While pregnant with me, my mother developed a heart condition and, in the month following my birth, nearly lost her life.
Two weeks postpartum, my mother knew something was wrong and went to seek treatment. Despite the signs of congestive heart failure, her concerns were promptly dismissed by her provider as a "bout of severe pneumonia." Just two weeks later, my mother was rushed to the hospital in, you guessed it, full blown congestive heart failure. There, she was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy and given a prognosis of only 5 years to live.
Grateful to have recently celebrated my mom's 60th birthday almost 25 years after her grave prognosis, I reflected on how inadequate care had cost her years of good health and nearly cost me a lifetime without her.
