How to take control of your health issues and how to be an advocate for yourself or a loved one. My sister, Maria was not feeling well and had a pain in her chest along with difficulty breathing for some time. Upon her return home from a month long visit with our Mom in Las Vegas, Maria could barely walk or breath. Even though, she did go to the Doctor while in Las Vegas, I knew something was not right, and I had her immediately follow up with her doctors. She was seen by her cardiologist, endocrinologist, internist, and pulmonologist all in the same week.
Her pulmonologist is the one that finally took an x-ray that revealed Maria’s heart was severely enlarged. He also felt there was a fair amount of fluid around her heart and advised her to get to the nearby Emergency Room. While at the ER, they did another chest x-ray and we were advised it was “normal”. After a few hours on an IV (Diuretic), she seemed to feel a little better and was sent home from the hospital. Over the next 24 hours, her legs began to swell with fluid again. She called me saying she was not feeling well and even sent me an e-mail almost saying “good-bye” to me. The pulmonologist and her internist collaborated and got Maria to see a new cardiologist for echo-cardiogram. The test revealed as suspected, an enlarged heart with a large amount of fluid around her heart. She was immediately sent back to the ER and this time a heart surgeon was called in. Maria had to be scheduled for cardiac surgery to remove the fluid from her heart. The Doctor advised that she so lucky that she did not have a heart attack or suffer an aortic dissection from the severe pressure her heart endured. God’s plan for Maria was to Survive & Thrive!
This was her “wake-up call”. Maria let herself go over the years. She fell prey to the “POOR ME SYNDROME” (PMS) and is now ready to turn it around for herself into the “POSITIVE ME SUCCESS STORY” (PMSS). She had heart surgery on July 1st and is doing very well. She is down over 30 pounds in just a short few weeks and is focusing on moving forward to getting her health and wellness under control. The most important thing that Maria said she has learned is that she has to take full responsibility for herself (physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually). Maria is committed to making her own transformation using my Surviving & Thriving coaching program.
The lesson here for you is to take your health and wellness more seriously, make it a priority so that you are in-tune with yourself and can recognize when something is just not feeling right with you. Also, do not ignore the “warning signs” – -things like difficulty breathing, pain in your upper back, arms or chest, neck or jaw. Above all, do not let anyone tell you “it’s all in your head!” including your doctor. It is up to you to leave no stone unturned and to get the bottom (or heart) of the matter so that you can get the answers and help you need. Most of all, you are worth the time to invest in yourself to be well and to live life to your full potential.
I am so proud of Maria for never giving up. She is so much stronger than she gives herself credit for. I know that she is ready to turn the corner to live her best life ever and has the Rocky Spirit in her heart to never-ever give up.
You too are stronger than you realize. I know that with my Survive & Thrive coaching program will help you to get on the right track. I am here to help you find your own “Positive Me Success Story”. So let’s get the transformation party started! Reach out to me at Doreen@DoreenPolizzi.com and let me know how I can help you to get to heart of the matter.
For more information about my services and transformational coaching go to my website at www.doreenpolizzi.com.
Big Hugs,
Doreen
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