After accepting the illness-the healing begins.
The diagnosis of the illness took its toll on my mental health first. I was not prepared to have a coronary disease with the word failure attached. Failure is something I have felt, but never accepted too well. Quite frankly, the diagnosis scared me, and I was facing an enemy I did not understand. I did not recognize the denial and depression that set in at first. When I recognized the enemy —it was me. So what to do?
Always consult your cardiologist-I did and the answer was to do some exercise-diet and change my entire life. I went from an unhealthy life to a quest for the perfect exercise program and I wanted it NOW!!!
My self confidence was not at its highest level, after all I had been told that I did this to myself with years of unhealthy living. It had to change and soon. I recently found a self-confidence course on the web. I am taking the first part of the class (you’ll see it on their web site) and it has helped. Changing my attitude was first, but not the answer to a healthier heart by itself.
The answer was cardiac rehab-I must say thank you for the ability to participate in a program with exercise equipment and a staff to assist me with the program. I was blessed. That type of help is always needed and it is better to have, but what to do after rehab? I will tell you the best thing is to keep up exercise. Walking is the first exercise we did in rehab. Walking is available, affordable, and pleasant(or can be). The only equipment needed is comfortable exercise clothing -comfortable walking shoes-and a place to walk.
In rehab I walked on a treadmill and watched the early morning news. Now I am walking through the neighborhood where I live. It is amazing the things that never caught my attention. Sometimes my wife walks with me and we get to visit. We did that some before, but not as much as now. The biggest obstacle in the beginning was the fear, my resistance to change, and my lack of self confidence.
Just getting started has been a big help, and all of the obststacles have seemed to get smaller. This is a start to a new way of life, and I don’t know now why I waited so long.