The Heart of the Matter

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The heart is a complex organ that beats throughout our lives. But when there are issues, our body gives us warnings that we should not ignore. Recently, a friend of mine had to have a stent put in his artery. He's a walker, and over the past few months, he would get short of breath. He thought nothing much of it and pushed through his daily mile walk. But it didn't go away. At 60 and beyond, we can't ignore these very obvious signs that something may be wrong with us. He eventually went to his cardiologist, had a stress test, and sure enough, there was a problem. He had an angioplasty and one stent put in. It was an out-patient procedure that took just about an hour with recovery about four hours. Not a huge sacrifice of his time when you consider it could have been a much different outcome.

Angioplasty is a procedure to improve blood flow in coronary arteries that have become narrow or blocked. Your coronary arteries supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart. If you have coronary artery disease, a sticky material called plaque builds up in the coronary arteries. Plaque is made of cholesterol, calcium, and other substances in your blood. Over time, it can narrow your arteries or fully block them. When this happens, some parts of your heart don't get enough blood. Angioplasty widens the blocked part of the artery so more blood can get through. It is also called percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). A stent is a tiny wire mesh tube that props
open an artery and is left there permanently. This can save your life.

The heart is about the size of your fist. You would think it's much bigger when you consider what it does. It forms in the womb before any other organ in the body, even before the brain. Imagine that. What a spectacular miracle of God. So, if you are experiencing shortness of breath, pressure or pain in your chest, or any other symptoms that are sudden and unusual, call your doctor, and get to the heart of the matter before the matter gets to the heart of you.

Peace and Love,

Skylark

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I am a columnist with Skylark Live Town News (SLTN) and write short, poetic articles about human interest, nature, general observations, inspiration, and daily life in and around Bay Shore. Please subscribe to my free newsletter that will be delivered directly to your email each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. To support the SLTN community, you can make a recurring monthly donation as a Friend ($5) or Advocate ($15). You can also advertise your business or event here. It's easy and convenient to do. I am also an advocate for people 60 and beyond. These years can be transformative, but they require focus, determination, and planning. I have a first Monday-of-the-month motivational vlog that is designed to inspire people to thrive as they age through knowledge and self-awareness. Please follow me on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Linkedin under my brand, Skylark Live. Thank you for your support.