Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

Sloan: Cholesterol struggle is real

On the rare occasions people take a break from being outraged over politics, they might use the brief armistices to envision their nemeses as humans. Liberal, conservative or apathetic, everyone has a secret challenge.

Former Portales resident Annette Michelle Quintana, 49, an upbeat married mother of three living in Adkins, Texas — near San Antonio — copes with what seems like a routine health challenge, but which can turn deadly: high cholesterol.

Her husband, who recently earned a Ph.D. in educational administration, has similar issues.

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“I fear our kids losing both their parents to heart disease,” the pre-kindergarten teacher said.

Quintana has always eaten fairly well and never been overweight, “certainly not morbidly.”

Nine years ago her school had a health clinic for employees: checking cholesterol levels, heart rate, etc.

The next day she received a call telling her to see a doctor immediately.

The doctor said her cholesterol and triglycerides were extremely high, and she was basically “a walking heart attack.”

“I was shocked as I was under the impression only extremely overweight people or those who eat unhealthy food suffer from this,” Quintana said. “But in my case high cholesterol is hereditary.”

She now reads labels on food carefully, changed her family’s eating habits, including eating out less, and exercises regularly.

“I hate to exercise, and I love junk food, so it hasn’t been easy,” she joked.

She recently received her yearly checkup, and “cringed” at the results. Her cholesterol was elevated from last year.

“The struggle is real but I’ll be damned if I’m going to be put on medication,” said Quintana, who hates even taking aspirins.

“The diagnosis affects me emotionally because every year I dread when I have to go to the doctors to have blood drawn and my levels checked,” Quintana said.

“The diagnosis was news that I will never forget and changed my life. Still, I am grateful I am in overall good health — especially for my kids.”

By the way, if it matters, Quintana considers herself a liberal.

Contact Wendel Sloan at [email protected]