I am not one to publicly talk about my health. After all, I’m supposed to be this big, powerful lobbyist, connecting clients with influencers in Kentucky and beyond. But, I’m flawed. Yes! My name is Marc and I have bad genes!
We are almost through February. A month known for love (Valentine’s Day), Leap year ( every four years we get a bonus day), and heart health. Heart Health!? I guess it is the tie-in with Valentine’s Day or something. But it gives me the opportunity to share this story.
My father, James B Wilson, born May 6, 1928, had a massive stroke at age 58, one month after I graduated from Dixie Heights High School in 1986. I got his genes. I don’t say this lightly. I’ve got some other genes from my mother, but Dad, he gave me some bad genes. Genes of the heart.
Medical Technology is so much more advanced today than it was in the 1980’s. So, simply to be proactive on preventing a repeat of James B, starting at age 54, I decided to look into my heart health. A friend I work with told me her husband had this “CT Angiogram” that’s non-invasive but can look at your heart function and see if there could be a problem.
Sure enough, the test did its job. It wasn’t fool proof as the test anticipated I had only an 80% blockage in my “LAD”, more infamously known as the “Widow Maker” artery. I had 90% in my LAD and according to Dr. DP Suresh, Chief of Cardiology at St. Elizabeth Healthcare, I probably avoided a major heart attack in 3 or 4 years by being proactive. Keep in mind, James B. had his major stroke and open heart surgery at 58, so I was right on course with my bad genes. The doctor patted me on the chest at the end of his procedure and said happily, “Two Stents, Buddy!” Fast forward two years, and I go in for a routine check-up. Dr. Suresh, to be cautious, decided to do a stress test. He saw something that maybe needed a second look. In we go for another angiogram. And out we come with yet another stent in my RCA (right coronary artery).
This one, well, quite frankly, really pissed me off. For two years, I was able to eat healthier, lower my blood sugar, and lose weight. Not good enough. When I asked the doc after the procedure, “What could I have done differently?” Nothing. It was a combination of my type 2 diabetes and bad genes. Ah, bad genes! Thanks, James B. So, what do I do now at age 57? Throw in the towel and accept fate? Or fight? I chose to fight! For now!
As I concluded my second round of cardio rehab, recommended by all the coolest cardio people, my very good high school friend, Chuck, an exceptional exercise physiologist at St. Elizabeth Cardiac Rehab, simply asked, “Are you going to continue your exercise program?” I said, “Yes!” And he had the audacity to say, “Where?” Good thing for me, I had just visited a national chain on Mall Road in Florence and joined a fitness club for the first time since college. Yes, I have belonged to more social, business, and country clubs than I care to talk about. So, for the low price of $25 bucks a month, I can justify joining this “Club” to get fit. And I’m enjoying it!
Chuck recommended in my discharge papers that I achieve about 150 minutes of cardio a week, being sure to keep my heart rate between 108 and 140. That was in October when I started this new habit. It’s one day at a time, but I have achieved this goal and we’re almost through heart health awareness month here in February. I try to stay on a routine of working out 3 to 4 days a week. The people who love me most, encourage me along the way. I’ll keep it up as long as I would like. I eat fish three to four times a week. I drink plenty of red wine as it is good for the heart. I no longer inhale my cigars. And I simply don’t have as many “cares” as I used to, so stress levels are much lower.
You’re not going to see me posting selfies from the Gym looking all buff, but if that’s you, that’s cool. I’m not going to tell you how much weight I’ve lost, I’m still going to smoke cigars and have a bourbon with my friends, though not as many. And, I will encourage you folks younger than me to take your genes and your heart health seriously and be proactive. We can try to live clean for two years, and if there’s no change, maybe I’ll go back to living dirty. I kid a little.
Marc Wilson is Senior Partner at Top Shelf Lobby, one of the largest lobbying firms in Kentucky as well as AdvocateNKY, a local based advocacy group to county and city governments, based in Covington. He is also the Founder and Owner of Big Tuna Cigars, some of the finest Premium Cigars made in America with Tobacco from the Dominican Republic.