As many of you know, I was born with a rare heart disease called Ebsteins Anomaly. My life has been filled with procedures and small surgeries to manage my condition, but in 2022 everything changed.
I became very sick in ways that werent always typical of heart problems, and at the time as a mom of two, I faced the hardest decision of my life- whether it was time for open-heart surgery.
On October 6, 2022, I underwent a surgery that no one can truly prepare for. My tricuspid valve was repaired through the cone procedure. I also had a right atrial cryo maze procedure, right atrial reduction, an atrial septal defect repair, and a right ventricular plication. Soon after, I experienced VTach and to this day I take medication to help keep my heart rhythm steady.
Recovery was a long, bumpy, and frightening road. But through the grace of God, and with my family and friends by my side, I made it through. Today, I can say something I never thought I would- I feel better. My normal may not look like everyone elses, but its something I'm thankful for every day
Thats why I walk in the American Heart Association Heart Walk. My journey reminds me that heart disease affects millions of people and their families. Cardiac arrests dont just happen in hospitals, they happen at home, at work, on the field, and in our communities. The reality is 9 out of 10 people who suffer a cardiac arrest outside the hospital do not survive. In most of those cases, bystander CPR wasnt performed.
But together, we can change that. Every dollar raised helps fund lifesaving research, trains more people in CPR, and creates more second chances- just like the one I was given.
I walk with gratitude for my new normal, for my family, and for the chance to live a full life. I walk so others can have more tomorrows and more memories with the people they love.
I Walk to Save Lives. Please join me and help me reach my goal. together we can turn bystanders into lifesavers.
