Shelly

5 years since diagnosis

Age at interview: 57

Shelly was born with a congenital heart defect and has become accustomed to living with a heart condition all her life. After having surgery at the age of 13, Shelly didn’t experience further significant issues with her heart until later in life. In her late-30s, Shelly had her first of two heart attacks and started experiencing heart failure in her early 50s. While experiencing heart failure, Shelly did not feel any different at first and was quite active and able to complete everyday tasks. However with time, it became more difficult for Shelly to complete simple tasks (e.g., walking up the stairs) and her heart failure progressed requiring the need for a heart transplant. Shelly had always assumed that she would have heart failure because of the CHD, but she did not think she was eligible for a heart transplant because of her age. She was excited to learn that age was not a limiting factor, but then she received a skin cancer diagnosis that almost prevented her from being put on the heart transplant list. Fortunately, the cancer was caught very early, requiring no treatment, and Shelly had her heart transplant in early 2018. Shelly has always ‘gone with the flow’ with her condition, but her experience with heart failure and having a transplant has made her appreciate life that much more. Her advice to other women living with heart failure is to live life to the fullest as much as you are comfortable and able. Shelly has also become a strong advocate for organ donation and shares her story broadly in the hopes of influencing the general public to become organ donors.

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More content

• Self-care – Maintaining Your Own Well-being – Shelly
  Shelly says that her mindset had much to do with how well she coped with HF.
• Impact on Daily Life – Shelly
  Shelly describes what it is like to have to really watch what she eats when going to restaurants.
• Care Delivery – Shelly
  Shelly recalls an incident where she wasn't listened to and as a result became sicker.
• Heart Transplant – Shelly
  Shelly woke up and instantly saw a difference.
• Heart Transplant – Shelly
  Shelly describes how her new heart did not work properly at the beginning.
• Heart Transplant – Shelly
  Shelly had been followed for heart issues since she was a child but was not aware that transplant was an option.
• Medications – Shelly
  Shelly talks about the challenges with having to take diuretics.