Exploring the Physical Reality of the Heart

A writer confronts the complexities of the human heart beyond its romantic symbolism.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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The article explores the physical and medical realities of the human heart, moving beyond its symbolic representation as the seat of love and emotion. The author shares her personal experience of researching the heart, including visiting a cadaver lab to examine a real human heart, and undergoing medical tests that revealed a partially blocked artery. The article delves into the heart's biological functions, the prevalence of heart disease, and the author's journey to understand the heart's true nature, separate from its romantic associations.

Why it matters

This article provides a thought-provoking perspective on the heart, challenging the common romanticized view and encouraging readers to consider the heart's physical and medical complexities. It highlights the importance of understanding the heart's biological realities, especially in the context of heart disease, which affects a significant portion of the population.

The details

The author, Darcey Steinke, decided to write a book about the body and pain, with each chapter focusing on a different body part. As she researched the heart, she began to worry that she might have heart problems herself, experiencing symptoms like difficulty catching her breath and strange chest pains. To better understand the heart, she reached out to heart attack survivors and medical professionals, including an anatomy professor at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, Middletown, who allowed her to examine a dissected human heart. The author was surprised by the weight and physical nature of the heart, which she describes as 'the size of a large fist and heavy like a glass paperweight.' She later underwent medical tests that revealed a partially blocked artery, leading to a discussion with her cardiologist about potential treatment options.

  • The author visited the cadaver lab and examined the dissected human heart in the weeks before writing the article.
  • The author underwent medical tests, including an echocardiogram and CT scan, after meeting with a new cardiologist, Dr. Peter Virzi at Mount Sinai.
  • The author's recent catheterization, part of ongoing monitoring to check blood flow, provided additional insights into the physical nature of her heart.

The players

Darcey Steinke

The author of the article, who is writing a book about the body and pain, with a focus on the heart.

Stephen J. Moorman

An anatomy professor at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, Middletown, who allowed the author to examine a dissected human heart.

Dr. Peter Virzi

A cardiologist at Mount Sinai who ordered tests for the author, including an echocardiogram and CT scan, and discussed potential treatment options.

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What they’re saying

“The heart may be full of love and boldness, but it is also full of blood, muscle and electricity. It's the organ that guards the line between life and death.”

— Darcey Steinke (dnyuz.com)

“The heart, in my hand, was the size of a large fist and heavy like a glass paperweight. Hearts may be metaphorically fragile, but materially they are not.”

— Darcey Steinke (dnyuz.com)

“The heart generates a force that can shoot blood 30 feet into the air. Its aorta is wider than a garden hose, and some of its capillaries are one-third the thickness of a human hair.”

— Darcey Steinke (dnyuz.com)

What’s next

The author plans to continue monitoring her heart health and following the advice of her cardiologist, Dr. Peter Virzi, who prescribed a statin and suggested a Mediterranean diet.

The takeaway

This article encourages readers to move beyond the romanticized view of the heart and consider its physical and medical realities. It highlights the importance of understanding the heart's biological complexities, especially in the context of heart disease, and the author's personal journey to confront the heart's mortality without ornament.