I’m so excited to be normal! Three years ago, an echocardiogram revealed my heart ejection fraction was registered at 30%, indicating serious heart failure. Another procedure this week revealed the ejection fraction had improved to 60%, a normal percentage. I’ve never been so happy to receive a score of 60%.
Three Years to Become Normal
I had a heart attack in June of 2021, and cardiologists at Idaho Cardiology Associates at St. Luke’s diagnosed cardiomyopathy heart disease and chronic heart failure with left bundle branch block and a reduced ejection fraction of 30 percent. I had a broken heart, but I was too weak to get my affairs in order. Survival was the only option.
After two surgeries, a defibrillator was installed beneath my collarbone. Until then, I didn’t take any medical subscriptions and suddenly I had eight pill bottles in my daily routine. I changed my diet to reduce salt and sugar, joined a gym, started walking, and canceled my writing workshops and travels. In March, I started the St. Luke’s Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Program and “graduated” in June.
Each participant wore an electronic monitor and three electrodes to trace heart activity on various exercise equipment and during weight-lifting assignments. 
In addition to exercise routines three times a week, the program offered nutrition advice with menus and sample meals. Each participant met with various staff members to discuss mental and physical health. The staff, under the direction of Nurse Leigh McClure, was excellent, and the results were positive. All my lab values improved: I lowered total cholesterol from 187 to 145 and decreased the chance of having diabetes. I lost eight pounds, but I’m still chubby.
The program encouraged lifestyle changes and improvements to stabilize the progression of cardiovascular disease. (I wasn’t totally gallant because I continued to enjoy red wine.)
Ejection Fraction measures the heart’s ability to pump oxygen-rich blood. When oxygen isn’t pumped naturally throughout the body, the brain becomes confused (more than normal), climbing four steps seems like a month-long mountain excursion, and gasping for breath becomes priority. A few times, I saw my life pass before my eyes, and it wasn’t pretty. I needed to stay alive to fix a few problems.
EJECTION FRACTION
| June 2021 – 30% | June 2023 – 43% | June 2024 – 60% |
| Heart Failure | Low Function, Weak Heart | Normal |
LAB VALUES August 2023 June 2024
| *Total Cholesterol | 187 | 145 | Keep below 200 |
| Triglycerides | 136 | 127 | Fat in blood |
| HDL | 50 | 53.1 | Good cholesterol |
| *LDL | 110 | 67 | Bad cholesterol |
| HbA1c% | 6.4 | 6.2 | Diabetes is above 6.5 |
| Blood Pressure | 143/85 | 104/64 |
Friends and Family Provided Therapy
Support from family and friends was additional medicine. I received encouragement from friends on Social Media as I prepared for surgery. My patient husband provided TLC at home, and my son drove me to doctor’s appointments. I tried to follow the new realities of living with cardiomyopathy, and my heart began to heal. I was grateful for three more years.
It was difficult curtailing or deleting previous activities I had enjoyed. I canceled a writing workshop last summer due to physical exhaustion, and my lack of breath caused me to relinquish a major role I had in a play this spring with the Eagle Theatre Company. Once an avid traveler, I preferred the pleasant resort on my patio. I’ve eliminated some unhealthy foods and added more fresh vegetables, but I just can’t eat tofu. It’s nasty.
My heart beat in a steady rhythm as I wrote this message. I smiled.
