- Approximately 6.7 million adults aged 20 and older are diagnosed with heart failure.
- Joanne Matos shares her ongoing battle with congestive heart failure and an enlarged heart, detailing her journey of resilience following a stroke and two heart attacks.
- Thanks to effective treatment and regular check-ups with her healthcare provider, Matos manages to maintain an active lifestyle.
According to the
Despite being warned by doctors that her heart condition could complicate pregnancy, Matos became pregnant with her first son at the age of 16.
“I broke the news to my parents when I was about 5 or 6 months along. They weren’t thrilled initially, but then it became the biggest blessing,” Matos shared with Healthline.
“Pregnancy can put additional pressure on the heart and exacerbate heart failure,” explained Dr. Aeshita Dwivedi, a cardiologist at Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital, in a conversation with Healthline.
Welcoming her first son transformed Matos’s life. Eight years later, she celebrated the birth of her second child.
As a child, Matos was passionate about sports, playing basketball and soccer despite her heart issues. However, she often experienced seizures after physical activities.
“Doctors advised my parents to restrict my participation in sports or any strenuous activities. But sports were my life, and I continued playing basketball and soccer, often excelling at both,” she recounted.
When her sons arrived, she remained active alongside them. In 2018, while preparing for a 5K on her treadmill, she suddenly felt lightheaded and nauseous.
“It felt like I was dying… Initially, it resembled a seizure—the spinning and dizziness. I thought, ‘I’m going to fall and hurt myself,’ so I made the decision to sit down on the floor,” recalled Matos.
With her youngest son, who was just 5 at the time, at home, she hesitated to call for help, fearing for his safety. Eventually, her vision returned.
“I just had to endure it. It felt like it lasted forever,” she said.
The next day, she went to work with noticeable facial swelling. The following day, plagued by a severe headache, she opted to seek medical attention.
“I was worried about internal bleeding because my mother had passed away from bleeding in the brain, which I later learned was due to heart failure,” Matos explained.
During her week-long hospitalization, doctors diagnosed her with a stroke.
“When the heart’s muscle weakens, blood flow can slow down, leading to the formation of clots, which can increase the likelihood of a stroke,” Dr. Isla McClelland, an expert in adult congenital heart disease at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, explained to Healthline.
Silent heart attacks can happen without any warning signs; they occur due to blockages in the arteries that limit blood flow and cause damage to the heart muscle.
“I was completely unaware that I was experiencing them,” she said.
Given her condition, her doctors recommended a left ventricular assist device (LVAD), which aids the heart in pumping blood.
“In severe cases of heart failure, an LVAD may be necessary. It can act as a bridge to a heart transplant,” Dr. Dwivedi noted.
Matos opted out of the LVAD surgery due to its limitations on activities such as swimming, contact sports, and anything that could lead to falls.
“If I have one regret, it’s that I didn’t get the LVAD sooner,” she admitted.
While medications are typically the first approach to treating heart failure, in advanced cases where they prove insufficient, Dr. McClelland noted that advanced therapies may include LVAD installation and evaluation for heart transplantation.
- Shortness of breath
- Persistent coughing or wheezing
- Fluid retention in the body
- Extreme fatigue
- Confusion
- Weight fluctuations
- Increased heart rate
By 2020, Matos’s symptoms intensified. She struggled with weight gain, breathing difficulties, and severe swelling in her legs, ankles, and feet, which forced her to crawl up the stairs instead of walking. Nevertheless, she continued to work and support her children in their activities.
“Being a mom motivates me. I don’t want my struggles to affect my children,” she expressed.
Matos remained proactive about regular screenings to monitor her heart failure. Doctors typically conduct the following
- Electrocardiogram (ECG)
- Echocardiogram (echo)
- Chest X-ray
- Blood tests for BNP levels
- Stress tests
- Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- Cardiac catheterization
“For individuals with congestive heart failure, regular heart screenings are vital to evaluate the heart’s strength and the effectiveness of ongoing treatments,” Dr. McClelland stated. “Consistent follow-ups with a cardiologist can help determine necessary next steps in treatment.”
During a heart catheterization appointment, doctors revealed to Matos that her organs were failing and that an LVAD was her only chance for survival. She received the Abbott HeartMate 3 LVAD.
“At that moment, it became clear: it was a matter of life or death. They told me I might not make it through the weekend,” Matos said.
The recovery process was arduous, lasting six months, but Matos committed herself to gradually increase her activity levels each day.
Now, she stays active by participating in doctor-approved exercises, such as using the elliptical machine.
As spring approaches, Joanne Matos is set on participating in a 5K walk or jog. Despite the challenges posed by her heart condition, she is determined to remain active and continuously challenge herself.
Living with congestive heart failure and an enlarged heart has required Matos to forgo activities like swimming and kayaking to safeguard her LVAD, a device essential for her heart’s functionality. Nonetheless, she views these sacrifices as necessary for her health and overall well-being.
After awakening following her LVAD surgery, Matos felt an overwhelming sense of relief as she took her first breath without struggle. This experience reinforced her belief that every breath is precious and should never be taken for granted.
Looking ahead, Matos’s healthcare team plans to add her to the heart transplant list next year—an important step in her heart failure journey. She wants to convey to others facing similar challenges that heart failure is not a terminal condition but rather a temporary detour in life.
Matos underscores the significance of self-belief, trust in medical professionals, and maintaining a positive perspective throughout the heart failure journey. With nearly 6.7 million adults in the United States coping with heart failure, her story serves as a testament to the possibility of thriving and leading an active life despite significant obstacles.
