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Marta is living with type 2 diabetes. Her heart attack at age 48 completely transformed the way she was looking at her life with diabetes and high blood pressure. In this interview, she shares her journey and explains what she did to regain balance, happiness and a productive relationship with her doctor.
This article reflects the experience, views and opinions of Marta, and should not be interpreted as being a representation of a wider group of people with diabetes.
“Experiencing a heart attack at the age of 48 really scared me. I was lucky that my doctor stood by my side, explained the treatment options and took proper care of me.”
Marta: My pleasure. So, I’m Marta, I’m 57, and I live in Prague with my husband and two teenage daughters. I run a small tailor shop where I do all sorts of clothing-related services. I also live with type 2 diabetes, which I guess we’ll talk more about.
As a young person, I didn’t have any health complications at all, but my first pregnancy took a heavy toll on my health. I was very sick, and the tests showed that my blood sugar was too high. I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, which is a variant of diabetes that sometimes occurs during pregnancy. I began seeing a diabetologist every six months. I received treatment for high blood pressure and cholesterol, and then for a long time I seemed to be doing fine.
In short, stress happened. If your condition means that your blood
sugar is generally high, then stress can be really bad for you. In my
case, the stress was a result of being laid off from work. I was
working as a seamstress, and by this time I had had my second
daughter. In hindsight, adding unemployment to the challenge of
raising two daughters – and then starting my own business – was
probably too much. That was when I got diagnosed with type 2
diabetes.
“You could say I had to learn about the increased risk of cardiac events the hard way.”
I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes 12 years ago. I began seeing a specialist who prescribed pills and recommended a diet. I focused on living my life and didn’t add any major changes to my lifestyle. At that time, I knew that diabetes could cause problems in the eyes and feet, but I had no idea that it can also cause heart attack and stroke. My doctor didn’t tell me this, and looking back I wish he would have. You could say I had to learn about the increased risk of cardiac events the hard way.
My doctor and I never had an open conversation about diabetes complications or increased cardiovascular risks until reality suddenly hit me like a bolt from the blue. Looking back, my diabetes management should probably have been adjusted years prior. I remember it happened on my 48th birthday. In the morning my husband, my friends and I joined a dance competition with other people in our age group. However, what could and should have been a lovely day took a turn for the worse and ended dreadfully. After dinner, instead of going to bed, I had to be taken to the hospital, where I was diagnosed with a heart attack.
“If only I had known then what I know now about diabetes complications, then maybe my heart attack could have been prevented.”
It did. First of all, experiencing a heart attack at the age of 48 really scared me. I know I was lucky to receive good information about treatment options, but still, coming home from the hospital I was so worried about myself that I almost couldn’t do anything! So I started gaining weight, and it took me a while to realise that this was not a good thing. I think what I needed was encouragement – some new motivation. I needed someone to help me see that there were things I could do (and do differently) which would help me. So I looked around for a new doctor and was fortunate enough to find someone capable and helpful. My new doctor turned out to have a lot of useful advice for me, both regarding my diabetes treatment and lifestyle management. I gained a new perspective on myself – and a feeling of hope.
“Try to be completely transparent with your doctor. The more he/she knows about your condition, the better their chances of foreseeing some medical issue and addressing it in time.”
“Sticking to regular habits is something I’m still working on. I’ll get there eventually. There’s always a new day tomorrow.”
Oh yes, definitely. Now, I am someone who has no problem sticking to
a healthy diet, but I still struggle a bit with regularity.
Improvising and having irregular habits can be risky, so be careful
about deviating from your daily routines if they are helping you. In
my case, my work sometimes means that I can’t prioritise getting my
lunch when I most need it. That is perhaps why, despite following a
healthy diet, I have had some difficulty keeping my weight down. So
that’s something I’m still working on. I’ll get there eventually.
There’s always a new day tomorrow.
You are very welcome, Diane.
If you would like help with which questions to ask your doctor, then
download the conversation
guide.
This is general disease awareness and should not be understood as medical advice. If you have any questions or concerns, you should contact your healthcare professional.
