As A Child

Before I was born I lay in my mother's womb as genes from the two sides of my family competed to determine which side would dominate my life in a particular area. Unfortunately, one of the genes that dominated came from my mother's side of the family.

The technical term for it is 'hyperlipidimia'. It meant that my body would never be able to properly dispose of that bad cholesterol (LDL) that blocks up arteries in the heart and other places. Blocked arteries, as most people know, cause heart attacks.

Doctors had little or no knowledge of cholesterol's effect on the arteries back when I was growing up in the '50's. I don't think they even had a blood test for it back then. No one knew that every time I ate something my bad cholesterol would rise about 5 times as would the normal person eating the same thing.

A school physical for boys consisted of being weighed, a blood pressure check, examination by the doctor of the ear, nose and throat, a listen to the heart. Then you turned your head and coughed and were declared fit for school.

I was athletic as a young boy. I played baseball, basketball, ran track and cross-country. I was in great shape as far as anyone could tell. Little did I, or anyone else, know that I was headed for a medical crisis early in life. More the next time.

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