[Intro — spoken]

Eleanor had sung soprano for forty years...

Her voice never wavered...

But lately her breath did...

[Verse 1]

Eleanor stood at the front of the choir every Sunday morning,

Fifty-eight years old and her voice still gave no warning,

But something changed in autumn — climbing to the loft,

Her breathing getting shorter — coming up too soft.

Lying down at night she heard it — rushing in her chest,

A whooshing sound that kept her from her rest,

Husband said your lips look blue when you exert,

Eleanor finally listened — finally put herself first.

[Pre-Chorus]

Rheumatic fever hit her hard at nine years old,

Left a scar on her heart valve — story never told,

Decades passed and slowly that scar thickened up,

Now the valve that kept things moving — couldn't fill the cup.

[Chorus]

Eleanor's valve is narrowing — blood can't get through,

Pressure building up behind it — lungs filling too,

Heart working twice as hard — trying to push past,

Eleanor's valve is narrowing — how long can it last.

[Verse 2]

Doctor listened to her chest — heard a rumbling low,

Opening snap before it — then the murmur's flow,

Sound waves showed the valve was stiff — opening wasn't wide,

Pressure difference on both sides — gradient inside.

Chambers on the left were backing up with blood,

Upper chamber stretched and swollen — stuck there in the mud,

Doctor said the rhythm changed — upper chambers lost,

Eleanor's valve was causing problems — counting up the cost.

[Bridge]

Medication helped the fluid — slowed the heart rate down,

Blood thinner started — clot risk in that swollen crown,

But medication only buys so much of time,

Doctor said the valve itself — needs fixing down the line.

Procedure through a vein — balloon to open wide,

Or a brand new valve to replace the one inside,

Eleanor chose the procedure — one day in and out,

Valve opened up — she sang again — without a doubt.

[Outro]

Eleanor leads the choir still — every Sunday bright,

Takes her medications daily — blood thinner every night,

Checks her pulse each morning — knows her rhythm well,

Eleanor's valve is open now — she's got a song to tell.

“Eleanor’s Story”