My pediatrician did not find any abnormalities with my heart when I was 18, during my last visit to her office. During checkups at my university clinic, the doctor only auscultated my heart for around 20 seconds, which I believe is not enough. So, they couldn’t determine if my heart was truly healthy.

However, since my grandfather died from heart problems a few years ago, the idea of a cardiological checkup came to my mind in January. I believe that self-cardiological prevention is much better than treatment, so about a year ago, I decided to buy a better stethoscope and an 8-lead portable ECG device for self-monitoring.

My first self-auscultation sessions were definitely better than those with my old stethoscope. I didn’t notice any abnormal sounds, but occasionally—especially when my heart was recovering after physical activity—I heard a few PVCs. I read that this can happen in healthy people, though it shouldn't occur too often.

Some of my self-ECG exams were also nearly normal. In February, the idea to check my heart’s QRS axis came to mind. After reading some articles, I discovered that my QRS axis was slightly abnormal. At first, I thought it might be due to incorrect electrode placement, so I repeated the exam. The result was similar, so I immediately began looking for a quick cardiological examination. Fortunately, one doctor had time to see me two weeks later. I booked the appointment and couldn’t wait for the visit to finally get my heart properly checked