With another 5 days to go, the 15 days celebration for Chinese New Year will be over. It was a low-key celebration for us this year as a month before CNY, my mother-in-law (early seventies) who is on medication for diabetes and high blood pressure was admitted twice to the hospital for tachycardia (heart beating too fast). For both times, the doctors couldn't find the cause but managed to bring her heart rate under control. Then they scheduled her for an angiogram with angioplasty if required.
The angiogram was done on her heart 3 days before CNY and the diagnosis: 3VD (three-vessel coronary artery disease). The doctors did not perform an angioplasty on her because of the high number of coronary arteries involved. Instead they will be having a discussion after CNY to see whether a cardiac bypass surgery is suitable for her.
Although all of us are worried about her health, it is still a good CNY for all of us. There were laughter and smiles as my in-laws spend precious quality time together with the children and grandchildren. Despite it being CNY where we were supposed to gorge ourselves silly with cookies and junk food, all of us ate healthy meals that are low in salt, low in sugar, and low in saturated fat so this means no waxed meat and no dried meat.
With this, all of us are reminded to take good care of our health. Once good health is lost, one will always be on medication until the time comes for us to say good bye.
