The Tell-a-Tale Heart - Janice

I want to tell you a tale about myself.  I am a heart.  In my neighborhood I am like the mayor.  All of my neighbors depend on me.  Without me, no one would be able to function.  But sometimes my friend the Brain thinks he runs things, but he really does not.

My homeowner, Mickey Edwards, has had me for 81 Years.  I’ve been very lucky to be here for that long.  My homeowner took better care of me when we were younger but as most tenants, I got neglected and forgotten at times which resulted in I didn’t want to stay around.  We went to a heart repair man called a cardiologist which told my homeowner to give up his favorite Jack Daniels and his stinky cigars.  He did do that, or I wouldn’t have been around as long as I have. 

As the years went by, we got older, and I got more tired. The cardiologist changed my medicine a dozen times.  Sometimes I wouldn’t beat fast enough and sometimes I just went crazy and found all kinds of ways I could stir thing up.  So, they found a device for me that’s called a pacemaker and if I was bad, it would shock me. I hated that but I behaved better after the shock. 

Soon, none of that worked and the cardiologist said there was only one thing left to try. It was an IV medication that went 24 hrs. a day.  But he also said it would only last 6months to a year. 

I felt immediately like my old self.  We traveled, partied and had fun again.  Six months were up, and I was better than ever.  The IV got clogged up a few times but we got that fixed.  I even got to go to Paris.  

Then the year was up.  My homeowner’s care giver watched us like a hawk.  Sure enough, my blood pressure started going down and I felt tired.  I also didn’t beat as fast.  We stayed in the CCU for 23 days.  That was certainly no fun.  They tried everything to get my blood pressure up, and me to work harder.  But it didn’t work. 

The Dr’s told my caregiver there was nothing else they could do and the IV had to come out. They were sending us home without the IV and no medication, for us to say our goodbyes.   They said I could last 2 hours to 2 days without the IV and no medication. 

Our care giver cried every day. Notifying family and friends of our condition.  We came home. Our bed was right by the backyard window so we could see our flowers.  We also got to hug and kiss our dogs a lot.  After two days the kids were all here, all the Grandchildren and friends from out of town.  As my homeowner said: he got to attend his own wake.  After another two days everyone had had gone home.  I thought “I fooled all of you! you suckers.  We are still here.”

Going on eight weeks at home we are STILL here.  We fooled everybody. Defied science!!!  My blood pressure , pulse and oxygen levels are better than they were when I was 20!

And the beat goes on………………………….