Happy Holiday!

One more day to go and it will be Christmas. Here's wishing everyone a happy holiday and for those celebrating Christmas - a very Merry Christmas!

Christmas decorations at a mall

Eat right

My dinner these days

For the past one month, we have been going to the hospital frequently to visit my mother-in-law (71) who was admitted to the hospital 3 times for a 3-5 days stay each time due to various heart-related issues.

The first time it was due to her heart beating too fast. After she was admitted, her tachycardia turned into bradycardia (heart beating too slow) and the doctors advised her to put in a pace maker or else she may just pass away in her sleep. This of course frightened her and  without a second thought she agreed to having the pace maker which costs around RM6400 (which all four of her children share the cost equally) just for the pace maker alone.

Second stay is for the insertion of the pace maker. The procedure went well and she just stayed overnight after the procedure and was discharged on the very next day. Instead of taking warfarin where she has to avoid eating food with vitamin K, she has chosen to take pradaxa to reduce the risk of having a stroke due to atrial fibrillation.

Third stay, she was admitted again due to her heart beating too fast (tachycardia) again. The pace maker is just to ensure that her heart does not beat too slow but it does not control her heart from beating too fast (170 or above heartbeats per minute). This round the doctors gave her Digoxin to control her heart from beating too fast and then adjusted her diabetic and high blood pressure medications before sending her home after around 5 days.

She chooses to undergo medication therapy instead of CABG so the medications have to be adjusted until it is suitable for her condition. I am amazed at her inner strength and perseverance when it comes to all these hospital stays. Her health may be weak but her will to live is strong and for this, I salute her.