Mom & Me Journals Histories: 1999 - 2001

    My mother's heart is in good shape. Out of curiosity we decided to schedule a sonogram and an echocardiogram. She's never had either. Although the results haven't been interpreted by the doctor and the echo technician who did the sonogram was reluctant to discuss the test as it was proceeding, she was lively and instructive and concluded her test by saying that, although she's not "the doctor" this is all she does and Mom's heart looks "good to [her]". She even pointed out an area of "very slight valve leakage", the mitral valve, common, apparently, with old hearts, nothing to worry about. As well, my mother's heart "rests very well between beats". This is important because, just like any machine, the older the heart gets the more likely that the muscle will "stiffen up", which causes it to remain tense during rest. The physical tension considerably ages the person with such a heart.
    I haven't been aware of feeling concern about her heart but I've been aware of feeling relieved since yesterday.