Annya's Enchanted Realities

I usually only journal happy thoughts, happy memories, even happy experiences with you. But today, I need to talk about something serious and I think that this needs to be discussed. Before I get into it, let me tell you what made me write this. 

A couple of weeks ago, on March 15th, I received an update about Jenny that she had been rushed to a hospital because of a heart episode. The next couple of days were really painful for the whole family. Now you might be wondering why it was so painful. Because Jenny was not under the same roof—let alone in the same country. She had moved to Maldives last December and she’d been practicing as a nurse there in a clinic. So when this happened, she was in the Maldives, and we never even got a chance to talk to her.

We were only getting updates on what was happening to her and where she was taken, and we had no way of knowing what she was going through or being there for her. We felt really helpless. And within 24 hours, we learned that what we initially called a heart episode was actually a mild heart attack, and she needed serious medical attention.

The minute we heard about this we knew that we needed to get to Maldives and be with her. Unfortunately, I had lost my passport, and my mom still had hers, but there were certain factors we needed to consider. So, we decided that it would be best to apply for a passport and try to get it within the next couple of days so that I could be there to take care of her. But making plans alone was not going to help, was it? We needed more than a plan- we needed money. 

Note: Unfortunately, I had lost my passport, and getting a new one felt like an impossible task. I later found out that India’s Tatkal passport service allows you to get a passport in just 1-3 days for urgent travel. If you’re ever in a similar situation, here’s a detailed guide on how to apply for a Tatkal passport.

That’s when some good souls helped me out. I don’t want to mention names, but I do want to acknowledge their magnanimous hearts—those who helped me financially without me even asking. I take this moment to thank them. At the same time, there are also a couple of other people whose names I won’t disclose, but whose attitude made me rethink my relationship with them. They caused me more pain and deep disappointment. 

While I was here working to get my passport and trying to get to the Maldives, Jenny had her treatment there at the Main hospital at Male Island. She had a thrombus in one of her major arteries, and the doctors had to put in a stent to prevent further heart attacks. While she was recuperating and recovering in the Maldives, I was here in India, running around like a mad person to get my passport, but it was all in vain. In the end, I had to send my mom to collect Jenny from Maldives and bring her to India for post op treatment. She reached India on 24th of March. Now, Jenny is back home, and she is resting and recovering.

Most of you probably would have guessed by now what I am going to talk about. If not, then let me give you a hint. It’s the most vital part of your body, both literally and figuratively. Yes, I am talking about the heart. I’ve heard some fashion quotes like ‘Orange is the new pink’ and ‘Red is the new black’. Now, I would like to rephrase those quotes to: ‘Heart attack is the new Diabetes’. 

There used to be a time when diabetes was treated like a serious disease. It is a big health risk, but it has become more common that even newborns are diabetic. It’s so common that at least one person in every family definitely is a diabetic. I say this with my own experience because, when I was a kid, when my father mentioned that he was a diabetic, people would treat him with a certain degree of care and concern. But these days, including my own, as mentioned earlier, every family I know has at least one diabetic member. 

But now I feel, even that is changing. We’ve been hearing a lot of news lately about people dropping dead all around the world due to these heart attacks. The American Heart Association has recently studied and released a report about the 2025 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics. And one of the famous Indian e-paper, The New Indian Express has released an article titled, 50% of heart attack cases since 2020 among adults below 40, which pretty much says it all. 

Now, I don’t know about you, but this is a wake up call for me. My own sister, younger than me, had a heart attack. Who’s to say that I won’t have one? It’s high time that you and I make some significant changes to our lives. First, we need to stop stressing about little things. I know it is hard, but we have to try. But stress alone doesn’t contribute to heart diseases, does it? We need to start eating healthy, and change our lifestyles, become more active and have regular health check-ups so that we can take advantage of the medical advancements. 

Note: If you’re serious about protecting your heart, don’t wait. Start making changes today! This Continental Hospitals article provides expert-backed strategies to prevent heart disease and improve heart health.

Let’s take a vow together today that we will protect our hearts—both literally and figuratively. Let’s all say no to the things that will affect the heart—the junk food, the stress, the sedentary lifestyle, and everything that harms it. Even to heartbreaks and emotions that take a toll on our hearts.