I got up this morning at 6:00 determined to catch up on exercise. I had planned to work out every weekday afternoon this past week, but my week started off with an emergency room visit. Last Sunday night, I started feeling pressure in my upper chest. It felt like someone was simultaneously wringing and pushing on my chest. I had been feeling this pressure for about three weeks and dismissed it as another discomfort—or inconvenience—of menopause. However, tingling in my left arm joined Sunday’s discomfort. That scared me, and I went to the emergency room.
Fortunately, after two EKGs, an X-ray, and blood tests, my new emergency room friends were convinced I was not having what I feared might be a heart attack. Inflammation was the diagnosis, along with recommendations to follow up with my primary care physician and see a cardiologist. When I heard “cardiologist,” my first thought was, Why are these people letting me go home if I need to see a cardiologist? What in the Sam Heck? I’ve seen cardiologists before—earlier in my life for similar scares and for an arrhythmia—so the recommendation lingered with me and stirred up concern.
I’m scheduled to see my primary care physician next week, but today I decided to walk on the treadmill. I walked three miles at 2.8 miles per hour with a 4% incline and burned 446 calories. Before starting, I checked my blood sugar. It was 115, so I decided to drink a protein shake. I was concerned my blood sugar might drop during the walk. It didn’t—it actually rose to 171 shortly after I finished.
After walking, I planned breakfast, calculated my carbs, and injected my fast-acting insulin. I’ve learned that my insulin works better when I take it 15–20 minutes before I eat. I then prepared my breakfast—½ cup cooked oatmeal with 1 tablespoon of chia seeds, 1 cup of blueberries, ½ cup of almond milk, and 1 teaspoon of maple syrup—and ate. Two hours later, my blood sugar was back within range at 125.
Today reminded me that small, repeatable tools—checking my blood sugar, fueling intentionally, timing my insulin, and moving my body in a measured way—can make a meaningful difference. This simple sequence felt responsive rather than reactive, supportive rather than stressful.
I like this pattern.
Today was a good day—not because everything was perfect, but because I paid attention, made adjustments, and listened to my body.
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