My main health concerns are cancer, heart disease and obesity. I have a family history of multiple types of cancer. I myself have had skin cancer removed from my upper arm. Several of my female relatives have had breast cancer - some have survived and others have not. My maternal grandmother has had not only breast cancer but also uterine cancer and lymphoma. She is a walking miracle at 89 years old! With treatments improving, early diagnosis and the extensive research for a cure, there is hope for a brighter future without breast cancer and many other cancers. My family has also been impacted by heart disease. My father died at the age of 48 from a heart attack. No one knew he was sick, not even himself. He looked like a picture of health. There is a lot of media regarding men and heart disease but women are at substantial risk and need to be more aware. The signs and symptoms are even more difficult to detect for women so prevention is extra important. Obesity is a concern for me because research indicates that overweight people are far more susceptible to heart disease and cancers - in addition to many other fatal diseases. While I am not morbidly obese, I am overweight. I have taken the appropriate steps to be aware of my personal health issues by going to the doctor and taking the medication prescribed for my cholesterol However, doing my part to eat well and exercise has been a giant struggle. I fear that 25 pounds of excess weight will turn into 50 and then 75 and so on! It was so easy to gain 25 pounds without noticing a whole lot. Losing it is a whole other ballgame!!
Texas Woman's University - Perspectives on Women's Health
Erin & Andy
January 9, 2005
Me and Bubba
Blog Archive
About Me
- Erin M., RDH
- I am currently a Registered Dental Hygienist, practicing with Dr. Melissa Scaggs, DDS in Carrollton, Texas. I am pursuing further education to become a Dental Hygiene instructor. I have been married to my wonderful husband Andy since January 2005. We have a little baby boy Bubba the Dog. In my free time (what little there is), I enjoy scrapbooking, baking and watching movies.
1 comment:
I myself am a Breast Cancer survivor and would love to give you some information on genetic testing that is done at Baylor Dallas. During my treatment, I learned that after a diagnosis of Breast Cancer your risk to get uterine, ovarian, and colon cancer increases by twenty percent. Once you beat one cancer you worry that another one may invade your body.
Obesity is another big concern in my life. I have always been very thin. I married a man that has always battled his weight. He is now 48 years old and battles sever back pain and knee pain from his weight. I fight with him often over his weight because he will not exercise because it hurts. As I have shared many times, the weight will not come off without exercise. I worry that he will die of a heart attack. His father beat prostate cancer and a dealt with a triple heart by-pass before being killed in a car wreck. It is so sad that research show obesity is starting a much younger age, early childhood.
As you have taken the steps, my husband has also taken the steps to become healthier this year. Let me know if you want the genetic information on Breast Cancer.
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