Close to the Heart
Specialists tell me it’s not all there, my interatrial septum. Blood that should be routed to my lungs to be filtered can, instead, be passed through that barrier. Flow in one direction can cause oxygen-rich blood to join blood going to the lungs, overtaxing them. Flowing in the other direction, blood that needs to be filtered by the lungs will join blood destined for the brain, which can lead to mayhem.
More than sixty-five years of my life passed before this was discovered. By a stroke of luck, my one stroke was minor. When it passed through the hole in my heart, a tiny clot that could have come from any injury did reach my brain, but its effect was minor. The hole can be closed with surgery, but with a high risk of complications due to my age – so I accept this defect as a part of my whole.
sparrow drinks
from fresh fallen rain
leaving rings
This is my response to Haibun Monday 1/30/23: Heart
Per Wikipedia:
Atrial septal defect (ASD) is a congenital heart defect in which blood flows between the atria (upper chambers) of the heart. Some flow is a normal condition both pre-birth and immediately post-birth via the foramen ovale; however, when this does not naturally close after birth it is referred to as a patent (open) foramen ovale (PFO). It is common in patients with a congenital atrial septal aneurysm (ASA) – a bulging in the septum (or barrier) between the atria, which I also have.
Image
Detailed chambers of the heart & PFO illustration – © Mayo Clinic
(click image to see larger view in new tab)
Read another poem about my PFO here.
rivrvlogr 
I’m feeling for you, KG. I helped My Beloved Sandra through two (2!) ablation surgeryies. Not as big an issue, but no fun, either. Cool Haibun, esp the closer. Thanks.
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And thank you, Ron..
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Wow, Ken! That would be a little unsettling! Hopefully it won’t happen again.
Great haibun!
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Thanks, Dwight. It’s been 3 years with no further TIAs, so fingers crossed. I was scuba diving extensively in the 1980s & 1990s, some of that deep diving & on/in wrecks. If an air bubble had taken that route, I could easily have suffered an embolism. If diving at all with a PFO, experts recommend conservative dives.
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Amazing! Glad you are doing well!
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Heavy load for the blood to bear. Praise life you are survive.
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the miles I have traveled
along the highways
across this nation
on and across the seas
even as code within the wider web
pales against the miles
traveled within this body
each day, the pulse
that delivers me to the pulse
that surrounds me
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The scientific description of your heart condition contrasted with the lovely snapshot of nature at the end makes this a striking haibun. Keep leaving your rings with each day. Glad you are doing ok.
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Thank you, Ali.
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Beautifully written, Ken, with a striking haiku.
Isn’t it weird what conditions are discovered by chance? I’m glad you’re OK.
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Thank you, Merril.
That I got a haiku out of this experience is the best part!
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Well–and that you are still around to write it! 🙂
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🤯
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Oh my. Glad you are okay
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Thank you. 🙂
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“It could be worse.” is the message that comes through clearly. Your healthy attitude lifts my heart. High hopes for you!
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Thank you.
You’re not from Missouri, are you? From the time I moved here in 2012, my wife has told me that the unofficial state motto is “It could be worse.” 😉
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No. But rural folks everywhere tend to take the ‘good’ with the ‘bad’ better than most. 😉
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This is powerful, Ken. I wish you long and healthy remaining years.
By coincidence, I wrote on a similar theme, but mine doesn’t have a happy ending, sadly.
❤
David
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Thank you, David. I was much more fortunate than your friend. I took risks with deep & wreck diving that I might have otherwise considered if I had known about my condition at the time.
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🤗
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You are one lucky guy, Ken, to have weathered this discovery so well so far! Love your last line and the haiku, a great and touching haibun!
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Thank you, Lynne. 🙂
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And the sparrow drinks, ignorant that it even has a heart. I wish you many more years of drinking and everything else 🙂
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Thank you, Jane. I’ll raise a glass to that.
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🙂
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My goodness, what a thing to live with!
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Believe it or not, it’s fairly common and something like 40% of the people who have it are unaware because they have no symptoms.
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That is frightening. Hopefully it will not happen again! (K)
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Thank you, Kerfe. At the time of the TIA, I thought it was a developing migraine, so I took a nap. Now I know better.
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Ouch! Can’t help but think GREAT that you did not know for so long … that you did take those deep dives. Love your closing verse – actively participating with what-is.
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Thank you, Jazz. 😃 I really enjoyed scuba. I like to think that I would do it again in a heartbeat. 😉
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I understand your decision and wish you comfortable days ahead.
Much❤love
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Thank you, Gillena. 🙂
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I am a few years younger than you, and still wonder what hidden weaknesses I haven’t found yet… wonder when that day will come. Loved your haibun
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Thank you, Björn. After all these years, I’m still learning things about myself.
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Thank goodness you are doing well ❤
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Thank you.
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Close to the heart says it all, Ken! We are sustained by the beat and energy of our hearts. Your words “I accept this defect as a part of my whole” resonated. Your Haibun reminds me that we drink from life and then leave our legacy (rings) behind. Thank you.
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Thank you, Rebecca. May our rings be worthy of counting.
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I agree wholeheartedly!
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May you continue to do well.
The haiku at the end is so evokative..
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Thank you.
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Glad you are doing well. And what mysteries we all have within ourselves.
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Thanks. It will be too late for all of us, but someday there will be plugin diagnostics.
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Star Trek here we come!
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Wow… I’m glad you’re okay! The contrast between the prose and the haiku is really powerful.
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😀 Thank you.
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So glad it was detected and repaired!
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Thank you, Susi.
Detected, but not repaired.
Due to higher risk of complications during surgery to close the hole after age 50, it’s wait-and-see. It’s definitely on the table ( with me 😉 ) if I were to have another TIA or a stroke.
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Oh, sorry, my mistake. I do hope that everything will be all right.
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Whew that was scary Ken!!!! Fingers crossed that won’t happen again! 💞
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And toes! 🙂 Thank you.
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Def toes too! 👐🏼
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