Sydney’s Story – Heart Walk Survivor

On July 30, 2016, at just 19 years old and only two days after giving birth to my first child, I was rushed into ICU at Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne, Florida, where I was diagnosed with Peripartum Cardiomyopathy, a rare form of heart failure that occurs during the last month of pregnancy or shortly after delivery. This condition weakens the heart muscle and can quickly become life-threatening.

At the time of my diagnosis, my heart had enlarged to nearly three times its normal size and my heart function had dropped to 34%. My heart rate reached 298 beats per minute, my oxygen levels were falling, my blood pressure was dangerously high, and my body was retaining fluid. I was in critical condition, and it took hours for doctors to stabilize me.

Peripartum cardiomyopathy is rare, affecting only a small number of women each year, and it can lead to lifelong heart damage. After my diagnosis, I developed multiple heart rhythm disorders including AV node reentrant tachycardia, SVT, PVCs, and atrial fibrillation. I spent time in the ICU and was faced with difficult decisions about my future. I was given the option of an implanted defibrillator or wearing a LifeVest, a wearable defibrillator designed to monitor heart rhythm and deliver a life-saving shock if needed. I chose medication and the LifeVest while continuing treatment.

In July 2019, I underwent a cardiac ablation to repair some of the abnormal rhythms, but my heart journey did not end there. I continue to live with ongoing heart complications including second-degree AV block, valve leakage, SVT, and PVCs, and I am currently being evaluated for a pacemaker. Hospitals, ambulances, and emergency rooms have become a regular part of my life but so has learning how strong faith and determination can make you.

I was told early on that my chances were uncertain, and that I might not make it as far as I have. Because of that, every day I am here is a blessing. My faith in God, my family, and the support of those around me have carried me through the hardest moments. I believe I am still here for a reason:  to keep fighting, to raise awareness, and to show that survival is possible even when the odds are against you.

That is why this walk means so much to me. Every step is a reminder that I am still here, still fighting, and not finished yet.