Simply Irene

This is a quick but honest health update, including what happened with my heart tests, what my blood work showed, and where my mental health is right now.

Heart Update: Echo Results and What the Cardiologist Said

Let’s start with the part that scared me the most: my heart.

I had follow-up appointments with my primary care doctor and a cardiologist, and I did get an echocardiogram (an ultrasound of the heart).

The good news: the echo showed normal heart activity—normal pumping, normal function, and nothing major or alarming.

The cardiologist explained that the abnormal EKGs may have been caused by placement issues during the test (which can happen), especially since I had normal EKGs earlier in the year. He didn’t hear or see anything that stood out as dangerous.

That said, he did want to do a couple additional tests:

• A heart monitor for a few days to catch anything an EKG/echo might miss
• A stress test to see how my heart performs under exertion

The Insurance Problem (and Why I Cancelled It)

Here’s the frustrating part: my insurance was awful.

It only allowed one specialist visit per year, and it wasn’t going to cover the tests I needed. The cost breakdown was basically me paying the bulk of everything out of pocket.

I wasn’t willing to pay hundreds of dollars a month for insurance that still left me paying 75% of major testing costs. So I canceled it.

Now I’m in the position of having to figure out:

• Out-of-pocket pricing for the stress test and heart monitor
• Whether I can find better coverage or a different solution

I’m currently on a waiting list for the heart monitor because there’s limited availability and a lot of people waiting.

Blood Work Update: What Looked Good and What Needs Work

I had complete blood work done, and overall it came back really strong.

There were two areas to watch:

1) Blood Sugar

My blood sugar was right at the top end of the normal range. That’s a sign I need to be more mindful about sugar and simple carbs.

So I’m making changes I can actually stick to:

• Cutting back on sugary drinks
• Mostly water and tea at home
• Less bread and other simple carbs
• More fruits, vegetables, and protein

My goal is to bring that number down over time.

2) LDL (Bad Cholesterol)

My LDL cholesterol was a bit elevated:

• Target max: 100
• Mine: 117

That’s not “panic” territory, but it is enough to take seriously. My doctor didn’t want to put me on statins yet because she believes I can try lifestyle changes first.

So I’m focusing on reducing:

• Red meat
• Dairy
• Eggs

(And yes, that hurts, because those are some of my favorite foods.)

At home, it’s easier to control. When I’m out and about, dairy sneaks into everything. But I’m working on it, and I’m making swaps where I can.

Mental Health Update: I’m Not Doing Well Right Now

Physically, I’m trying to stay calm and manage what I can control.

Mentally… I’m struggling.

This year has been up and down, and the stress started long before August. A job I hated, constant pressure, and then personal things that hit hard recently.

Right now, my mental health is in the toilet.

I’ve been having thoughts I don’t want to have. I cry almost every day. Sometimes being around people helps because it keeps me from falling apart. But the second I get home and I’m alone, everything catches up with me.

I’m trying to manage my headspace and my heart at the same time—and it’s not easy.

One thing that has helped is my daughter being on school break. She doesn’t go back until January 10th, and just being near her makes me feel calmer. Even if we’re not doing anything big—just sitting in the same room—her presence helps.

I also realized something important: getting out of the house helps. Staying inside too long makes everything feel heavier.

So I’m trying to keep moving, keep my environment steady, and take it one day at a time.

Weight Loss Update: Progress and New Goals

On the physical health side, I’m also continuing to work on my weight.

I’m down to about 230.6, which puts me a little over 11 pounds down.

I’m setting new goals for myself before March 1st (my birthday month), and I’ll talk more specifically about those goals in my next video.

What’s Next

That’s where I’m at right now:

• Heart tests look good so far
• Still need additional testing if I can make it work financially
• Blood sugar and cholesterol need lifestyle adjustments
• Mental health is rough, but I’m trying to stay grounded
• Weight loss is moving in the right direction

Thanks for being here with me. I’ll catch you in a few days.

-Irene