Octopus Heart is a performance based on the movements, sounds, and rituals of the hospital, bridging the worlds of art and medicine. It is the story of a patient with takotsubo cardiomyopathy, or "broken heart syndrome," and their journey through the hospital system. Takotsubo, like many other maladies, cannot actually be cured through heroic techniques of modern medicine, but instead improves through supportive care and human connection. This performance is directly inspired by my experiences as a nurse in the ER.