Thursday, February 25, 2010

Dear Heart

Now that I’ve shared the depths of my depression, I want to share my joy.

For about a year and a half I was terrified that my heart wouldn’t be well enough to keep two people alive. I thought my chances of safely having a baby were slim.

I was wrong. I did get better and I did get pregnant. Sometimes life turns out better than you expect.

Before I knew everything was going to be okay, I spent a lot of energy trying to figure out what I did to break my heart. Nobody knows when my heart function started to falter.

When I was younger, I smoked and drank too much, as teenagers often do. I kept on smoking for ten years. Worse than either of those things, I held onto my bad feelings and internalized them. If sadness or anger were ever in short supply, I borrowed from my friends.

I lived with a heavy heart for years.

Seeing my heart on the ultrasound screen brought tears to my eyes because I knew I had neglected him and taken him for granted. I felt guilty for being unaware of my heart’s struggle, for adding to it.

In a mad bargain for wellness, I wrote my heart a letter. I asked for forgiveness. I promised to pay proper attention and to eat less salt. I told my heart that I would fend off stress if he would just keep pumping.

I’d like to believe he was listening.

4 comments:

  1. I love that your heart is a "he"! :) (And by "Anonymous" they meant "Vicki"...I can't figure this thing out!!!)

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  2. I am so pleased to hear your good news!

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  3. Vicki, kinda neat, huh?

    BTW, do you have the option "name/URL when typing a comment? Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

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