The Healthy Heart Blog | Finding tools for a healthy heart!!!

Sherman and I (Heidi) are not doctors, nurses or any other licensed professionals.

We are common folks with common physical problems. We hope to help you, or show you where to find help for some of the same afflictions that we share.

I was raised in Southern California and had good parents that did the best they could with what they had and I ALWAYS knew they loved me. They raised me with a balanced diet and healthy food. I remember as a child there was always mixed nuts available (I would pick out the almonds, cashews and I loved filberts), my dad would not allow you to have a nut until you could name it. I learned alot about nuts… Almonds and cashews are still my favorites.

My mother could make the most visually beautiful, very tasty and nutritionally balanced meal out of virtually nothing…that amazed me and our friends.

We were not allowed to drink soda until my Grandfather went to work for a company that delivered a “decaffeinated” soda, then we could have one every once in a while. My dad NEVER drank caffine. My mother, on rare occasions, drank instant coffee or a cup of tea, but that was it.

Sherman and I met after I had moved to Missouri and had been living there for about a year. I fell deeply in love with Sherman almost instantly. I found him to be (and still do) a kind, gentle, caring, thoughtful, very intelligent and funny person. He is truely my best friend.  At the time we met Sherman was physically active in his job as well  as at home. 

 When we got together I was still raising my son, so we had regular meal times with a balance of protien, dairy and veggies.  When my son went back to Calif. to live with his father our regular meal time went out the window.  With just the two of us and both working different schedules it quickly became a “eat what you want or can find”.  I did not do the best job of keeping the two of us healthy.  It was a very difficult time to say the least.  We ate out ALOT, most of it was dinner at a restaurant (not fast food) and I guess that was a good thing.

Fast forward to February 2004- Sherman and I had moved to Angleton, TX in 2002.  Sherman was having bouts with heavy sweating and shortness of breath.  These episodes were sproadic so he was being treated for COPD and asthma by doctors in Missouri.  He had a couple of inhalers for the shortness of breath which he began using more and more.  Because he didn’t have any pain, both of us were TOTALLY UNAWARE of what was really happening.  He was also being treated for arthritis because of the swelling in his ankles.

The day he came to my place of work to ask someone to check his blood pressure (I was at home getting ready for work), someone took his BP and went straight to the nurse, when she (God Bless Jan M.) came in the room and took one look at him she new what was happening and got him into the ER ASAP.  The hospital called for a cardiologist and in walked Dr. Dabaghi…an Angel.

It took 3 different medications and over 4 hrs. to bring Sherman’s heartrate down from 180 bpm (beats per minute) to 100 bpm.  That nurse friend, never left our sides and she helped me understand what was happening.  The biggest mystery was that Sherman never felt any pain.The doctor diagnosed him with “conjestive heartfailure” and I thought “this is the beginning of the end, OH MY GOD, I AM NOT READY TO LOOSE MY BEST FRIEND”.  I tried to keep a cool head, but inside I was terrified. We were on the road to tests and more tests, wearing a heart monitor, changing diet, watch the sodium, exercise, drink water but not too much…it felt like we were in a drain of some kind swirling around and around and unable to grasp on to anything to stop the spinning. 

I really had to practice “ONE DAY AT A TIME”.  I have been doing this with the help of a Power Greater than myself, alot of friends and family support. 

 I will never forget the point that one of the doctors wanted to put a Difibulator/Pacemaker in Sherman…I was TERRIFIED and frankly I don’t think Sherman was real thrilled with the idea either.  Days before the procedure I said a simple prayer; “God if this is not supposed to be, if Sherman does not need this, Please intervene”.  We arrived at the hospital in Houston, there was a room FULL of friends with us to sit with me and wait.  They took Sherman back to prepare him and several of us went back for hugs, kisses and prayers, then we went out to wait.  I can’t remember how long it was before the doctor came out and said “I can’t explain it, there was a freak accident and the machine 3D machine they needed for the procedure had been contaminated by a water leak from the floor above”.  I SMILED, LOOKED UP, LAUGHED, and said “I know exactly what happened”.  I hugged the doctor and we all soon went home.  Later they scheduled an ablation…that procedure went off without a hitch and so far so good….Our God is an AWESOME GOD!

Sherman’s heart is now at 57% compared too 22% when Dr. Dabaghi first saw him…Sherman does work hard to be aware of what he is eating.  He drinks water on a regular basis and eats alot of salads… You have to be aware of the moisture/water content in your food…that counts as water intake… You see we keep learning as we go and we hope you will learn with us.

I would love to hear from any of you out there that have questions…I/We don’t have the answers, but we would like to help you find them so that we ALL can control this illness and not let it control US! 

God Bless and I look forward to hearing from you,

Heidi Mercer