Just an Update…
There’s an obvious gap in time since the last time I posted here! I’m sorry about the break in the schedule. I’ve been spending more time with my mom as she recuperates from two serious heart procedures. Loved our time together while decreasing the hours I spent on other things. Now she’s back on track and feeling great!
Our hearts. We know we can’t live without them, and there are times when it’s difficult to live with them!
My mom’s heart has beat funny for years. At times it is off to the races, and other times it has trouble getting out of the starting gate. Mom can always tell when it’s irregular—her pulse, energy, and how she feels are all good indicators of how her heart is working.
In May she had a pacemaker and defibrillator implanted. This mechanical device, located just under her collarbone with leads that make the connections with her heart, is now regulating her heart rhythm and should extend her life expectancy. This is a very good thing. (And simply amazing!)
The surgery wasn’t without complications. She developed a very large hematoma—a pool of blood that didn’t absorb into her system—that required a late-night run to the emergency room and another surgery. Once again, doctors and medical procedures, bathed in prayer, “fixed” it.
I started thinking about these modern day miracles and technologies that can “fix” something as delicate and complicated as a heart. The path to getting mom’s heart rhythm regulated was very simple:
— Consider the symptoms (pulse, energy, mood, illness, behaviors)
— Make a diagnosis (by a professional)
— Develop a course of treatment (by a professional)
— Follow-up (follow the plan; continue doing the right/healthy things)
I’ve had “heart stuff” on the brain for several months now, and I started thinking about my own heart. It may physically beat regularly, but are there symptoms indicating it’s not as healthy internally as it should be? And I’m not talking about cholesterol levels or clogged arteries. When our heart isn’t working as it should, we know it. There are symptoms that can’t be ignored.
Mark writes in Mark 7:20-23, “What comes out of a man is what makes him ‘unclean.’ For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean.’”
Pretty strong words—easy to think, “Of course I’m not involved in those things!” Maybe we should think again. What behaviors or symptoms are showing up in your life?
How is your heart working? We have to be living in a cave to not know there are things we can do to create a physically healthy heart. (And unfortunately, consuming large amounts of M&Ms isn’t on that list. And it also requires movement—that’s a big ooftah for me!)
I’ve been learning about the importance of watching for symptoms that indicate my heart isn’t where it needs to be. Huffing and puffing up a set of stairs is only one indicator that something’s not quite right. What about my mood, energy, pulse, attitude, and behaviors? How am I treating people? How am I spending my time? Am I flourishing or floundering?
In my next posting I’ll continue this conversation, sharing what I’m learning about the importance of a heart that works, with or without mechanical help.
P.S. My sisters and I are so grateful that mom’s heart is working more efficiently again. She’s back to walking several times a day which is such a blessing. She continues to follow her vegan diet, study her Bible, memorize scriptures, and work her crossword and jigsaw puzzles!
