Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Welcome to Heart Tips Tuesday & cheesy Potatoes recipe( heart healthy of course)



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Greetings Sweet Friends,
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So how was your weekend???
Did you do something fun or interesting???
or creative and productive???
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Would love to hear about it!!
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I have decided to launch a new type of post
and call it  "Heart Tips Tuesday".
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My husband became a heart patient over
4 years ago,  and believe me,  we have
learned a lot about a heart healthy lifestyle!
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So thought some of you might possibly
have issues of your own,  or family members
who have problems or maybe coronary
artery disease might run in your family and
you want to be preventative!  Whatever the
case,  if you are interested check back every
Tuesday,  and I will share what I have learned.
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My hubby went for a routine physical and the
Dr. said your EKG stinks, and I am sending
you over to a Cardiologist this afternoon.
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He went and the Cardiologist said this could
be anywhere from a heart attack to a glitch
in the test,  so don't worry about it at this point,
but we do need to do a stress test.
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The next week we went in for him to have
the stress test, and tests showed he did have
a mild heart attack at some point.
The stress test was on our Son's 28th birthday,
 a Friday,  I will never forget!!
  Hubby was sent directly from the Drs. office to the
 hospital,  as I followed the ambulance and he was
put right into ICU.  They had his room waiting!
  Shocking......... to say the least!
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He did fine all weekend, course, he was there
 because the Dr. was afraid he was gonna have a
serious heart attack at any minute.
 He was scheduled for a heart Cath on Monday,
 our 35th Wedding Anniversary!
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Our Elders came and prayed over him and I
told the Dr. before he went in, not to be
surprised when he got in there, if he didn't find
anything, cause they had been so well prayed over!
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The Dr. straightened up and said Mrs....... Your
husband has coronary artery disease,  to which
I said, "I know,  but the Lord can heal him".
He just gave me a blank stare and I am sure
he was thinking this lady is crazy in denial!!  lol
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Long story short, the Dr. came out after the
heart cath and told me he probably was gonna
need 3 bypasses,  and I was in shock,  I am
thinking 3 bypasses,  he is only 57, how can
he need 3 bypasses.  He had surgery scheduled
for early the next morning less than 12 hrs. after
the heart cath.
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The next morning as he lay in the prep area waiting
 to go into surgery, the surgeon called me back and
showed me his heart on a tv screen, and showed me
the areas he was gonna have to put bypasses and
 now he tells me (he is a different Dr by the way.)
he thinks he will need 4-5 bypasses.  All I could
 think is the man is only 57, how can this be!!
  I didn't even know you could have more than 4,
 cause you only have 4 ventricles to your heart!
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Then they took him to surgery, it was about
 7 -8 hrs.surgery, if I remember correctly and then
the surgeon came out and said well,  I had to do
 6 bypasses.  I was just overwhelmed with
gratitude because I realized at that moment....
 this was the real miracle............that he was alive!
He had been playing raquetball and we had
spent months cleaning up our yard after all
 those 3 hurricanes in a row.  He could have
easily had a lethal heart attack during any of this
activity,  so I felt so blessed and grateful that
the Lord had protected him,  and that really
this was a great Anniversary present..........
because it meant I was gonna get to
keep my husband much longer!!
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Every since he came home from the hospital
over 4 years ago we have completely changed
our eating and exercise habits.  My hubby is
both his Cardiologist and Primary Care Drs.
"Star Patient".  He has done everything they
have told him and more.  He was borderline
diabetic, and has reversed that,  and we are
working on reversing this heart disease, and
we truly believe the Lord is involved due to
the recent stress test he took,  where it did
not show where he had ever had a heart attack
 at all, and the Dr. said that just never happens.
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The Dr. says he still has some issues but we
are truly believing especially after this recent
report that the Lord is at work in his heart,
and I believe the Lord is blessing his obedience
in following his Drs. orders,  and doing every
thing he can to keep himself healthy.  He has
been a good patient for this Nurse as well.
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I am only his Nurse,  not a real Nurse!! lol
But I have to say I have felt like a real nurse
at times!
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Well,  that's our story...............
Hope you enjoyed it!
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I will leave you with a recipe for
Heart Healthy Cheesy Potatoes
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1 - 10 3/4 oz. can reduced fat and reduced
sodium condensed cream of chicken soup


1 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar 
cheese (4 oz.)


1/2 cup fat-free Milk ( I use 1% Milk)


1/2 cup light dairy sour cream


1/3 cup finely chopped onion or 2 tablesp.
of dried minced onions


1/2 tsp. ground black pepper


1 -30 or 32 oz package frozen shredded or diced
hashbrown potatoes, thawed. (I used potatoes O'Brien 
because they have peppers and onions, and that went
 well with the Ham I was serving)


1/2 cup crushed cornflakes or crushed wheat cereal
flakes.  (I used 1 cup or more of cornflakes)


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Directions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a
2 qt. rectangular baking dish; set aside.  In a very 
large bowl, combine soup, cheese, milk, sour cream,
onion and pepper.  Stir in the potatoes.  spread 
mixture evenly in prepared baking dish.
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Cover and bake for 45 minutes, stir potatoes.
Sprinkle with cornflakes.  Bake uncovered,
for 20-25 minutes more or until heated through
and bubbly.  Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
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Great recipe with great taste,  you would
never no it was low-fat.  My family loved
it for New Years with Ham and Salad with
creamy parmesan dressing.
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I found this recipe on my.hearthealthyonline.com
just in case you would like to check it out!
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Well Sweet Friends
Have a great evening!


Hugs and Blessings,
Nellie


8 comments:

  1. This is great Nellie! Wath a way to share and remember your miracles!

    My father died of a heart attack...it was actually his second one and I know how hard they both worked to get it all right. I watched them eat fish and chicken for a few years and then slowly they slacked off a little. I guess my point is don't stop doing it after a few years since everything is going well. Staying with the program is so important. And of course the prayer is essential. Keep on praying and exercising and eating right. I have a feeling with all the love and prayers and doing things right, Jimmy will out live us all.

    Love the idea of you posting the healthy heart recipes once a week...good call!

    Love, B

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes! I love the idea of doing the healthy recipes. This one sounds good!

    Thank you for sharing the story of your hubby's heart problems. It's encouraging to know that since his surgery and changing your eating and exercising, it's going well.

    Thank you also for all you kind comments on my blog. You always brighten my day!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great story and a wonderful idea Nellie...I loved your reaction..."The Lord will heal Him"...and he has...maybe not in the miraculous ways we always are looking for but look how you both have worked hard to turn things around...Good for you!So glad your both together and on the healthy eating path, xoxo~Kathy @ Sweet UZp-North Mornings...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Such a great story - a praise story! and so glad that your hubbie is doing so well. And with the health habit and eating changess..you are both benefitting! Sharing what you've learned along the way is a great idea...no doubt, that is exacty one reason God allows us to go through certain thiings - to help others. I am definitely going to try the recipe.

    Maybe my Hubbie can eat healthy and not even realize it - he is WAY stubborn about eating and his (unhealthy) favorites! Thanks, friend. Have a great Wednesday.

    ReplyDelete
  5. wow, that is definitely one story alright! how scary. so happy he's doing great now! and you both have changed your eating to be more healthy and heart healthy!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Nellie!

    Just wanted you to know that I called "Computer Patrol" and they are coming out on Monday to help me. Hubby sent me an email and said to go ahead and spend the money on expert help, since he can't be here. He's sweet. The connection to Afghanistan has been horrible lately. But at least I had an email!

    Would be nice if your hubby could lend his expert advice!

    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a wonderful idea for Tuesdays! I am so glad for answered prayers for Hubby! You are a great soul mate who takes wonderful care of him! It is such a comfort to me to know you both are just down the street from me! Thanks for reminding me of what you and hubby went through! Looking back on it, I think I was in a state of mild shock. I'm so glad our LORD answers prayer and blessed us all! Thank you for going with me tomorrow.
    Love, Susan

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Nellie!

    I love your BLOG. I also liked the receipe that you posted. I will be checking back in on you.

    Your sister in Christ Janet

    ReplyDelete

Special thanks to all who take the time to leave comments..........They are very encouraging and very appreciated. I enjoy every one of them so much!!
May the Lord Bless You!!
Nellie

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