What Manny taught me

So yesterday I went in for my echo cardiogram, EKG, and then appointment with my oncologist. Quick update - heart is good, pumping at 65%, which is good for someone with as much chemo as I have had. I've had a lot of odd bloating, inconsistent with anything I have eaten, or the heat outside, or even my sugar levels, so they think this might be a side effect of the drug. To be sure I am to document everything very clearly each time it happens.

Now, for a little heart lesson I learned yesterday from Manny, my echo cardiogram guy. Below is a picture of what I could see on the screen when he did the test. It is a picture of what your heart looks like, the bottom parts being flaps that open and close as your heart beats. What happens then is the whole circle collapses and expands, kinda like if you make a fist then quickly hold up your hand like you are showing the number 5 on them. (Or doing a high five.) This shows how effectively the heart is pumping the blood. Mine collapses and expands symmetrically, which Manny tells me, means it's a healthy heart. When someone has a heart attack, typically one whole side of this picture "dies" and it no longer collapses and expands, leaving the other side to try and do all the work. And in effect, blood is no longer pumping efficiently. Cool eh? Big thanks to Manny!



Now I'm off to the gym to keep it pumping strong! I will say it again.......

Don't take your health for granted!