be healthy. Oh well, I thought, I can start my healthy eating tomorrow.
When I entered the living room, she could barely talk. Her breathes were short and shallow. After calling 911, I tried to calm her down. She was panicking and talking in fragments. When the EMS arrived, they immediately gave her oxygen and started the routine. They put her on the stretcher and rushed her to the ambulance. Luckily, they allowed me to take shot gun.
Although the hospital was approximately five miles from her home, it was one of the longest rides of my life. I heard loud noises, raised voices and clacking sounds behind me. I couldn’t visibly see my grandmother, and my mind was heading toward the worst. As the ambulance stopped, I jumped out and witnessed the EMTs roll out the stretcher. I reached for my grandmothers hand, and when I felt her squeeze, my knees collapsed in relief.
Current Day
My grandmother is the toughest woman I know. She has been home for several weeks, and is once again up and at ‘em like the tough vibrant woman she is. After a diagnosis of Congestive Heart Failure, (major water retention), she has agreed to cut out all fried foods, and monitor her salt intake. This is not easy for a southern raised woman, who cooks the best chicken fried steak, I’ve ever tasted in my life. In the past, she would get angry with me, when I’d surreptitiously remove unhealthy foods from her shopping cart, but today she is “behavin’”. We are both on a journey to add healthy foods into our lives. It is never too late or too early to begin a healthy diet. Besides, it’s fun to have a common goal with my grandmother. Our journey continues as we add heart healthy foods and activities into our lives.
Open Heart Surgery--Up Close!
Fat or Fiction?
A couple months ago, I was fortunate to be given the opportunity to observe, up close and personal, a coronary artery bypass graft surgery, also known as a cardiac bypass surgery.
I knew that this event would provide a lifetime memory, but little did I realize, that I would be overcomed with an urgency to spread the word of my observation.
Excited and nervous at the same time, I arrived at the hospital early that morning and was instructed to get “scrubbed up”. Soon after, I was introduced to the doctor, the rock star in my eyes, who would be performing the surgery. He, along with the anesthesiologist, walked me through the procedure. They explained that this surgery was necessary because the patient would have most likely suffered a heart attack in the near future without it. The steps of the surgery would be as follows:
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The surgeon would make an incision down the middle of the patients chest
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Then, the patients ribcage was spread to allow access to the heart
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The patient was then connected to a cardiopulmonary bypass machine, which basically takes on the role of the heart while it is being operated on
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Next, a healthy blood vessel was taken from the patients leg to replace the clogged artery
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The surgeon then skillfully placed the blood vessel next to the heart in place of the blocked artery (the reason the surgery was needed)
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After making sure the blood vessel was working properly, the surgeon stitched his chest back up in many layers
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The patient was then taken to the ICU for recovery
Frozen in awe, I watched the skillful doctor start to perform the aforementioned steps with such ease. I knew if I had any hope of becoming a surgeon, I would have to endure the horrid smell that came with the doctor “zapping” the blood vessels, in order to prevent bleeding. He then held up the heart, as I tried to appear cool. Looking at the pulsating heart, was beyond fasinating. Adrenaline filled my body, as my mind tried to comprehend what I was witnessing. However, when I came back down to earth, confusion quickly set in, as I blurted out the quesion,
“Why is the heart so yellow?”
The surgeon explained that the patient’s heart was surrounded in multi layers of fat. I was shocked. I immediately thought about my heart, family members’ hearts, my website, and how it was imperative that I inform of the importance of maintaining a healthy heart to anyone who was unaware like I had been. It is because of this experience that I urge you to join me in taking control of your heart health.
