The human heart is truly a remarkable little contraption. It works day in and day out nonstop, in many cases for almost a century, without fatigue. The SA node starts the signal to contract, opening and closing Ca+, Na+ and K+ channels in a uniform wave of depolarization and repolarization all throughout the various chambers, circulating blood as it contracts and relaxes: Right Atrium, Right Ventricle, out to the lungs to be oxygenated, back into the heart via the Left Atrium then down to the Left Ventricle - then out to the various organs of the body.
The average human heart goes through this cycle (beats) about 100,000 times in one day and about 35 million times in a year. During an average lifetime, the human heart will beat more than 2.5 billion times. Your body has about 5.6 liters (6 quarts) of blood. This 5.6 liters of blood circulates through the body three times every minute. In one day, the blood travels a total of 19,000 km (12,000 miles)—that's four times the distance across the US from coast to coast. The heart pumps about 1 million barrels of blood during an average lifetime—that's enough to fill more than 3 super tankers.
Impressive.
Additionally, it is the sound of new life. Something unmistakable. A sure sign that you're probably going to be loosing sleep and sharing smiles for (hopefully) years to come!
Millie had her first Dr. visit yesterday and we got to hear the lub-dub of a new heart for the first time. Here's to many more lub-dub's to come!
JACOB
MILLIE
ELLERY
AAYLA
SISTERS
MESA TEMPLE
HER LIFE IS NOT THE SAFE WITHOUT PERRY
ALWAYS HAPPY TO PLAY
CRUISIN'
WE LOVE DISNEYLAND!
MEOW MEOWS
CLAMMING
FISHING NEVER GETS OLD
PALO
LOVING THE OCEAN
FOOD FIGHT
WE ARE DONE WITH SCHOOL!!
RARELY HAPPENS AROUND HERE
COULDN'T BE HAPPIER
9 comments:
That is one of the most beautiful sounds in the world! Made me cry. I am so excited for your new little arrival. This week has been full of babies. Our friends, the Fosters, just welcomed their new son into the world this week and looking at the pictures of that perfect tiny human also made me cry. Can you tell I have PMS?
You sound more baby hungry than anything else. :)
But I'm glad I can still make my big sister cry. :)
So cool!!! It makes it more real to hear the heartbeat. It's so crazy to think there's a tiny little baby in there.
I'm so excited to have another niece or finally have a nephew!
How exciting!! Jake--I'm engaged!! I'll need your guys's address to send you an invite :)
Wow that was technical!! Can't tell you how excited I am to get a new grandbaby--girl or boy! I don't care. Just not a hot sauce.
Yeah, I cried too. Stupid baby fever. I'm so excited for you guys. Do you know the sex yet, or is it a big secret?
We won't know the flavor until August 28th. So check back then and we'll be posting for all to know... but I'll tell you now, it's a boy. :)
I remember that sound like it was yesterday! How exciting!!! Congrats and when you find out the gender you better post it! I'll cross my fingers that you are having a BOY! :)
Yaaaaaay! for all of us to have another little blessing in our family. I was looking at some pictures of you kids the other day when you were little munchkins and whaddya know I found a picture of Ellery (aka Risa), Yup, there's one of Risa looks like Ellery, who would've thunk? I thought it was funny. Can't wait to 'officially' find out what you're hatchin'. Then I'll start on a 'boy' quilt. TTFN
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