Why ‘Rebecca’s Heart’? The answer is in the question.
I can’t begin to tell you how many times my poor husband has been asked, “How’s Rebecca’s heart today?”
Well-meaning friends and family often inquire as to the current status of my heart disease. Not wishing to upset me with a barrage of questions, my husband plays the middleman; filtering out the casual question from the serious inquiry. That constant phrase used to discern my health has evolved into this unique moniker.
And what a strange one it is. I don’t want to get all ‘existential’ on you, but it’s almost as if my heart condition has taken on a life all its own. Apparently, it can’t live without me although I would most certainly prefer to live without it.
It’s a fitting name for yet another reason. Ischemic Heart Disease is a relatively new and often misdiagnosed condition. To make matters worse, symptoms come and go as they please. One day all is fine; the next I’m in the ER getting my troponin checked. Daily inquiry by friends and family is necessary because my situation changes on a daily basis.
What Do You Call Your Heart?
How do you (or a loved one) respond when asked about your heart disease? Do you smile and say something canned or do you give details? Only you can make that decision. But know this, the more people that you share the true nature of your condition with, the more people will know exactly how serious your situation is. Only then will word spread that heart disease affects women in a most profound way. How will others know what you are going through if you don’t tell them?
Let them ask you how your heart is. Give them answers from the heart. Dignify your heart and name it. You’ve been through a lot together.
Rebecca Fortunato
http://rebeccasheart.wordpress.com/
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Good to hear from you again Pat!
February 3, 2010 - 7:10pmI've very much enjoyed reading your posts here at EmpowHer. Thank you for your continued encouragement and contributions to all of those fortunate enough to have found this website.
Most Sincerely,
Rebecca Fortunato
http://rebeccasheart.wordpress.com/
This Comment
Hi Rebecca - I really like what you've said here. I'm continually asked "How do you feel?" which is the way people ask about my condition, which is cancer. I'm going to borrow from what you said, and let them know how my health AND heart are, and give them answers from my heart. I'm also going to ask them to help me dignify my condition with a better name than the three word official clinical name that no one can pronounce or remember. Thanks for some great ideas! Pat
February 3, 2010 - 6:37pmThis Comment