- A Kidney Life
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- Matters of the Heart
Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. Do I think it is a Hallmark induced holiday in this world of consumerism and a marketing ploy to sell more cards, chocolates, and flowers? Absolutely. However, I am not opposed to celebrating love. I am a hopeless romantic, after all.
The irony is, in the realm of romantic relationships, I would be considered by some as a cautionary tale. And I am okay with that. Life happens. In matters of the heart, as with most everything in life, nothing is guaranteed.
Recently, while out for dinner with a couple, I was asked if I thought I would ever get married again. My answer was “Never say never, but if I remain single, I am content.”
I am content due to practicing self-care. Understanding that the most important aspect of self-care is self-love. As the saying goes, “You can’t really love someone else unless you really love yourself first.”
In Brené Brown’s Atlas of the Heart, she shares this quote about love:
“We cultivate love when we allow our most vulnerable and powerful selves to be deeply seen and known, and when we honor the spiritual connection that grows from that offering with trust, respect, kindness, and affection.
Love is not something we give or get; it is something that we nurture and grow, a connection that can be cultivated between two people only when it exists within each one of them — we can love others only as much as we love ourselves.
Shame, blame, disrespect, betrayal, and the withholding of affection damage the roots from which love grows. Love can survive these injuries only if they’re acknowledged, healed, and rare.”
What about our physical heart? How can we prevent heart disease, the leading cause of death in the US and globally?
According to an article from Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, “When experts talk about prevention, they usually refer to one of three types: secondary, primary and primordial prevention.
Secondary prevention: These efforts are started after someone has had a heart attack or stroke, angioplasty or bypass surgery, or develops some other form of heart disease.
Primary prevention: Aims to keep an individual at risk of heart disease from having a first heart attack or stroke, needing angioplasty or surgery, or developing some other form of heart disease.
Primordial prevention: The word “primordial” means existing from the beginning. Primordial prevention involves working to prevent inflammation, atherosclerosis, and endothelial dysfunction from taking hold, and thus prevent risk of factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, excess weight, and ultimately cardiovascular events.”
For those like me who are not cardiologists nor have studied the heart and coronary diseases, here are a few definitions from the above article:
Angioplasty - Surgical repair or unblocking of a blood vessel, especially a coronary artery.
Atherosclerosis - A disease of the arteries characterized by the deposition of plaques of fatty materials on their inner walls.
Endothelial Dysfunction - A type of non-obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) in which there are no heart artery blockages, but the large blood vessels on the heart’s surface constrict (narrow) instead of dilating (opening).
An article published earlier this month by UC Davis from Cultivating Health shares “8 Ways to reduce your risk of heart disease
Quit smoking
Eat a diet low in saturated fat
Stay active
Know your cholesterol
Get your blood pressure checked
Consider taking a daily aspirin
If you have diabetes, work towards maximum control
Know the symptoms of a heart attack
For the full article, with in-depth explanations of all of these steps, you can go to https://health.ucdavis.edu/cultivating-health/8-ways-to-reduce-your-risk-of-heart-disease/2024/02
A Friend in Need
Ashok Patel came from India to the United States in the 80's. Since then he has worked tirelessly to support his family and ensure they had everything they needed. This also included supporting his parents, brothers, and their families. He was the rock for the entire family.
In 2023, he was diagnosed with kidney failure and is on the precipice of starting dialysis. Life has not been easy, to say the least. In the blink of an eye, Ashok went from enjoying life to constantly monitoring his blood sugar and adjusting his medications on an almost daily basis. A man who taught his children life’s lessons is now fighting for his own.
His daughter, Purvi Patel, shares “Growing up, whenever he had any free time, my Dad took us outdoors to play badminton, ride bikes, or just walk. In addition, he taught us how to drive and be independent. He stressed the importance of family first and to always take care of each other.”
Ashok’s other daughter, Jeshika Patel says “Watching my Dad be a grandfather to my kids is one of my life’s greatest joys. They light up his world and the way he cares so deeply and fiercely for them melts my heart. Watching my kids grow up with the best version of my Dad is magical and I hope he can return to good health to continue building those memories. We are searching for a kidney donor for him so he can continue to be our rock and our hero. We live in greater Atlanta, GA, and would love to hear from you if you're willing to donate your kidney and be a legend.”
“My Dad is a fighter, but needs our help with this fight”, adds his son, Amit Patel.
If you are interested in being a living donor, or would like more information regarding organ donation and what it means to be a living donor, please reply to this newsletter, email me at [email protected] or email his daughter, Purvi Patel, at [email protected].
Please remember, I am not a medical professional, nor is any of this medical advice. I am just out here living A Kidney Life.
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