It's been a while.....

Hi All! 

          It's been a while and I miss you all so very much. I actually can't believe how much blogging has come to mean in our lives.

              Well, since you all know me so very well, you know I’m not one to keep quiet when I think something needs to be said. So here goes. First of all, I want to say how blessed and thankful I am for all of you. I have been blessed with the most amazing family, wonderful friends, UNBELIEVABLE neighbors, clients, and now blog readers and friends. Life has taken some crazy twists but brought incredible people into my path along the way. .

Most of you know that I’ve been dealing with some health issues for some time.    

                      My wonderful clients and those who were taking my classes watched as I had to leave the job I loved so much. You all know I preached the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, a healthy diet, a love of life and family, and how important it was to integrate all those factors. I tried to carry that over when my wonderful daughter decided we should write a blog and we found it struck a chord- people seemed to like what we were saying. I’m hoping people will continue to listen in the future because I will have a lot to say.

Here’s what I never thought I would have to teach my clients- sometimes the medical community won’t listen to you. Sometimes you’ll be patronized. Sometimes you’ll be just plain treated badly. And sometimes you’ll find the absolute best people in the world- the heroes who SHOULD be recognized and never are. The ones who fight for their patients and don’t give up and represent what their hospital is SUPPOSED to stand for.

YOU know your body. YOU know how you feel. YOU are your own best advocate. YOU are your ONLY advocate.

2 years ago I had a cardiologist call me a “diva”. I was told to “stop exaggerating” and “self-diagnosing”. I was having “fainting spells” due to “lack of sleep”. 1 1/2 years ago I had a “cardiac episode” - my heart rate was 32. I was told it was because I’m an athlete (At his peak,Lance Armstrong had a resting heart rate of 34 beats per minute) 5 months ago it was discovered that my fainting spells were actually due to the fact that my heart was STOPPING for 13-14 seconds- in went the pacemaker.

          I was scheduled for a total hysterectomy next Thursday- necessary for many other reasons. Because I’ve been so sick, lost so much weight, had trouble breathing with exertion, etc..., the test I asked for so long ago was done this week.

               2 years ago at 6:30 on Monday mornings, the "Diva" would have been hitting the switch for the music, turning to face a class full of smiling people and lifting a set of barbells. The next hour would be devoted to a high intensity Body Pump class, lots of laughing and the start of a wonderful day. This Monday morning at 6:30 my class will be facing another teacher. I will be on a table being prepped for surgery.

Nobody wants to be validated this way, but it turns out I’m pretty good at self-diagnosing. I have Coronary Artery Disease. Known as The Silent Killer, it is the #1 killer of men and women in this country. The wonderful doctors at UNC are going to fix the blockage in my heart. If all goes well (it’s a real big if, I know), the other surgery will proceed on Thursday. If not within 2 months. The “cardiac incident” was, indeed, a heart attack. I will be back. I will be loud. I never asked to become the poster girl for both breast cancer and the American Heart Association, but if this is what God is asking of me then this is what I’ll do.

To all of you who have offered your help- thank you so much. I just ask that you keep an eye on my family. They’re kind of scared and I’m kind of focused on all this right now. Plus we’re SO trying to sell this house! I love you all. Stay happy, stay healthy. xoxo And I can't WAIT to get back to blogging!!! And maybe a cookbook???......

                                                          Buon Cibo, Buon Amici

                                     Pattie and Allie