Justin Ballard of Prairie Grove, Arkansas, stared at the pictures in disbelief.
“Do I actually look that huge?” he thought.
The images got here from a joyous event – Christmas Day 2019, when Kelsey, the oldest of his three youngsters, had gotten engaged.
The couple set a marriage date in October 2021. Justin vowed to be in significantly better form by then.
At 6 toes tall, he typically topped 250 kilos, typically 260.
He’d often drop about 25 kilos in the spring and summer season just by taking part in softball and holding busy in his yard, however he struggled to maintain it off. Working a tense desk job, he fueled himself with sodas and junk meals. Lunches typically got here from drive-thru home windows.
His weight additionally had brought on well being issues. Since 2015, he’d been on and off remedy to management his blood strain. He was in one in every of his “on” cycles.
In January 2020, Justin kickstarted his makeover by checking in along with his physician.
Stepping on a scale for the first time in months, he weighed 285 – his highest quantity ever.
In that second, Justin, who was then 44, stop sodas and quick meals. He began making wholesome lunches and bringing them to work.
He started a night strolling routine. Inside two weeks, he was logging 3 miles a day.
That summer season, he and his spouse, Michele, found kayak fishing. They started spending most of each weekend on the water.
At a follow-up appointment in August, Justin obtained on the scale. That led to him sending a photograph of himself to his household with a caption that learn, “Guess who weighs 225 kilos? This man.”
“I felt nice, I regarded nice,” he mentioned. “I used to be a brand new particular person and beloved each minute of it.”
As winter approached, Justin feared he’d develop into inactive. So, he took a second job, working at an open air retailer. He’d simply turned 45.
In January 2021, after including on a couple of vacation kilos and feeling flabby, he determined to hit the gymnasium.
He’d rise up at 3:30 a.m., go to the gymnasium, work his important job, then his second job, and be house round 9:30 p.m. He additionally labored Saturdays at the retailer. He was exhausted.
By Might, Justin wanted a break. He minimize in half his hours at the second job. Positive sufficient, he began to really feel extra energetic.
Just a few weeks into the new routine, Justin was ending a shift at his second job when he began to really feel what he thought was indigestion.
He clocked out and headed house.
On the freeway, Justin could not cease sweating, even with the air con blasting. He felt wanting breath and nauseous.
He referred to as Michele.
“One thing would not really feel proper,” he advised her.
She heard the concern in his voice.
“Pull over now,” she mentioned.
Kelsey lived close by, so Michele referred to as her.
Kelsey referred to as her father, who had stopped at a parking zone simply off an exit. He sounded scared and in ache.
She hung up and referred to as 911, then referred to as her father proper again.
“I can hear the sirens,” he mentioned. “I really like you.”
By now, his chest was hurting, his respiration was even shallower and his left arm was numb.
“That is it,” he thought. “I am completed.”
Abruptly he was surrounded by paramedics. In an ambulance, an EMT mentioned, “Sir, you’re having a large coronary heart assault.”
“You may’t let me die!” he mentioned. “My daughter is getting married in October. I’ve to stroll her down the aisle!”
Justin awakened in the emergency room, with Michele by his facet.
A cardiac catheterization discovered a 100% blockage in his left anterior descending artery. Medical doctors inserted a stent to restore blood circulate.
Justin mentioned medical doctors imagine his household historical past was a significant reason for his coronary heart assault. His mom had two coronary heart assaults in her 60s, every requiring a stent to clear a blocked artery.
Medical doctors additionally mentioned his present stage of health is what doubtless stored him alive.
After the coronary heart assault, Justin felt moody and unhappy. He additionally was afraid of stressing his coronary heart.
“I used to be scared to do something,” he mentioned. “I did not need to go to sleep as a result of I used to be afraid I would not get up.”
IMAGES
Flick thru our medical picture assortment to see illustrations of human anatomy and physiology
See Photographs
His physician beneficial cardiac rehab. It did the trick.
“The 2 nurses had been wonderful,” he mentioned. “They helped me take care of what they referred to as the cardiac blues. And being connected to a monitor helped me belief my coronary heart.”
Michele had been so apprehensive about Justin’s bodily well being that she hadn’t thought of the psychological restoration.
“The medical doctors do not at all times let you know about that half,” she mentioned.
She’s seen a profound distinction since the rehab program.
“He would not fear about little issues as a lot as he used to,” she mentioned.
On Oct. 2, 2021, along with his coronary heart fastened and his weight extra below management, Justin placed on a swimsuit for the day he’d lengthy been concentrating on – Kelsey’s marriage ceremony.
He stored his composure whereas strolling her down the aisle. And at the begin of the reception. However then, “whereas we had been dancing, she mentioned, ‘Dad, I am so glad you are right here,’ and laid her head on my shoulder,” Justin mentioned. “I simply bawled like a child.”
American Heart Affiliation Information covers coronary heart and mind well being. Not all views expressed on this story replicate the official place of the American Heart Affiliation. Copyright is owned or held by the American Heart Affiliation, Inc., and all rights are reserved. In case you have questions or feedback about this story, please e-mail [email protected].
By Diane Daniel, American Heart Affiliation Information
By American Heart Affiliation Information HealthDay Reporter
Copyright © 2021 HealthDay. All rights reserved.