Life is Why! Join me in supporting the American Heart Association!
I will be walking in the Heart Walk on October 5th to have an impact and reduce death and disability from cardiovascular diseases and stroke by 20 percent by 2025.
I’m not just walking. I’m Heartwalking.
At 4 weeks old, I was hospitalized with what the Doctor thought was pneumonia. At 6 weeks old my Mom took me to our Pediatrician, and he discovered I had Congestive Heart Failure. He admitted me to the Hospital to be evaluated by a Heart Doctor who immediately sent me to Gainesville "The Teaching Hospital"- now Shand's. The Doctor in Gainesville thought I had a hole that needed repair, however I was not ready for surgery until the age of 4. Before that, one of the doctors heard a different noise which ended up being a Patent Ductus. This cancelled the Open-Heart Surgery. They needed to repair the Patent Ductus. At age 5 - I went back to have the "Silver Dollar" size hole in my heart repaired. The doctors were not prepared to close the hole and had to sew patches together, which my body rejected. Part of the patches tore loose, and I started hemorrhaging. They took me back to surgery in less than 24 hours. They got the hemorrhaging under control and sewed me back up leaving 3 small holes which I still have. In Feb. 2007, I needed an Ablation due to Afib. They were able to correct the top part of my heart but not the bottom, therefore I had to go back to surgery the following day to get my first - Pacer/Defibrillator. In Oct. 2012- I had my 2nd Pacer/Defibrillator. Then in Jan. 2019- I had my 3rd Pacer/Defibrillator changeout where they replaced my wires and moved it to a new placement.
A BIG Thank You to my Family who has always been by my side -
I Thank my doctors - Dr. James Lanier- Jacksonville Pediatrics- Dr. Wheat - My Heart Dr. in Gainesville, Dr. David Chinoy - (retired) Heart Doctor for 23 years in Jacksonville - and current Heart Dr. - Christopher McLeod at Mayo.
And most Importantly I Thank my Lord Jesus Christ who has been with me all of these 65 years. He is my Rock. Thank you Jesus for giving these doctors and research teams the knowledge to find cures for our “Heart” Health.
Please help me reach this lifesaving goal by donating today. Together, we can make healthier, longer lives possible for everyone.
Thank you in advance for your support!
Sharon Johnson
