Mr Mohd Shariff suffered from a heart attack at the age of 47 years old. Find out how this has changed his life.
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I never used to pay close attention to my health. I smoked, led a sedentary lifestyle and ate whatever I wanted. Despite having high blood pressure, I didn't follow my doctor's advice to take my medicine regularly.
Sudden attack
All this changed in 2001 when I suffered from a heart attack. This came without warning. I experienced chest pains after a meal, and the pain didn't subside even after I went home to rest. The ambulance brought me to the TTSH Emergency Department, and I was sent straight to the Intensive Care Unit.
Doctors said it was a serious heart attack. I never saw it coming and the shock was a good wake-up call for me. While I was discharged from TTSH in about a week, I spent the following year getting better. My doctor advised me to adjust my lifestyle habits to avoid a second heart attack. And as the saying goes, once bitten, twice shy. I was determined to lead a healthier and more balanced lifestyle.
Changing my lifestyle
So I went for physiotherapy sessions to learn exercises to strengthen my heart. I saw a dietician for advice on my dietary habits. My dietician provided nutritional information such as cutting down on my sugar intake, incorporating fresh fruits and whole grains into my meals and avoiding oily food. I even quit smoking!
My family was overjoyed with my transformation. They supported me fully when I changed my diet. I shared what I learnt from my dietician with my wife and I'm happy to say that delicious and healthy home-cooked meals are a staple at home now!
Caring it forward
It's been nine years since my heart attack. I still exercise twice a week and eat healthily. I visit my cardiologist at TTSH twice a year to make sure my glucose, high blood pressure and cholesterol levels are under control. I participate actively in the LEG group Ð a support group for patients with heart problems. I advise new members on exercises they can do to stay healthy. I also do some volunteer work at TTSH. I joined TTSH as a volunteer because I was inspired by the care I received from the nurses and doctors here. When there are Art of Healing performances in the hospital, I help to bring patients down to the Atrium from their wards to enjoy the shows. Hopefully this brightens up the patients' stay at TTSH.
I would like to tell all patients with heart conditions that apart from living well through a balanced diet and regular exercise, our mental well-being is also something we shouldn't neglect. Don't be mentally or emotionally stressed as this can affect your heart and your health.
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