I was 19 years old working a full time job when symptoms hit. Numbness in my mouth, hands and feet, distorted vision and heart palpitations that sent me into a panic!

After many tests I was diagnosed with Atrial Septal Defect/ A hole in my heart. The wall that separates oxygenated blood and deoxygenated blood had a hole in it. One side of my heart was bigger than the other and to say the least, not functioning properly.

I decided to move forward with the procedure of  cardiac catheterization to “plug” the hole. I was awake for the whole procedure and could see and feel the camera traveling through my artery to my heart. Unfortunately they couldn’t plug the hole because there were too many.

I was scheduled for Open Heart Surgery 12 days before my 20th birthday. Broken sternum and all, Drs had to take a piece of the pericardium (sack around the heart) to patch the holes inside my heart. After 18 hours of surgery and 3 months of recovery, I was good as new.

I am thankful for all the Doctors and technology that saved my life!

I walk for me and for my Tia Joanne and father in-law who passed away from heart problems.

I walk for the people who don’t know they have a heart problem yet.