Rosita, 68 years old

My name is Rosita. I’m 68 years old and for more than 35 years, I’ve suffered from various cardiac issues related to a malformed mitral valve. In 1998, I had a very successful mitral valve plasty procedure, but still had a stroke in 2012 after hastily completed thrombolysis. Fortunately, there were practically no after-effects from the stroke. Over the years, I’ve been feeling increasingly unpleasant effects from an arrhythmia that became truly intolerable in 2019 (shortness of breath, difficulty climbing stairs, extreme fatigue). Medication had no effect and was quickly replaced by an external electrical cardioversion that was successful but still insufficient. The next treatment option was an atrial fibrillation ablation. This term can inspire fear, but this intervention allowed me to get back to a nearly normal life without the difficulties of an arrhythmia. I’m sincerely grateful to my cardiologist for suggesting, clearly explaining and doing this intervention. It’s important to be able to discuss things with your cardiologist and understand your cardiovascular disease. I recently learned about the work of Women’s Cardiovascular Healthcare Foundation and I saw that women were sharing their stories on the website to alert others. I’m sharing my own story of living with a heart condition so it can help other women act now to effectively prevent cardiovascular disease!