This post has been sponsored by Medical City Hospital.
Ready! Set! Go! Every morning we wake up, and I hit the ground running. As a working mom with 3 daughters who are active in after-school sports, I’m always in for a busy day. But sometimes, I have to take a minute to take care of ME so I’m able to continue this race.
My children lost their father at the young age of 38. Heart disease was a contributing factor in his death. Since his death, I put things in a different perspective. Live each day to the fullest with no regrets and always say I love you. You just never know what can happen. Being the only parent, I have to take care of myself to be here for my girls.
Last January, I signed up to participate in the HeartStrong program at Medical City Hospital. As you may know, there are many heart conditions with virtually no symptoms. A person often doesn’t know there is a problem until he or she suffers a major cardiac event. The HeartStrong program provides five diagnostic tests (including an EKG) that accurately screen for heart disease in only 90 minutes. Thankfully, all of my test were normal, and Dr. Michael Isaac gave me a clean bill of health.
Michael Isaac, M.D. has provided kind and caring service to patients for more than 20 years. He is currently Director of Cardiology Quality Outcomes at Medical City, and is board certified in internal medicine and cardiovascular disease, with a specialty in interventional cardiology and device implantation.
A few weeks after my screening, my middle daughter’s Frisco Flyer volleyball team traveled to Colorado for a tournament. The girls were playing great in the tournament and having a good time with family and friends. On our last day of play at the tournament, I noticed one of the team moms didn’t show up. I thought it was odd since we were playing well and could possibly win. Surely she’d want to see the action. After we finished, I called and called her and no answer. Finally, we sent hotel staff to check her room. Then, we got the dreaded call. She passed away in her hotel room from a heart attack at the age of 50.
When we returned home from the tournament, I immediately emailed my volleyball family with information about Heart Strong at Medical City Hospital. With so much devastation surrounding our loss, it was very important that we all get checked. After spreading the word to the team, several of the parents attended the program. Some parents who were in shape and practiced healthy eating habits were shocked to learn that they actually had blockages and needed stents. HeartStrong and Dr. Isaac saved their lives. We are all in our 40’s and thought we were young and healthy. This was a real eye opener to us all.
As this month is American Heart Month, I encourage everyone to see their doctor and get a checkup. One in four Americans dies from heart disease. The HeartStrong program costs $450 out-of-pocket, for all five tests and a consultation with Dr. Isaac. That’s a small price to pay for peace of mind. We need to keep running this race for our kids!
To make an appointment with Medical City HeartStrong, call 214-598-5445 or visit MedicalCityHeartStrong.com.
* * * * *
Guest Writer: Shannon Winburn is a Texas girl. She has worked in healthcare for 20 years. She is currently the Director of New Project Development at Green Oaks Hospital, which is owned by Medical City’s parent company, HCA. Shannon enjoys watching the Frisco Flyer Volleyball Club and McKinney High School Softball in her spare time. Of course she’s a Dallas Cowboy and Dallas Mavericks fan!
Shannon’s 3 girls are in the photo. Morgan 16, Macey 14, and Makenzie 10.
**Disclosure: This post has been sponsored by Medical City Hospital. While we asked a guest writer to speak from experience, we stand behind the message!
