Member Success: Karla
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Meet Karla. Karla is a nurse at Mayo Clinic who shared her story with us on our Facebook Group Page and has inspired so many already with her post. Here is her story.
“On May 10, 2015 I went into to the hospital feeling unable to breath. Turns out the bad heartburn I thought I had felt on April 18, 2015 was not that at all, but was in fact a heart attack. I couldn’t breath because I had 99% blockage of my “widow maker “ in my heart which caused a heart attack and congestive heart failure. I had to have a stent placed because of this. My ejection fraction (the amount of blood your heart can pump out with each contraction) was 30% (normal is 50-60%). I was also diagnosed with diabetes type 2 at that time. My A1c was 8.6 (normal is 4-6).
Now, here I am a year later. I was hoping to hit the milestone of 125 pounds lost but didn’t quite make it. I am down 123.5lbs nothing to sneeze at and I’m very proud of myself at my commitment to my good health. My diabetes is under diet and exercise control. I’m off my diabetes meds and my A1c is in normal range at 5.3. With the weight loss, cardiac meds, and 6-8 hours per week of water aerobics at the DAHLC pool my ejection fraction is 53%, that is within normal range!!!
I still have a ways to go with the weight loss. I would like to lose about another 65#. It’s going slow now but is still in the right direction. So I’m taking this moment to toot my own horn and say yay me!"
Absolutely, Karla, toot away! You have the support of the members and staff behind you to reach your goal. You have come a long way and we are so happy to hear your health is back!