My understanding – heart failure

In my mind it seems to help me understand things a little better when I have a human physical comparable. I got an explanation that gives me a little better view of this heart failure thing of mine. I am sure it doesn’t apply in every situation but it certainly does seem to fit me. It is the right side of my heart that is affected. This is the side that has everything to do with breathing, delivering oxygen enriched blood to the body. When that side of the heart is not working properly. The amount of the oxygen enriched blood delivered is reduced. Physical energy levels reduce accordingly, breathing becomes more laboured. Remember I am not a doctor or any such. I am explaining as I understand things to be.

 Here is the comparable. Before this all started you could go for a walk on a nice level surface and maybe even go for miles without becoming winded. For me anyway in the early stages, that same walk changed to physically feeling comparable to taking the walk on a slight incline. Comparable to walking slightly uphill all the way. Do-able but more exertion is required. As the heart failure progresses, it is like the incline you face with each walk increases increases. The steeper the incline the more difficult it is to walk, the more energy it takes. the incline of the hill I am facing has gotten pretty steep.

i have climbed high enough up this mountain, that I could just comfortably settle back, enjoy the view watching with interest as the world passes me by, I am content. But, then I think to myself, man, I am only halve way up. If the view is this good from here, it can only get better the higher I go. I may not be climbing so fast but I have a lot left in me and a ways to go.

Hey, I am starting to feel better