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| Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) |
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| How it began: |
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| After my doctor had examined me, he informed me that I had a form of heart failure that is terminal. It is called "Congestive Heart Failure" or CHF. I started wondering - "How long did I have left?" |
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| I went in to see my PCP for shortness of breath every time I did a little exercise. I thought Doctor Miller was going to diagnose something entirely different. I had been turning exotic woods on my wood lathe in my new profession as a "Custom Wood Lamps" entrepreneur. It was the 90's and the company I had been working for decided to "downsize." My friend Rick, who had been with Heath/Zenith Computers a lot longer than I had, got downsized also and we began working at the Portland Saturday Market -- manufacturing and selling custom-made exotic wood lamps. I began having breathing troubles at that time and I had read on the internet that tiny parisites in the wood could harm your lungs. I put two and two together and thought I knew what was wrong. That is when I found out I had CHF -- the year was 1994. |
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| If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with congestive heart failure, it can be frightening. This is a serious condition that has no cure, but you can live a full and enjoyable life with the right treatment and active attention to your lifestyle. |
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| We've gathered in one convenient location all the information you need to understand the condition and begin taking control. We'll answer your questions, explain medications you may be prescribed and why you need them, outline possible treatments and help you with the lifestyle changes you need to make. We'll also introduce you to our Heart ProfilerTM treatment decision tool. This convenient, confidential online tool gives you customized information about which treatments will work for you and what important considerations you should discuss with your doctor. |
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| The most important thing to remember is that you're not alone. Nearly 5 million Americans are living with heart failure, and 550,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. You can manage this condition, and we're here to help. Regardless of your treatment, you need to follow all of your doctor's recommendations and make the necessary changes in diet, exercise and lifestyle to give you the highest possible quality of life. |
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Visit The American Heart Association
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=1486 |
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