Chapter 17. Crises Are Like Little Gifts

Several years ago I had an unexplained pain in my chest on the left side. I instantly thought I was having a heart attack. In a state of panic, I called one of my clients, a cardiologist, and asked to be seen immediately. I was convinced I was in the middle of a health crisis.

I soon learned there was nothing wrong with my heart. I had actually torn my left intercostal muscle, which sits just beneath the heart. I had injured myself lifting weights on the bench press and hadn’t recognized it at the time.

During the appointment, my doctor suggested I have some other tests because I have a family history of heart disease. One of the tests included blood work for cholesterol levels. I learned that my LDL cholesterol levels were unusually high. Although I’d been an athlete all my life with excellent eating habits, I’d never focused particularly on lowering my cholesterol. In addition, I had never recognized the potential for genetics to affect me this way.